Dongpo Old Office Chair
“Dongpo Old Office Chair” is not a specific term with a clear historical record, and there is currently no relevant information about its specific description. However, we can provide a popular science explanation by combining the origin and characteristics of the “Dongpo Chair”.
The name “Dongpo Chair” first appeared in “Wanli Yehuo Bian” by Shen Defu in the Ming Dynasty. The book records that “a folding stool with a backrest is called a Dongpo Chair”. Here, the “folding stool” was an ancient term for a foldable seating device, similar in shape to a modern small stool but without a backrest. When a backrest was added to the folding stool, it was called a “Dongpo Chair”, indicating that the core feature of the Dongpo Chair is that it is foldable and has a backrest.
From a historical perspective, the predecessor of the Dongpo Chair can be traced back to the folding chair in the Song Dynasty. The folding chair in the Song Dynasty was already lightweight, foldable, and portable, often used in travel scenarios. For example, literati would carry folding chairs when traveling or officials would take them during inspections for rest at any time. At the same time, folding chairs were also common in leisure occasions such as literary gatherings, becoming a symbolic seating device in the social culture of that time. This portability and cultural attribute laid the foundation for the popularity of the Dongpo Chair.
The reason why the folding stool with a backrest was called the Dongpo Chair in the Ming Dynasty may stem from the cultural connection between Su Shi (Dongpo Resident) and chairs. Su Shi had a tumultuous official career and traveled extensively across the country. His open-minded attitude towards life resonated with the portability of the folding chair. In addition, Su Shi was also skilled in carpentry and had made handicrafts himself. The common people may have thus named this chair, which combined practicality and culture, after “Dongpo” to express their commemoration of Su Shi. However, it should be noted that this naming is more of a cultural association rather than Su Shi directly designing or using this chair.
As for the “old” and “office” attributes in “Dongpo Old Office Chair”, there is currently no historical evidence to support them. In the office scenarios of the Song Dynasty, officials mostly used fixed seating devices such as round-backed armchairs and official-hat chairs, emphasizing solemnity and etiquette. In contrast, the folding chair (Dongpo Chair) focused more on leisure or temporary use due to its lightweight structure. If we interpret the “Dongpo Chair” as an “office chair” in a modern context, we need to clarify that its function has evolved, but its direct connection with office scenarios in history is relatively weak.
