What is Kang?

A kang is a hollow brick platform, built about two to three feet off the ground and heated by fire flues. Part of the actual structure of the house, the kang can fill up half the room, and in ordinary houses it runs across one side of most rooms used for common living. During the harsh winters of northern China it becomes an intimate and informal center for daily activities. Smaller scaled furniture is made specifically for the kang and the myriad activities that take place on it such as writing, painting, sewing, drinking and eating, conversing and worshipping. At CaShi, we have many pieces of antique furniture that were made for the kang living area. These pieces are referred to as kang tables, kang cabinets, kang coffers, etc., and they come mostly from northern China.

Image: Brick kang structure built into a room near Pingyao, Shanxi Provence, China

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