A Seat of Power

Nowadays, when someone asks, "Which jiaoyi are you in?" The question is meant to clarify your position in the leadership of your institution.

There are three types of jiaoyi: 

1. Armchair with a round back. This belongs to the highest grade of jiaoyi and was for the exclusive use of members of the imperial family. When folded, such chairs could be carried on a journey, and this is why they were also known as travelling chairs. When the emperor went on a hunting excursion, his bodyguard would follow in tow with the folding chairs on their shoulders. Thus jiaoyi was also known as Hunters chair.

2. Armchair with a straight back. This type of jiaoyi features arms that are longer than usual, and is mostly made from hardwood. A tiny number of them were made of Onmosia henryi, a precious hardwood. Such a jiaoyi was usually for the enjoyment of the learned and moneyed gentry in their studies or courtyards.

3. Chair with a straight back but no arms. This type of jiaoyi is relatively simpler in structure and usually made from run-of-the-mill materials. Many of them are still in use in the rural area of north China.