Tia'an Table: The Long Table Against the Wall

A narrow console table placed against a wall. Its proportions are extremely elongated—over two meters long, only forty centimeters deep, and about eighty-five centimeters high, so it can only be placed against a wall and not sat around. The tabletop is a single thick slab, with both ends curving upwards to form upturned ends, and the very ends tapering into a soft arc. The legs are not at the four corners but are noticeably recessed, known as 'shrunken legs'; between the legs and the tabletop are openwork spandrels and corner braces; between the two legs are stretchers and a modesty panel, with simple openwork on the modesty panel. The wood is dark hardwood, with continuous grain on the single slab. Only three items are placed on the table: a ceramic vase with a single flower, a small incense burner, and a stone sculpture, spaced widely apart. A calligraphic scroll hangs on the wall above. Avoid: placing the legs at the four corners, using a flat tabletop without upturned ends, making the depth wide to turn it into a desk, piling multiple items on the table.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一張靠牆放置的條案。它的比例極為狹長——長超過兩公尺、進深僅四十公分、高度約八十五公分,因此只能靠牆不能圍坐。桌面是一整片厚實的獨板,兩端向上翹起成為翹頭,末端收成柔和的圓弧。腿不在四角而是明顯內縮,稱為縮腿;腿與桌面之間有透雕的牙板與角牙;兩腿之間有橫棖與擋板,擋板上有簡潔的透雕。木料是深色的硬木,獨板的木紋連續。案上只放三樣東西:一只陶瓶插著一枝花、一個小香爐、一件石雕,間距寬。上方牆上掛著一幅字。避免:把腿放在四角、使用平直不翹頭的桌面、把進深做寬變成書桌、在案上堆放多件物品。