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Lot Essay
This low, scroll-shaped table is a masterful study in line and proportion, hewn and modeled from solid zitan timber. The interplay of emptiness and form is dynamic, while the wave-like contours of the end panels evoke the gentle rippling of Flowing Water (Liu Shui), one of the classic pieces in the guqin repertoire.
Reflecting on its beauty, Chen recalls: “I once believed that such unadorned poise and elegance belonged only to huanghuali furniture—until I was shown a zitan qin table by Grace Wu Bruce. In deep purplish-black zitan, the table takes the simplest possible form, yet its gently curved legs and restrained, turning contours create a quiet refinement. Entirely plain and unembellished—without a trace of carving—it naturally evokes the still, solemn presence of the guqin itself.”
Throughout the long history of Chinese furniture, the ‘qin table’ has maintained its supporting role, yet its form and materials have undergone continuous experimentation—aimed both at accommodating the player’s agility and enriching the instrument’s tonal resonance. A poetic inscription on a low scroll-shaped table crafted from nanmu records this long standing pursuit: “Since ancient times the qin table has never been fixed in style. Whether built with hollow bricks or cushioned with sandbags, its muted tone was always unsatisfying. The erudite scholar Qiumei came up with this new form resembling a handscroll. The craftsmanship is exquisite and praised by all as peerless…”
One might surmise that the bright acoustics of solid zitan, combined with the resonant quality produced by its wave-like structure, reflect a similar attempt to enhance the tonality of the guqin. In any case, this work exemplifies an artistry rarely encountered in furniture design—truly one of those rare masterpieces “praised by all as peerless.”
Curtis Evarts, Independent Scholar
Reflecting on its beauty, Chen recalls: “I once believed that such unadorned poise and elegance belonged only to huanghuali furniture—until I was shown a zitan qin table by Grace Wu Bruce. In deep purplish-black zitan, the table takes the simplest possible form, yet its gently curved legs and restrained, turning contours create a quiet refinement. Entirely plain and unembellished—without a trace of carving—it naturally evokes the still, solemn presence of the guqin itself.”
Throughout the long history of Chinese furniture, the ‘qin table’ has maintained its supporting role, yet its form and materials have undergone continuous experimentation—aimed both at accommodating the player’s agility and enriching the instrument’s tonal resonance. A poetic inscription on a low scroll-shaped table crafted from nanmu records this long standing pursuit: “Since ancient times the qin table has never been fixed in style. Whether built with hollow bricks or cushioned with sandbags, its muted tone was always unsatisfying. The erudite scholar Qiumei came up with this new form resembling a handscroll. The craftsmanship is exquisite and praised by all as peerless…”
One might surmise that the bright acoustics of solid zitan, combined with the resonant quality produced by its wave-like structure, reflect a similar attempt to enhance the tonality of the guqin. In any case, this work exemplifies an artistry rarely encountered in furniture design—truly one of those rare masterpieces “praised by all as peerless.”
Curtis Evarts, Independent Scholar