On 16th September 2026, the 2026 "Reviving Craft — Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Design" ("Reviving Craft") exhibition, organised by Sun Media Group, officially opened at Somerset House in London, UK. Under the theme "Reflection of the Mind", this year's exhibition brings to a global audience the traditional Chinese philosophy of "to observe an object is also to observe oneself". As a leading brand in China's premium solid wood furniture industry with 47 years of heritage, Foshan Qianjin Furniture Co., Ltd. ("Qianjin") was invited to take part, bringing five original design works to the "Refine the Mind" section and opening an international dialogue on contemporary Eastern living aesthetics.
Founded in 1979, Qianjin Furniture integrates original design, precision manufacturing and bespoke services. The brand remains committed to reinterpreting traditional woodworking through a contemporary design language, challenging conventional perceptions of solid-wood furniture and creating pieces that bring together cultural heritage and contemporary aesthetics.
For this exhibition, Qianjin presents five representative works — the Chengxin Lounge Chair, π Stool, Sihe Screen, Subdued Fragrance Coat Rack and Flow Plant Stand — translating classical philosophy, traditional motifs, classical poetry and natural imagery into tangible pieces of furniture.
The Chengxin Lounge Chair takes its inspiration from the idea of "Chengxin Zhengxing" — a state of mental clarity and inner balance — found in Guanzi: Xinshu II. Its steady, upright frame in American black walnut lends structured support to the body, while the backrest takes its form from the oracle bone script character "天" (Sky), inviting the sitter into a relaxed, open posture that embodies the idea: a clear mind brings an upright form, and an upright form brings inner ease.
The π Stool expresses Eastern craftsmanship through the mortise-and-tenon craftsmanship. Layers of light golden maple and deep rich walnut are brought together in a minimalist form that strikes a balance of colour and texture, reinterpreting contemporary Eastern woodworking aesthetics. The piece previously made a striking appearance at the ADI Design Museum during the 2025 Milan International Furniture Fair, where its precise joinery, smooth curves and restrained geometric form gave traditional woodworking a modern voice.
The Sihe Screen takes its visual language from the “Sihe” motif, a symmetrical pattern that matured between the Warring States Period and the Han Dynasty. Its four folding solid-wood panels are carved with openwork four-petal flowers, expressing the idea of "harmony, balance, and the unity of sky, earth, and humanity". As viewers move through the space in the four directions, it invites them to experience the ancient Chinese romantic vision of the unity between humanity and heaven.
As the winner of the 2025 Red Dot Award: Product Design, the Subdued Fragrance Coat Rack draws its inspiration from the image of sparse, slanting plum branches found in Lin Bu's poetry. Rendered in black walnut, it captures the natural form of plum blossom in growth, turning an everyday coat rack into a sculptural piece that carries a quiet, hidden fragrance.
The Flow Plant Stand, meanwhile, draws on the lively imagery of a cascading waterfall. Finely milled grooves at each corner trace flowing lines that seem to tumble downward like rushing water, giving the piece a light, breathable presence in which flowers and everyday life coexist with quiet elegance.
With its solid expertise in wood craftsmanship and forward-looking design, Qianjin has previously been invited to exhibit at the Louvre Museum in France, the ADI Design Museum in Milan, and the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany, continually reshaping global perceptions of Chinese furniture. Through this exhibition, Qianjin presents to a global audience the Chinese way of living captured in "observing objects, encountering the mind, and finding ease of being". Looking ahead, Qianjin will continue to let wood carry its philosophy forward, building natural, harmonious and refined living experiences for households around the world, while bringing Chinese design to an ever-brighter stage on the international scene.
© Affaires Officielles