型格香港系列 II —
坐觀東西：晏如居明式家具與百年椅戲

為易於搬動，古代良工巧匠創製出折疊或可拆裝家具。此核桃木折疊桌，融會活榫拆裝和折疊工藝，既可組成高身小方桌，亦可變成長方箱子。此桌做工細緻講究，似乎不是用於山遊或軍帳之物。它或是置於庭園陳設古玩；或供拜月焚香；或供祭祀之用。

Early craftsmen designed some ingenious furniture that could be folded and disassembled for moving around. Crafted from walnut, this folding table integrates removable tenon-and-mortise joinery and folding techniques. It can be configured as a tall square table or transformed into a rectangular storage box. Its possible uses include as a display table for antiques in a garden, for incense offerings during moon worship, or as an altar table for rituals.

七十年代的香港，Apollo 品牌的麻雀枱廣為人知。此款麻雀枱以塑膠模製而成，打開後盒面即可作為枱面使用，內藏四隻鋁質枱腳，並附設櫃桶。

This mahjong table by the local brand Apollo was widely known in 1970s Hong Kong. Made of molded plastic, the case opens to form the tabletop, with four aluminium legs stored inside and a built-in drawer.

轎是以人力抬槓的出行工具，早期結構十分簡單，或以長板、或以支架、或以籃子做成，後來慢慢發展為較複雜的抬椅形，或是方箱形。這乘涼轎通體上紅漆，由一把四出頭官帽椅和踏床組成。靠背板呈「S」形，浮雕跪下雄鹿與靈芝圖案。背柱和後腿、鵝脖和前腿均以一木連造，結構紮實牢固。座面板心平鑲兩拼面板，板材色澤不一，紋理華美。座面下裝鏤空拐子花牙，腳棖採步步高樣式，做法講究。踏床採四面平做工，床面平鑲獨板，足作內翻馬蹄樣式。為方便裝拆，踏床以活榫與官帽椅前腿相接，心思縝密。這張涼轎的兩側分別裝上鐵環，扛舉時，轎夫先把扛桿夾在上下鐵環中間，再以繩子將扛桿綑緊椅身，這個做法較單以繩子綑綁來得穩固。

Sedan “chairs” have a long history in China, although early examples were rudimentarily constructed in plain boards, scaffolds or even by using baskets. The current example is entirely finished in red lacquer and is composed of a yoke-back sedan chair with detachable footstool. The relatively narrow “S”-shaped back splat makes the chair lighter and is decorated by a carved medallion of a kneeling deer and lingzhi fungus. A highly figured panel with a contrasting yellow-brown colour is used as a seat panel. The square legs end with hoof feet, and the apron is made of scrolled dragons. The footstool is detachable. Metal rings are attached to the sides of the legs and the footstool, for attachment of ropes or rods for the chair to be carried. The top rail is highly curved to better support the head during travel.

傳世的交椅式躺椅不多，此張躺椅以後傾靠背、靠枕、長扶手、籐屜座面、折疊腿足、平直底足和腳踏組成。此交椅式躺椅，可供折疊，亦稱為醉翁椅。這種椅子在明清兩代頗為流行，可躺可坐，又可折疊，搬動方便。此椅後腿、鵝脖以及兩者相交處的⻆牙以分料製作，這是由於黃花梨木罕貴，工匠只能以精巧的榫卯接合構件，以節省用材，做工較以單一材料做成的更為講究。

Few examples of this type of folding reclining armchair still survive. This chair consists of a backward‑tilting backrest with a headrest pillow, long armrests, a rattan seat, folding legs, straight stretchers, and a footrest. Popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties, it could be used for sitting or reclining, and could be folded for easy carrying. The rear legs, posts, and spandrel flanges are made from separate pieces. Because Chinese rosewood was precious, craftsmen used refined mortise‑and‑tenon joints to save material, resulting in some particularly elaborate craftsmanship.

圈椅以靠背如圈，因而得名。此圈椅以黃花梨製作，通體光素，不見雕飾，純以線條和木質肌理取勝，展現明式傢俱簡約韻趣。座面上，椅圈渾圓，立柱和聯邦棍也採曲線設計；座面下，腿足、腳棖全用方材，整個構思明顯是運用天圓地方意念，而最細緻之處是座面下不用直棖，改用羅鍋頂牙棖。羅鍋頂牙棖兼具彎曲和平直線條，可以作為由圓到方的過渡，線條轉折也變得流暢自然，沒有突兀不調之感，也是此椅讓人細味之處。

Horseshoe armchairs like this one are named for their circular backrests. Crafted from Chinese rosewood, this piece has been left plain and uncarved, with its clean lines and natural grain creating a minimalist elegance. The upper part of the seat features a round backrest and curved posts while the lower part has square legs and foot stretchers: together the form embodies the ancient Chinese principle of “a round heaven and a square earth”. The high humpback stretchers attach directly to the seat frame, blending curved and straight lines in smooth and fluid transitions.

