Daily Dining Tables of Emperors in the Qing Dynasty

摘要

Dining table is the daily necessity for the Qing emperor.However,emperors’dining tables in the Royal Court were quite different from those of commoners’in the folk.According to archives,Qing emperors normally used low tables put on the heatable brick bed rather than high tables laid on the ground.These low dining tables were mainly made of red sandalwood,huanghuali wood and lacquered wood.In Qing emperor’s daily meal,not just one low table,but a combination of multiple low tables was used.When the emperor leaved the Forbidden City on trip or inspection tour,folding low tables were applied.