Sedan Chair

The Ten-Thousand-Works Sedan Chair is a 100-year-old Ming Dynasty-style bridal sedan chair, now housed in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum . Built in the late Qing Dynasty (19th century) by the Ningbo-based "Juchenghao" rental shop, it gained its name from requiring over 10,000 labor hours to craft . Measuring 1.5 meters long, 0.9 meters wide, and 2.75 meters tall, the sedan chair features a complex mortise-and-tenon structure with hundreds of detachable wooden panels, all held together without nails . Its exterior dazzles with red-and-gold lacquer woodcarving, glass paintings, and gold foil appliqués, depicting 250 figures from classic operas like The Western Chamber and Water Margin, as well as auspicious motifs like 24 phoenixes and 38 dragons . The craftsmanship integrates Ningbo’s "Three Golds and One Inlay" techniques—including gold lacquer woodcarving and silver-thread embroidery—and uses 100 taels of pure gold for decoration . A symbol of wealth and status in late imperial China, it was rented by affluent families for weddings, requiring eight bearers and a specialized dismantling team to assist the bride . Even today, its intricate moving figures and durable structure remain unmatched, showcasing ancient Chinese artisans’ mastery of mechanical aesthetics and cultural storytelling . 万工轿是一座有百年历史的明代风格婚轿，现藏于浙江省博物馆 。它由清末宁波 “聚成号” 贳器店打造，因耗时超过一万工时得名 。轿长 1.5 米、宽 0.9 米、高 2.75 米，采用全榫卯结构，数百片可拆卸花板不用一钉即可组装 。轿身遍饰朱金漆木雕、玻璃画和金箔贴花，雕刻 250 个人物，涵盖《西厢记》《水浒传》等经典戏曲场景，以及 24 只凤凰、38 条龙等祥瑞图案 。工艺融合宁波 “三金一嵌” 技艺（朱金漆木雕、金银彩绣等），仅贴金箔就耗用纯金 100 两 。作为中国古代婚俗中财富与地位的象征，它需八人抬行，迎亲时由专人拆卸花板接送新娘 。其活动人物设计与千年不腐的结构，至今仍展现着古代工匠对机械美学与文化叙事的极致追求 。