hardwoods

	zitan (red sandalwood) Zitan was used to make imperial furniture in Qing dynasty. The zitan tree grows slowly, reaching 1 foot in diameter. Because of its extremely slow growth, zitan is only available in limited quantities and making even the reproduction furniture valuable. The main precious zitan is now from India. Zitan is extremely dense, and sinks in water. Newly made zitan furniture appears purple or reddish in colour but becomes darker over time and even black finally.
	blackwood Blackwood has the equivalent southern Chinese term 'suanzhi' appears during the middle Qing period - its literal meaning, 'sourwood' describes the pungent odor emitted when it is worked. Most of the dark heavily carved Qing period furniture is made from blackwood, it can resemble zitan but lacks the latters deep lustrous surface and its 'crab-claw markings'. Mahogony is also called blackwood in China which is one of the most popular wood types for furniture making and panelling in the US for its colour and grain, and is also used in Chinese cabints and desks for its beaulty and durablity.
	rosewood Rosewood is a deep, ruddy brown to purplish-brown colour, richly streaked and grained with black resinous layers. It takes a fine polish but because of its resinous nature is difficult to work. The heartwood attains large dimensions, but squared logs or planks are never seen because before the tree arrives at maturity, the heartwood begins to decay, making it faulty and hollow at the centre.
	jichimu (chicken-wing wood) Jichimu, literally translated as 'chicken-wing' wood, describes a wood whose deep brown and gray patterns when cut tangeentially resemble the patterns of bird feathers. The radial cut appears less dramatically with parallel lines of concentric layered tissue. It is botanically classified in the Ormosia genus of which as many as twenty-six species.
	ebony The best ebony is now originated from Indonesia which is very heavy, almost black, and derived from heartwood only. Because of its colour, durablity, hardness, and ability to take a high polish, ebony is used for cabinetwork and inlaying, piano keys, knife handles, and turned articles.