《CH24 | 叉骨椅》，是丹麥家具設計師漢斯・韋格納（Hans J. Wegner）最廣為人知的作品之一，其設計靈感來自中國的明式圈椅。韋格納於 1943 年首次推出中國椅（The Chinese Chair）系列，歷經六年的轉化，誕生了線條更簡單、優美的叉骨椅。叉骨椅的名稱來自其極具特色的背部支撐，自椅面向上分叉的靠背巧妙連接弧形椅圈。叉骨椅至今仍由卡爾・漢森和森（Carl Hansen & Søn）公司生產，深受大眾喜愛。

The CH24 Wishbone Chair, one of Danish designer Hans J. Wegner’s most renowned works, was inspired by the Chinese Ming Dynasty round-back chair. Wegner introduced his first Chinese Chair series in 1943, but the Wishbone Chair emerged after seven years of refinement with a simpler and more elegant silhouette than the original version. The chair’s name comes from its distinctive back support, which gracefully branches from the seat upward to connect with the curved backrest. Since its debut in 1949, the Wishbone Chair has been continuously produced by Carl Hansen & Søn, and remains a much-loved piece in many homes.

香港設計師張福藩以塑料與鋁管重構明代椅形，刻意脫離傳統手工風格，轉化為可大量生產的現代產品。

Hong Kong designer Max CHENG reconstructed the Ming chair form in plastic and aluminium tubing, this design deliberately moved away from traditional craftsmanship and transforms it into a mass-produced modern product.

這件模型以香港設計師葉偉山於 1994 年設計的《天物》現代明式椅子為藍本，保留中式榫卯結構，卻以幽默、抽象造型回應大眾對「中式椅」的想像。

This model is based on a chair designed by Hong Kong designer IP Wai-shan, retaining traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon construction while responding to the public’s imagination of the “Chinese chair” through a humorous, abstract form.

明式家具以高雅而流暢見稱，其用材考究、工藝精奇、氣度非凡，儼如古代的文人君子，文氣滔滔，學識淵博。香港設計師及藝術家劉小康的作品《明式繞腳椅 — 圈椅》以兩椅互相繞合象徵文人思想上的交流。君子之交，貴乎精神上的接觸、思想上的契合，縱無閒話家常，亦沒任何肢體接觸，卻能透過詩文曲詞與其他文人，甚至古代聖賢神交。

Furniture created in the style of the Ming Dynasty is noted for its elegance, and is typically made of fine materials with exquisite craftmanship. The legs of Hong Kong design and artist Freeman Lau’s work, Ming Intertwined – Roundback, symbolise the special type of communication that took place between ancient scholars, not necessarily through speech but often simply through the sharing of artworks and writings, enabling them even to get in touch with great minds from the past.

香港設計師及藝術家劉小康的作品《明式繞腳椅 — 圈椅 II》是一件以透明材質製作的明式圈椅，透過當代工藝重新詮釋傳統椅子的形態。作品展現出超越時空的現代感，並在全新維度中解構中西方固有形態，促成一場新的對話。其視覺衝擊力強烈，富含深刻的哲思，讓觀者在欣賞中感受到傳統與現代的交融。

Ming Intertwined – Round Back II by Hong Kong designer and artist Freeman Lau, is a sculpture that reinterprets the classical Ming-sytle round-backed armchair through a transparent material and modern craftsmanship. The work exhibits a modernity transcending time, and deconstructs Eastern and Western notions of the chair's established form, stimulating new cross-cultural dialogue. Its powerful visual impact and rich philosophical connotations allow viewers to perceive the interweaving of tradition and modernity.

明代床榻在宋元兩代基礎上不斷發展，種類漸趨繁多，其中拔步床體型最大，做工最為繁複。結構上，拔步床借用中國傳統建築以迴廊連接房子的意念，要走到床前，必先踏步通過前廊，所以稱為拔步床。此床設有可開合屏板，既可通風透氣，又可成為密閉空間。拔步床在明代非常流行，富裕人家女子出嫁，有以拔步床為妝奩以彰顯身份。拔步床構件多，常遭人拆毀，此拔步床經歷數百年仍保存完整，更見可貴。

Ming dynasty beds developed from the foundations laid in the Song and Yuan dynasties, but their styles gradually became more diverse. The alcove bed was the largest and the most elaborate of these beds in terms of craftsmanship. Structurally, it borrows a concept from traditional Chinese architecture: one must first step through a front corridor before reaching the bed. This bed is fitted with panels that can be opened and closed, allowing for ventilation while also enabling the creation of an enclosed space. Alcove beds were very popular in the Ming dynasty; in wealthy families, a bride might bring an alcove bed as part of her dowry to signify status. Alcove beds consist of numerous components and were often dismantled; that this example has survived for several centuries in such a complete state makes it especially precious.

