Western furniture makers have been inspired by Chinese design for centuries, but in modern times furniture dating from the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) has been particularly influential. Unadorned and visually light, examples of early Ming furniture still seem modern in both construction and appearance.
The simple lines and curves of the era often masked complicated structures such as the perfect curve of a horseshoe back chair, cabinets with concealed hinging or delicately tapered legs under deceptively robust surfaces. Component parts were carefully designed to slot into perfect alignment without the use of nails long before the machine age.
Furniture from the era is very popular with collectors of modern design, and Ming-style reproductions - often painted white or in bright colours - have become commonplace in contemporary settings. For example, the signature item in children's furnishings store J4Kids in Shanghai is a simplified scaled-down horseshoe back chair, lacquered in a range of cheerful hues.
But inventively updated versions are fast gaining ground, fashioned in increasingly hi-tech materials including chrome, clear Lucite and other plastics.
Last year saw a wave of new designs also inspired by the horseback chair, the piece most identified with the Ming aesthetic. One eye-catching example is the Mi Ming Chair, designed by Philippe Starck and Eugeni Quitllet for XO and available from the brand's Hong Kong store. The slender horseshoe that tops the clear injection-moulded frame is available in silver or red.
Onur Mustak Cobanli, a Turkish designer based in Como, Italy, has also launched a series of chairs inspired by the horseshoe design.