This type of cabinet is called "Zhushan" which literally means seated box. In Chinese carpentry, a box is different than a cabinet. A cabinet has legs while a box or chest does not. Since a large box such as this type of seated box was made to stand by itself, a base is built so that the box can be elevated a little from the floor to protect the box better from humidity. This black lacquer box has a flush top and sides. The board panels are held together by the use of tongue and groove joinery construction. The front is decorated with metal work, the waist is decorated with elongated begonia, a symbol of prosperity, and the base is decorated with the symbolic trailing plants and cusped in the middle. This design is very typical of Northern furniture.