Junior Rasmussen
The sedan chair, a human-powered form of transport, has been used for many years, especially in China, Korea, India, Rome, and Egypt. In China, the bridal sedan chair is an essential aspect of traditional weddings, though it is now rarer due to westernization. Bridal sedan chairs are still used in some Chinese weddings to uphold this custom. In Korea, the bride and groom are carried to the ceremony in separate wooden litters, a custom that dates back to the Joseon Dynasty. In the West, sedan chairs were popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in cities like Bath, Edinburgh, and London, where they were favoured by the wealthy and invalids. By the mid-19th century, sedan chairs had mostly disappeared from Western streets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use in weddings | Bridal sedan chairs are still used in some Chinese weddings to uphold traditions. |
| History | Sedan chairs were the transport of choice for the wealthy in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially in cities like Bath, Edinburgh, and London. They were also used in ancient China for important rites of passage, including marriage. |
| Design | A sedan chair consists of a chair or windowed cabin suitable for a single occupant, carried by at least two porters using wooden rails. |
| Variations | The bridal sedan chair in China was colorful, adorned with silk curtains, and embroidered with auspicious designs. |
| Decline | The use of sedan chairs declined in the 19th century due to the expansion of cities and the increasing distances involved in travel. |
| Modern Use | Sedan chair races are held annually in some places to commemorate their historical use. |
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What You'll Learn
- Sedan chairs were the transport of choice for the wealthy in the 17th and 18th centuries
- They were popular in cities like Bath, Edinburgh and London
- Sedan chairs are still used in some Chinese mountain resorts
- They are also used in traditional Catholic processions
- Chinese sedan chairs are still used in some weddings to uphold tradition
Sedan chairs were the transport of choice for the wealthy in the 17th and 18th centuries
The sedan chair was the transport of choice for the wealthy when travelling through the narrow streets of Bath, Edinburgh, and London in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were also used in Italy, France, and colonial America, particularly in New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sedan chairs were portable, enclosed seats for one person, mounted on two long, springy wooden poles and carried by two men, known as 'chairmen'. They were introduced to London in 1634 by Sir Saunders Duncombe, who received a royal patent to be the sole provider of rental sedan chairs for 14 years. They were a welcome relief from the congested streets of London, which were filled with mud, refuse, and excrement, and where carriages often struggled to pass through.
The popularity of sedan chairs soon spread to France, Scotland, and the rest of Europe. They were favoured by the gentry and upper classes, with some even owning their own chairs and hiring carriers. In spa towns like Bath, they were particularly popular with invalids, who could be transported directly from their bedchambers to the baths. They were also used in traditional Catholic processions, where holy statues and relics were carried through the streets using sedan chairs.
In other parts of the world, such as Korea, royalty and aristocrats were carried in wooden litters called "gama". In China, a traditional bride is carried to her wedding ceremony in a richly ornamented sedan chair, usually hired for the occasion. Even today, in Chinese mountain resorts like the Huangshan Mountains, tourists are carried along scenic paths in simple cane chairs or more luxurious couches, carried by at least two porters.
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They were popular in cities like Bath, Edinburgh and London
Sedan chairs were the transport of choice for the wealthy when travelling through the congested and filthy streets of cities like Bath, Edinburgh, and London in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were introduced to London in 1634 by Sir Saunders Duncombe as vehicles for hire, and their popularity soon spread to other cities. The chairs were named after the town of Sedan in France, where they were first used.
In spa towns like Bath, sedan chairs were particularly favoured by invalids, who could be transported directly from their bedchambers to the baths and back again without exerting themselves. The portable chairs could be carried inside buildings, allowing people to be transported discreetly around the city. They were also useful for navigating the city's steep lanes, where carriages were impractical.
In Edinburgh, sedan chairs were popular, especially in the Old Town, due to the narrow streets that carriages couldn't navigate. They were also a common mode of transportation in London, allowing people to move quickly through the congested streets. Their use allowed passengers to keep their shoes clean, and the detachable roof accommodated the tall, elaborate headdresses worn by fashionable ladies.
Sedan chairs were also a more affordable option than hackney cabs, making them accessible to those who wanted to preserve their dignity while watching their pennies. They could be hired at chair ranks, usually denoted by two blue posts, and were carried by "chairmen", who gained the right of way on the pavement. However, the chairmen were often rude and unscrupulous, locking passengers in the chair until they paid the fare.
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Sedan chairs are still used in some Chinese mountain resorts
Sedan chairs, which were in use until the 19th century, were accompanied at night by link-boys who carried torches. They were once the only public conveyance in Hong Kong, filling the role of cabs. Chair stands were found at all hotels, wharves, and major crossroads. Public chairs were licensed and charged according to tariffs displayed inside. Private chairs were an important marker of a person's status. Civil officers' status was denoted by the number of bearers attached to their chair.
