Love Affair of Lifetime, A Huanghuali Couch Bed
Who is Gustav Ecké (1896-1971)? Those who love Ming-style furniture must surely recognize this name. A pioneer in the study of Chinese Ming-style furniture, Mr. Ecké is an inspirational figure for later generations.
Born in Beijing in 1925, Zeng Youhe studied Chinese painting under Mr. Qigong at an age of 11. She enrolled at the Department of Fine Arts of Fu Jen Catholic University, which was located within Prince Gong’s Mansion at 16. This young lady from a literary family met the German scholar named Ecké. This encounter later became a widely known May-December romance. While their efforts in preserving traditional Chinese culture were much talked about by the people, the hardships along the path were little known.
Wedding Photo of Gustav Ecké and Zeng Youhe (Sitting on an Huanghuali Couch Bed)
Coming to China in the 1920s, Mr. Gustav Ecké successively worked as a teacher at Xiamen University, Tsinghua University and Fu Jen Catholic University for 28 years. A senior researcher on Ming-style furniture, he established close relationships with renowned architects Liang Sicheng and Liu Dunzhen. They were all founding members of the Society for the Study of Chinese Architecture.
Chinese Domestic Furniture in Photographs and Measured Drawings written by Mr. Ecké is the world’s first academic work describing theories of classical Chinese furniture, and a must-read book for researchers of Ming-style furniture. This pioneering book published in 1944 in a material-deprived time has exerted a far-reaching impact on later generations.
Mr. Wang Shixiang met Mr. Ecké while studying at Peking University. Mr. Yang Yao was then engaged by Mr. Ecké to help with the mapping and measurement of classical Chinese furniture. Wang and Yang subsequently often learned to take photos and measure hardwood furniture at Mr. Ecké’s place.
Huanghuali Couch Bed by Jiqingtang
The Ming-style furniture collected by Mr. Ecké is mostly housed in European and North American museums and Prince Gong’s Mansion today. His connoisseurship of Ming-style furniture can be observed from his former collections. Fleeing from China hastily amidst the turmoil of 1948, they went to Honolulu via Hong Kong. Most collections were not taken with them, a majority of which was lost or missing. However, this Huanghuali Couch Bed was brought to Honolulu and many other places they travelled to afterwards. This accompaniment was a carrier of their affection for Chinese classicism, and bore witness to their romance.
After the death of Mr. Ecké in Honolulu in 1971, Ms. ZENG Youhe returned to China. Bearing witness to her epic romance with Mr. Ecké from encounter to acquaintance and to marriage, this Huanghuali Couch bed continued to keep Ms. ZENG company for years after the demise of her beloved. She later donated 7 pieces of Huanghuali furniture which they collected for more than five decades (excluding this bed) to Prince Gong’s Mansion to express her gratitude for the cultivation of Fu Jen Catholic University. This much-told tale in relation to rare furniture has been passed down throughout the generations.
Huanghuali Couch Bed by Jiqingtang
The Huanghuali Couch Bed by JiQingTang is primarily featured with the swastika design, which has a long history amongst traditional Chinese decoration patterns. Conveying a message of auspiciousness and longevity, this elegant work is a masterpiece of simplicity and refinement of Ming-style furniture. Chairman, Mr. Leung Wai Hung, requires that each piece of Jiqingtang be an artwork with historical significance and collection value. He believes that beautiful artworks exude an unforgettable charm that makes one linger and stands out amongst many.
The inspirational tale of an erudite and learned man and a woman of professional excellence and moral integrity is a reminder for us to shoulder the responsibility of carrying forward traditional Chinese culture and heritage.