{"id":191,"date":"2016-08-10T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pagodared.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/10\/wen-zhenheng-ming-dynasty-minimalist\/"},"modified":"2022-04-07T22:45:36","modified_gmt":"2022-04-07T22:45:36","slug":"wen-zhenheng-ming-dynasty-minimalist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pagodared.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/10\/wen-zhenheng-ming-dynasty-minimalist\/","title":{"rendered":"Wen Zhenheng: Ming Dynasty Minimalist"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Wen Zhenheng was the Ming dynasty\u2019s Anna Wintour. A scholar from the late Ming period, Wen documented his philosophy of home design nearly 400 years before the advent of Vogue<\/em>\u00a0or Architectural Digest<\/em>. His Treatise on Superfluous Things<\/em> remains one of the era\u2019s most compelling glimpses into classic Chinese interior design.<\/p>\n

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Those who must exist amidst the bustle of market noise need have their studios and retreats quiet and peaceful, their pavilions broad and spacious in spirit, and their studies filled with an atmosphere of remote tranquility. They should be planted with various kinds of fine wood and curious bamboo and display precious objects, pictures, and calligraphy so that those who visit forget parting and those who wander their forget weariness.<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

-Wen Zhenheng,\u00a0<\/span>Ming Scholar, Painter & Garden Designer<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Many scholars refer to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties (1550 \u2013 1735) as \u201cthe golden age of classic Chinese furniture.\u201d Aesthetic tastes tended towards simple, austere wooden furnishings. Ming homes and gardens reflected this sense of orderly restraint,\u00a0a style that shares much in common with the Zen-inspired minimalism of the 20th century. Wen\u2019s approach to interior design is sharp, insightful, and often funny. He is, by design, a gentleman of the highest order.<\/p>\n

Space Planning<\/strong>
\nAlthough Wen Zhenheng acknowledges, \u201cmethods of arranging furniture are varied,\u201d he advocates an ordered aesthetic based on the underlying structure of nature. Proper arrangements are determined by the room\u2019s function, and d\u00e9cor should change from winter to summer. In hot weather, he recommends that lattices<\/a> be removed from the windows and replaced with bamboo curtains. Each room, according to Wen, has its model in nature: bedrooms should avoid \u201cthe slightest touch of adornment\u201d to be \u201cappropriate for a hermit who supposedly sleeps with clouds and dreams of the moon.\u201d In public spaces, \u201cbooks and ceremonial wares should also be suitably arranged so that they create a scene resembling lofty clouds, firmania trees, and ancient rocks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studies and Small Rooms<\/strong>
\nIn small rooms, Ming interior design limited furniture placement to a few key pieces. Shelves<\/a> and cabinets<\/a> were used to \u201ckeep books and paintings in order\u201d and to house \u201ca small gilt Buddha<\/a>,\u201d but Wen Zhenheng advises that \u201cthere should not be too many [shelves]; otherwise, the room looks like a bookstore.\u201d If a study is used as a seating area, it should contain no more than four chairs and a couch-bed. In a very small space, Wen advises placing a writing desk<\/a> in the center of the room and outfitting it with objects of beauty such as brushes<\/a>, incense powder boxes, and incense burners.<\/p>\n

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Bedrooms<\/strong>
\nThe bedroom was concerned with the utilitarian aspects of Ming life. Classic Chinese furniture adheres to the same rule that continues to dominate modernist\u00a0design: \u201cform follows function.\u201d Simple and unadorned, the Ming bedroom contained one or two sleeping couch-beds<\/a> (for the homeowner and\/or a guest), a small table<\/a>, two small stools<\/a>, and a reading lantern<\/a>. Storage was limited to a garment rack<\/a>, a cosmetics box<\/a>, a small cabinet<\/a>, and a drawer under the bed for shoes and socks. Neutral tones were considered most appropriate for the Ming bedroom-no \u201ccolored pictures or painted surfaces.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting Rooms and Grand Rooms<\/strong>
\nLike the contemporary coffee table<\/a>, the Ming sitting table was a surface for display. Table arrangements included books, painting albums, paperweights, inkstones, brushes, and water holders<\/a>. In contrast, the Grand Room housed a larger, more functional table with long couch-beds on either side. Everything was bigger in the Grand Room-large inkstones, oversized vases<\/a>, and large pots of orchids decorated this public area.<\/p>\n

Artwork<\/strong>
\nMing scholars viewed artwork as a powerful force in the home that should be used sparingly. Wen Zhenheng advises hanging only one painting per room: \u201cIt is regarded as vulgar to hang paintings on two walls or hang two paintings symmetrically at both left and right.\u201d According to Wen, hallways should contain horizontal scrolls<\/a>, while small landscapes and nature paintings (absolutely no fan paintings or square pictures) should be hung in sitting rooms. A \u201cpainting table\u201d beneath the artwork should display exotic rocks<\/a> or seasonal flowers. In small rooms and bedrooms, paintings should not be hung at all. One exception to this minimalist approach is the Grand Room, in which \u201cthere is no harm in placing extra miniature landscapes formed with rare peaks, old trees, clear brooks, and white pebbles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Accessories<\/strong>
\nVases and incense burners<\/a> were must-have accessories in a Ming home. Bronze<\/a> and ceramic<\/a> were valued over gold and silver. In spring and summer, Ming homeowners dusted off the bronze vases and incense burners. In autumn and winter, the bronze went into storage and ceramic models were used in their place. Incorporated into almost every room, incense sets included a powder box<\/a> filled with fragrant sticks or chips. Flowers and incense burners were kept separate, as the smoke could damage plants. Floral arrangements were minimal, using one or two types of flowers or-in some cases-only a single bloom. Displayed on low stands<\/a>, large vases were used in hallways, while small vases adorned more intimate rooms.<\/p>\n

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A Cornerstone of Contemporary D\u00e9cor<\/strong>
\nLittle original furniture remains from the Ming dynasty, yet the Ming aesthetic continues to influence interior design to this day. Handcrafted Ming-style furniture retains its popularity in homes across the globe. Wen Zhengheng\u2019s philosophy of functional design and simple materials remains a cornerstone of contemporary d\u00e9cor, not only in Asia but throughout the West as well. In his words, \u201cWith only a small table and a couch-bed installed, visitors can recognize a room\u2019s charm.\u201d Quality takes precedence over quantity.<\/p>\n

View the Timeless Ming Collection at PAGODA RED<\/a><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Wen Zhengheng quotes are excerpted from A Treatise on Superfluous Things, translated by Huajing Xui Maske, printed in Beyond the Screen: Chinese Furniture of the 16th and 17th Centuries, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1996.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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<\/h2>\n

Are you an architect or designer with a story to tell?<\/h2>\n

Join Our Trade Program<\/a><\/p>\n

Register with us to receive exclusive discounts and benefits, plus free shipping on your first order. Trade professionals are also eligible for collaborative features on our blog and social media channels. Please note that trade registration with PAGODA RED is only open to interior design and architecture professionals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wen Zhenheng was the Ming dynasty\u2019s Anna Wintour. A scholar from the late Ming period, Wen documented his philosophy of home design nearly 400 years before the advent of Vogue\u00a0or Architectural Digest. His Treatise on Superfluous Things remains one of the era\u2019s most compelling glimpses into classic Chinese interior design. Those who must exist amidst […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWen Zhenheng: Ming Dynasty Minimalist - PAGODA RED Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pagodared.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/10\/wen-zhenheng-ming-dynasty-minimalist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wen Zhenheng: Ming Dynasty Minimalist - PAGODA RED Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wen Zhenheng was the Ming dynasty\u2019s Anna Wintour. 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