Tibetan Furniture

Brief Introduction of Tibetan Furniture

The cold plateau-climate and abominable living environment contribute to the national personality of bravery and fortitude of Tibetan People, at the same time, special now culture of Tibet is formed. The Tibetan furniture is an exquisite representative of the traditional furniture of our country, being attractive. As the restrictions of the special regular pattern of geographical distribution, the forests are mainly distributed at the southeast of Tibet and south of the Himalayas, and the plateau section is short of wood. In the past time, the transportation was not so convenient and the economy was backward, so only the monks of high level, nobles and the posted people could afford the delicate furniture. In the Tibetan Family, owning a suit of delicate tables, cupboards and buttered tea bucket, the host would feel proud and honor. The Tibetan Furniture became the symbolism of wealth, and people pass it on from generation to generation. It is only 20 years since the traditional delicate furniture has been used by the common people.

The Classification of Tibetan Furniture

As the restriction of historical conditions and abominable of the environment, the Tibetan furniture were many in the palace, temple and noble family. As for the ordinary family, what they used were only rough and crude ones. Among the Tibetan permanent residents, they make a distinction of the furnishings between the important and lesser one. The main sect includes the main habitable room and scripture hall, the other sects of the house is simple and crude. The main habitable room is of multi-function, being the dinning room as well as bedroom, and it also may be used to treat the guests, so the room is much bigger than others and with more furniture. The scripture hall is used for worship Buddha, so the decoration is solemn tidy and magnificent. Though abundant, the gallery is not so much.

The Display of Tibetan Furniture

The Tibet people are not used to use beds or chairs. Generally, each family puts a circle of mats around the wall and by the window to form a shape of horse's hoof. Some put the mats in the shape of right angle and set a table at the turn or middle of the circle. The table is used to eating and drinking. They also cover the mats with some silk mats. The whole family sit, sleep and play on the mats. The mats are often 30 centimeters thick and 1 meter wide, with the canvas being the cover, and filled with furs and soft straw. The mats are soft and sturdy, partitioning the damp and keeping warm. The main furniture is the cupboard and table. As for the cupboard, there is a Bigang for storing books, with a height of 1.1 meter and bifold glass doors at the upper part. The cupboard is usually located at a corner of the mats. Besides, the Qiagang (double cupboards) must be in pairs, higher than the Bigang, been put at the front wall, with the niche for Buddha on it. The Tibetan table is 60 centimeters high, and the surface of it is a square with a length of 80 centimeters. Nearly all the Tibetan furniture is covered with gaudy colored drawing, and some of them are with the variation of texture. Most of them are made from deodar or pine, being soft. While the furniture need to be carved are made from rare plateau hardwood