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The history of Chinese tea ceremonies reflects cultural evolution, societal values, and technological advancements. Dating back over 4,000 years, tea in China began as a medicinal herb and later became a significant part of its spiritual, artistic, and social traditions....

With Christmas fast approaching and big brands gearing up for Black Friday sales, it's easy to be drawn into the frenzy of big discounts and mass consumption. At Shimu we prefer to step back from this recent retail 'tradition' through our ongoing commitment to...

Silk Roads, the British Museum’s latest major exhibition, opened last month and showcases a wealth of dazzling objects from the length of the ancient trading network. The carefully chosen selection of artefacts includes everything from beautiful Tang Chinese ceramics, to...

Antique Chinese altar tables, shrines and ancestor portraits are unique artefacts from China’s history, which once held significant roles in traditional Chinese homes and which are now finding their place in contemporary interiors. Historical Significance and Traditional Uses In ancient...

Looking at the many squares of embroidered silk hanging in the Shimu showroom or on our website, few would realise the fascinating meaning and history behind them. Beginning in the 14th century during the Chinese Ming dynasty and Europe’s Middle...

The chances are that when you think of Chinese furniture, you think of richly decorated pieces with a lustrous, glossy surface finish. This shiny coating is, in fact, lacquer; a hard coating which is applied to wood to give a...

Here at Shimu we are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of original antique Chinese furniture and as appreciators of all-things oriental, we love to see furniture from China used in film and TV. With this in mind, we thought...

As regular readers of our blog will know, here at Shimu we take great pride in using, where possible, reclaimed wood salvaged from disused buildings to make reproduction pieces. From wooden beams through joists and roof struts or doors from...

I've just returned from a visit to China, catching up with our suppliers and lining up another collection of wonderful antique furniture to ship with our containers over the coming months. This was the first time I had been able...