In China, bamboo has traditionally held a place of significance within literati culture. Together with the flowering plum and pine, they form the ‘Three Friends of Winter’ for their ability to withstand the cold and remain green. Upright and sturdy, yet easily bending with the wind, bamboo came to signify moral integrity among the literati elite, and has served as a constant source of inspiration for poets and painters, alike.

When compared to their hardwood counterparts in huanghuali and zitan, relatively few examples of bamboo furniture have survived. The material is less durable than hardwoods, and abundant enough that replacements could be easily made. To make a piece of furniture in bamboo, lengths of bamboo were steamed and softened until pliable and bent around a frame. This construction technique inspired examples in huanghuali seen in wraparound stretchers, round legs, circular struts, members carved to imitate nodes of bamboo, and continuous arms.