The wisdom in the wood

The exhibition presents a set of four such armchairs, whose clean, sharply defined outlines create a solemn presence. Each chair has a curved splat with a round aperture above a square cutout, echoing the ancient Chinese concept of tian yuan di fang — the idea of a round heaven and square earth.

Another highlight is a floor screen dating to the 15th or 16th century, featuring the distinctive design of a "screen within a screen". It depicts a gathering of scholars examining cultural objects in front of a folding screen bearing a painting.

Xu says the scene reflects the aspirations of ancient intellectuals: those admiring the screen might imagine that, one day, they themselves could become the figures portrayed within it.