In traditional Catholic processions, holy statues and relics are still carried through the streets using litters. Similarly, in pharaonic Egypt and many other places such as India, Rome, and China, the ruler and divinities were often transported in a litter in public during state ceremonial or religious festivals.
In China, sedan chairs or litters are still used in some mountain resorts. In the Huangshan Mountains of Anhui province in Eastern China, a chair or windowed cabin suitable for a single occupant is carried by at least two porters, one in front and one behind, using wooden rails that pass through brackets on the sides of the chair. This form of transportation is also called a silla (Spanish for seat or chair). The occupant sits in the chair, which is then affixed to the back of a single porter, with the tumpline supported by their head. The occupant thus faces backward during the travel. This style of palanquin is used due to the steep terrain and rough or narrow roads that are unsuitable for European-style sedan chairs.
In Wulingyuan, locals carry visitors up mountains on crude “palanquins,” which are wicker chairs tied to two bamboo poles. The person paying for the lift sits in the chair, and two men hoist them into the air and rest the bamboo poles on their shoulders. They then walk up the mountain, bearing a load that seems as if it is always about to tip over or break through the seat.
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They are also used in traditional Catholic processions
Sedan chairs, also known as litters, were used in the past for transportation. They are a class of wheelless vehicles, typically consisting of a chair or bed carried by two or more carriers. They were used in various cultures, including China, Korea, India, Rome, and Egypt, and served multiple purposes, including transportation for royalty, government officials, and brides during weddings.
In traditional Catholic processions, sedan chairs or litters are still used to carry holy statues and relics through the streets. This practice is similar to the use of sedan chairs in other religious contexts, such as carrying religious images in Hindu processions and transporting the ruler and divinities in public processions in ancient Egypt, India, Rome, and China.
The use of sedan chairs in Catholic processions is a continuation of a long history of using such vehicles for ceremonial and religious purposes. In traditional Catholic processions, the sedan chair or litter is often decorated and adorned to reflect the importance of the statues or relics being carried. The number of bearers or carriers attached to the chair may also vary, with more important religious figures or statues being carried by a larger number of bearers.
The specific design of the sedan chairs used in Catholic processions can vary depending on the region and cultural influences. For example, in some cases, the sedan chair may resemble a simple wooden chair with an attached tumpline, where the occupant sits in the chair, which is then affixed to the back of a single porter. In other cases, the sedan chair may be more elaborate, with a fixed elaborately carved roof and doors, similar to the kiệu, which is used in certain traditional temple devotional processions.
The use of sedan chairs in Catholic processions adds a sense of solemnity and ritual to the event. The physical act of carrying the statues or relics through the streets becomes a form of devotion and respect, with the carriers playing a crucial role in the procession. Additionally, the use of sedan chairs allows for the statues or relics to be displayed and venerated by the public, fostering a sense of community and shared religious identity.
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Chinese sedan chairs are still used in some weddings to uphold tradition
Sedan chairs, which were in use until the 19th century, are still used in some Chinese weddings to uphold tradition. In the past, sedan chairs were the only public conveyance in Hong Kong, and they were also used in India, Rome, and China to transport rulers and divinities. In traditional Catholic processions, holy statues and relics are carried through the streets using litters.
In China, the bridal sedan chair was a means of transportation in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and later, in the Tang Dynasty, the bride would ride in a sedan chair to the groom's home on the wedding day. This practice continued and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, where it was considered a sign of a formal and legal marriage. The bridal chair, also known as "xi jiao" in Chinese, was usually hired and lacquered in an auspicious shade of red, richly ornamented, and gilded. They were also equipped with red silk curtains to screen the bride from onlookers.
Even today, some brides choose to uphold this tradition by including a bridal sedan chair in their wedding ceremonies. For example, one bride in Philadelphia planned to use a sedan chair to be carried up the aisle to her outdoor wedding ceremony. Another bride shared that her husband made a sedan chair for her wedding, which required eight men to carry her. These stories indicate that the tradition of using bridal sedan chairs in Chinese weddings is still practiced, even if it may be less common or require more effort to source or create the chair.
Sedan chairs are also still used in some Chinese mountain resorts, such as the Huangshan Mountains, to carry tourists along scenic paths and to viewing positions inaccessible by other means. This shows that while sedan chairs may no longer be the primary mode of transportation, they are still valued and used in specific contexts, including weddings, to uphold tradition and provide a unique experience.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, some people still use the bridal sedan chair during marriage to keep the tradition alive. However, they are not as common as they once were due to the growth and development that came with westernization.
Sedan chairs are still used in Chinese mountain resorts such as the Huangshan Mountains. They are also used in religious processions in some places, like India, Rome, and China.
Sedan chairs are made of wood and shaped into a rectangular cabin. They have a chair attached to them and are carried using two horizontal poles.
In ancient China, sedan chairs were used by nobles, emperors, and brides. They were also used in Korea by royalty, aristocrats, and government officials.
A sedan chair is typically carried by four to eight people. However, one person reported that her sedan chair required eight people to carry her, even though the plan was to have only four.