香港寸金尺土，微型居住空間已成為許多家庭的生活日常。在有限居室面積，需同時兼具休息、工作與儲物等多重功能，空間規劃成為都市生活設計的核心課題。這件由香港設計師安泰製作的微型模型呈現現代香港簡樸房的典型居室空間，展現密集城市中日常生活的空間運用。

In Hong Kong, where space is scarce, many families live in micro living spaces that must combine multiple functions including rest, work and storage, where spatial planning has become the core issue in urban lifestyle design. This miniature model by Hong Kong designer On Tai presents the typical living space of a modern Hong Kong “basic housing unit”, displaying how space is used in everyday life within a densely populated city.

坐墩，外形小巧，方便搬動，既見於閨閣房間，也用於庭園雅聚，為居室常見坐具。此對坐墩，體通以黃花梨木製作，呈鼓形，線條簡練。腿足以插肩榫與上下牙子相交，接合處緊密無縫，猶如一木做成。墩足底部另有四足，結構堅固，手法一絲不苟。傳世的黃花梨坐墩不多，此對坐墩用材精良，造型優美，工藝講究，而且一對保存完好，甚為難得。

These compact, portable stools were commonly used both in women’s quarters and for garden gatherings, and were a familiar form of domestic seating. This pair, made entirely of huanghuali wood, is fashioned in a drum form with clean, elegant lines. The legs are joined to the aprons with tightly fitted joints, creating seamless connections that give the impression of a single piece of wood. An additional set of four feet beneath the base ensures stability. Huanghuali stools of this kind are rare; this well-preserved pair is notable for its fine material, graceful form, and meticulous craftsmanship.

香港設計師單芷琪、梁肇麟的新中式家具設計系列靈感來自中國傳統家具，延續了傳統鼓凳的簡約造型，融入了現代參數化風格的設計。「元」這個名字在中文裡的意思是「錢」。它也與粵語中的「圓」或完美的「完」發音相同。椅子上設計了類似中國古代的錢幣的圖案。它代表財富，也是中國傳統家具中常見圖案。設計師以參數化設計把錢幣圖案變形成為流動的圖案，為傳統鼓凳提供了一種新的詮釋。新的設計代表了東方與西方、傳統與創新、陰與陽之間的融合。

Hong Kong designers Koren Sin and Kirin Leung’s neo-Chinese style furniture series is inspired by traditional Chinese furniture. Taking the drum stool’s simple form, the Yuan Chair was designed with a modern parametric style twist. The word “yuan” (元) means money in Chinese, and in Cantonese it has the same pronunciation as the word for “circle” (圓) or “perfection” (完). The patterning on the chair resembles coins from ancient China, and represents wealth and fortune – a common motif in traditional Chinese furniture. The parametric coin pattern morphs and flows, offering a new interpretation of the traditional porcelain stool. Its dynamic expressiveness captures the fusion of East and West, traditional and innovation, and Yin and Yang.

圓櫈輕巧方便，用途廣泛，是古代常見坐具。此圓櫈鼓腿彭牙，以黃花梨製作。座面為席面藤屜，下設小束腰。腿足以插肩榫與牙條相連。五腿為內翻馬蹄足，腳棖相交，組成五角圖案，這樣編排既令結構堅固，又展現中國人對「五」字喜愛。「五」字在中國常用來表示全部、所有的意思，如「五穀」本指稻、黍、稷、麥、豆，在日常生活中卻多用來概括全部莊稼。我們常說「五福臨門」，「五福」指的本是長壽、富貴、康寧、好德和善終，祝願所有福都降臨。存世的圓櫈甚少，這或是因為它常常搬動，容易損毀，此對圓櫈由於安有腳棖，結構較為堅實，方可留存至今。

Round stools are lightweight, portable, and versatile, and were a common form of seating in the past. This example, made of huanghuali, features drum-shaped legs with a rattan seat. The legs in hoof feet are joined to the aprons. Stretchers connect the five legs to form a pentagonal arrangement, strengthening the structure while reflecting the Chinese fondness for the number five, which signifies completeness and is associated with blessings such as the “Five Fortunes.” Surviving examples of such stools are rare, likely due to frequent movement and wear; the added stretchers in this pair have helped ensure their durability over time.

