中国家具在宋代全面兴发,发展到明代已臻成熟。明代宫廷皇帝的坐具表现在绘画、文献等资料上是种类庞繁,髹金朱漆而雕饰华丽。相形之下,皇帝宠信的大臣平日谒见不是侍立一旁就是跪奏于地,只有在皇帝开恩时才得赐坐。赐坐的坐具只有小杌子与板凳,低矮简单、形制单一,与皇帝坐具的繁杂多样、丰富多彩有天壤之别。同为汉人立国的宋代,南宋朝廷内的陈设,除皇帝御前所用外,无不是成套成对的金漆椅具,连人臣待朝之处亦如此陈设。明代的典章制度虽直追唐宋,但人臣在宫廷的坐具却远瞠其后。与此同时,明代内府太监取得坐具相对容易,还可坐着不需钦赐的“人抬杌凳”横行宫禁,地位远高于人臣。由坐具差异可看出,明代君臣之间“君尊如天,臣卑如地”的现象非常明显。 Chinese furniture in full flourish in the Song Dynasty, the development of the Ming Dynasty has matured. The court imperial court of the Ming Dynasty is characterized by a large variety of paintings, documents and other materials. In contrast, the minister of pet faith on the day-to-day prayers was not kneeling down to the ground, only to be seated when the Emperor was gracious. Thanks to the sitting seat with only a small raccoon and bench, low simple, single form, with the Emperor’s complex and diverse, rich and colorful are different. With the establishment of the Han in the Song Dynasty, the Southern Song court furnishings, in addition to the emperor before the use of Imperial, are not a complete set of pairs of gold paint chairs, and even the minister to North Korea also so furnishings. Although the Ming dynasty imperial system chased the Tang and Song dynasties, but the ministers in the court’s seat is far behind. In the meantime, it is relatively easy for the eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty to take a seat, and they can sit without the approval of the “rampant palace”, which is much higher than the ministers. By the difference between the seat can be seen, between the Ming and Qing Dynasties “monarch as heaven, humble” "the phenomenon is very obvious.