Antique Wood Panel With Carvings of Dragons

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Among the outstanding skills of Chinese craftsmen, wood carving has to rank high on the list. Until steel window frames … Read more Among the outstanding skills of Chinese craftsmen, wood carving has to rank high on the list. Until steel window frames were introduced, most windows in Chinese houses were made of wood. This particular window panel was inserted into a larger frame, the open carving allowed for air circulation. It might also have a thin paper covering on the inside to provide a small modicum of privacy. The window, and the carving was done in two pieces of wood skillfully fitted together in the center. The central design is a bit difficult to identify. At the bottom corners are two confronting dragons, with their bodies meandering , filling the right and left sides from top to bottom.

This architectural artifact came from Shanxi Province in North Central China. Shanxi in past history was a rich province. The merchants were known to have invented the "letter of credit" system of banking which protected themselves from bandits as they traveled to South China for business and had no worries of being robbed by bandits. Old buildings that would have windows like this can be found in Pingyau, an UNESCO Heritage Site.

The type of wood is unknown. As China has not experienced an ice age, many species of wood survive and identification is difficult.

As a side note, readers of Chinese literature may recall maids or young attendants voyeur look through holes on the paper to watch their master's and mistress' private lives. See less