Page 160 - Christies March 16, 2017 The Varata Collection NYC

The luohanchuang, or couch bed, is found in both the private chambers of women Fig. 1. Detail of a woodblock print from Jin Ping Mei, Ming dynasty
and the studio of a literati gentleman. A woodblock print from the Ming dynasty （圖1）明代金瓶梅木版畫局部
novel, Jin Ping Mei, shows Pan Jinlian, the principal female character, reclining on
a luohanchuang with solid rails and inward-curving legs, similar to the present
example. In the north, kang platforms were used for sleeping; however, literary texts
suggest that luohanchuang were also considered part of the everyday furnishings,
as described by Cao Xueqin in Dream of the Red Chamber: “Aroma could see that
Parfumee was extremely drunk. Fearing that any but the slightest movement might
make her sick, she lifted her up very, very gently, and laid her down beside Bao-Yu
on the kang. She herself lay down on the couch opposite” (Penguin Classics, vol. 3,
p. 231) (fg. 1).

A luohanchuang was also considered an essential furnishing for the master’s
studio. Wen Zhenheng dedicates a chapter to tables and couches in his Treatise on
Superfuous Things, writing “when men of old made tables and couches, although
the length and width were not standardized, they were invariably antique” (gu),
which according to Craig Clunas (Chinese Furniture, p. 11) does not just mean
‘chronologically old’ but implies ‘morally ennobling’. Wen goes on to say, “There is
no way that they are not convenient, whether for sitting up, lying down or reclining.
In moments of pleasant relaxation they would spread out classic or historical texts,
examine works of calligraphy or painting, display ancient bronze vessels, dine or
take a nap, as the furniture was suitable for all these things. The men of today make
them in a manner which merely prefers carved and painted decoration to delight
the vulgar eye, while the antique pieces are cast aside, causing one to sigh in deep
regret” (Craig Clunas, Superfuous Things, Material Culture and Social Status in Early
Modern China, p. 42).

The elegant simplicity of this unadorned luohanchuang is derived from its pure form
and balanced proportions and represents a true interpretation of the concept of gu,
as defned by Wen Zhenheng.