Vehicle and ceremonial conveyance in traditional China, used from antiquity through the mid-20th century
The sedan chair was a covered seat or small cabin suspended between poles and carried by two or more bearers. It served as one of the principal forms of personal transport in China for at least two millennia. According to tradition, it first appeared during the reign of the Yu Emperor of the Xia dynasty (c. 2100–1600 BC). Throughout Chinese history, sedan chairs evolved in form and function, from imperial and official conveyances to practical vehicles for urban transport and significant symbols in ritual and social life.
In Europe, sedan chairs - named after the French town of Sedan - were introduced in the early 17th century, around the 1630s. The wealthy could have private sedans and their own carriers, while in major cities such as London, Paris, and Edinburgh, organized systems of hired sedan chairs developed, where they could be summoned to take passengers between designated stands or along fixed routes. They remained popular until the mid-19th century, when the growth of cities, wider streets and the introduction of carriages made them fall out of popularity in the West.
In Asia, two main forms were distinguished: the hard cover chair, a rectangular wooden cabin with a roof shaped like a small pagoda, often decorated with painted dragons, phoenixes, or other auspicious motifs; and the soft cover chair, made of lighter materials such as bamboo, enclosed in colored silk and embroidered cloth. The number of bearers reflected the passenger's rank or the occasion, ranging from two for common transport to eight or more for weddings or official use.
Beyond transport, the sedan chair carried strong symbolic value. It featured prominently in weddings, official processions, and religious events. The bridal sedan (花轎 huajiao) was a richly ornamented red-lacquered vehicle used to carry the bride from her home to the groom's house, a practice regarded as an honor reserved for principal wives. Concubines and remarried widows were typically excluded from this privilege, their use restricted to black or unadorned sedans. The phrase “to be carried in a colorful sedan chair by eight men” became a metaphor for legitimacy and honor in marriage.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties (14th–19th century), sedan chairs were the primary means of private transport for officials, scholars, and the wealthy. In cities, hired sedan services functioned much like modern taxis, while in mountainous regions they provided the only practical transport. By the late Qing period, photographic evidence shows both ornate canopied sedans and simpler bamboo-framed chairs used by porters.
In the early Republic era (1912–1930s), rickshaws began to replace sedans in major cities, but they continued to be used in southern China, Hong Kong, Chongqing, and other hilly or narrow areas. Sedan chairs persisted in rural and mountain regions into the 1940s and 1950s, often used to carry the elderly or infirm.
Today, sedan chairs survive mainly as cultural symbols. They appear in folk performances, temple festivals, and wedding reenactments, particularly in Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan. Brightly painted red bridal sedans continue to be made for ceremonial or decorative use, preserving a vivid link to one of China's most enduring traditional conveyances.
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