這款凳子糅合傳統與創新，由澳門設計單位甡物科技以專利茶渣物料精心製成。精密 CNC 切割技術將茶渣轉化為無需螺絲的完整凳子，表面的螺旋紋理增添韌性和舒適度，隱約的茶香更添上一份獨特體驗。設計獲得「DFA 亞洲最具影響力設計獎 2024」產品及工業設計家居用品組別優異獎。

Embodying both elegance and sustainability, this stool, crafted by the Macao design studio Zence Object Technology using a patented tea-waste material, merges tradition with innovation. Crafted from patented tea waste material, the stool utilises precision CNC cutting to transform the tea remnants into a seamlessly constructed, screw-free piece. Spiral grooves on the seat add resilience and comfort, while the whole experience is further enriched by the delicate tea fragrance that the chair exudes.

這是一款中式家具設計，外觀典雅，能充分融入各種情境，具備防潮不腐、容易清洗的特性，適用於室內及室外環境。

This is a Chinese furniture design with an elegant appearance that blends seamlessly into various settings. The piece is moisture-resistant, non-corrosive, and easy to clean, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

香几以黃楊木精心製作，綽約婀娜，氣韻不輸黃花梨和紫檀香几，為明式家具難得一見佳構。此香几呈圓形，邊抹厚實，冰盤沿，手工繁複細緻。高束腰以縧環板嵌裝而成，板心剷地凸線，剔出魚門洞開光，內裏再透雕飄帶和暗八仙圖案。足端縷為如意雲紋，形態恍如分為兩段的展腿做工，其實是以一木連造。八仙屬道教仙人，長壽不老，所持法器又有不同的祥瑞象徵。暗八仙圖案在清代非常流行，不僅用於家具雕飾，也見於瓷器和刺繡。

This incense stand is finely crafted from boxwood, with a graceful and elegant form that rivals examples in huanghuali and zitan, making it a rare piece of Ming furniture. It has a circular top with a thick, molded edge, and a high waist set with panels carved in relief, incorporating the auspicious “Eight Immortals” motif. The legs terminate in ruyi cloud forms and appear to be in two sections, though in fact they are carved from a single piece of wood. Popular in the Qing dynasty, the Eight Immortals motif symbolizes longevity and good fortune and was widely used in furniture, ceramics, and embroidery.

香港藝術家黃宏達受到自然和繁榮的啟發，《金花映日》花几以 3D 列印技術創作，配上傳統浮雕花卉圖案，象徵著財富與和諧。金色框架增添了奢華感，使其成為傳統與現代空間皆宜的多用途作品。作為裝飾性或功能性物品，《金花映日》見證了中國藝術的持久之美，以當代風格重新詮釋。

Inspired by nature and paying tribute to opulence, the “Golden Blossom” flower table by Hong Kong artist Victor Wong is created using 3D printing technology and adorned with traditional relief floral patterns, symbolising both wealth and harmony. The golden frame contributes a sense of luxury, making it a versatile piece suitable for both traditional and modern spaces. An item that is both decorative and functional, the “Golden Blossom” flower table testifies to the enduring beauty of Chinese art and its ability to be reinterpreted in contemporary styles.

燈臺指高身燈座，因配以蠟燭使用，故又稱燭臺。形制上，此對紫檀燈臺屬燈盤式，燈桿挺直，上有托盤，罩燈平放，置於托盤之上。底座做成六角形，整個設計猶如佛教須彌座，雕飾精巧。燈桿做為圓柱狀，表面浮雕螭龍紋，刀工嫻熟流暢。燈盤中間安有圓孔，用以放置蠟燭，屬傳統做工。燈臺用以照明，為居室常見之物，做工精粗不一。此燈臺以紫檀精製，雕飾華美，又巧為須彌座造型，或出於高門貴冑之家。

Lampstands are tall stands designed to hold candles, hence also known as candlestands. This pair of zitan lampstands is of the tray-top type: each has a straight shaft supporting a circular tray on which a candle is placed. The hexagonal base is conceived in the form of a Buddhist platform (xumizuo), with finely executed carving. The cylindrical shaft is decorated in relief with qi dragon motifs, demonstrating fluent craftsmanship. The hole at the center of the tray is used to secure the candle, reflecting traditional construction. Lampstands were common household objects for illumination, varying in quality; this pair, however, is finely made in zitan with elaborate decoration and an inventive xumizuo design, suggesting it may have been produced for an elite household.

在香港，傳統工藝與非物質文化遺產並非僅以保存為目標，而是透過持續的轉化與再創作融入日常生活。香港設計師馮思敏以廣彩瓷、蠶絲布藝等技藝為例，設計師透過重新組合圖案、材質與用途，開拓出嶄新的應用場景。

In Hong Kong, traditional crafts and intangible cultural heritages are not preserved as static relics, but are integrated into daily life through continuous transformation and re-creation. Techniques such as Guangcai porcelain painting and silk textile craftsmanship are reconfigured by Hong Kong designer Leona Fung, who recombine motifs, materials and functions to open new domains of application.