榫卯Chinese Joinery
Furniture

Explore by furniture

Recognise the type of piece first, then see how its corners are joined.

Piece by piece

Waisted square table →Square-corner cabinet →Roundback armchair →Waisted kang table →Recessed-leg table →

Waisted stools, tables and kang tables

A recessed waist runs under the top and the apron sits flush with the legs. At each corner, the baojian joint locks leg, waist and apron together.

Baojian joint →Long-and-short tenons →Bawang brace →
Waisted stool, 17th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art, 17th c., Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 2003.139
Waisted stool, 17th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art
Kang table, 17th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art, 17th c., Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 99.23
Kang table, 17th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art
High-waisted table, late 16th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art, late 16th c., Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 96.124.3a
High-waisted table, late 16th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art

Four-sides-flat tables and square-corner cabinets

Legs, aprons and top meet flush at the outer corner, and each face shows a single diagonal line. Bookcase and cabinet tops work the same way.

Zongjiao joint →Big-in, small-out tenon →
Square-corner cabinet, c. 1600 · Minneapolis Institute of Art, c. 1600, Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 91.70
Square-corner cabinet, c. 1600 · Minneapolis Institute of Art
Compound wardrobe, early 18th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art, early 18th c., Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 99.216.1.1a-g
Compound wardrobe, early 18th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art

Long tables with recessed legs

The legs are set in from the ends rather than at the corners. These tables use the jiatou or chajian joints instead of the baojian joint.

Jiatou joint →Chajian joint →
Long table, late 16th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art, late 16th c., Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 96.29
Long table, late 16th c. · Minneapolis Institute of Art
Altar table, Ming dynasty · Cleveland Museum of Art, 1368–1644, Cleveland Museum of Art, accession no. 1964.230
Altar table, Ming dynasty · Cleveland Museum of Art