Chinese JoineryChinese Joinery
中文
Legs, tops and aprons
高束腰结构
gāo shùyāo

Gao Shuyao (高束腰): the High Waist with Short Posts and Panels

High waist · 高束腰加矮老

By · Updated

Most waisted tables have a narrow recessed band under the top.

In a high waist that band is raised into a tall zone of short posts and panels.

Chinese
高束腰 · gāo shùyāo
Joins
Leg, ledge, apron, short posts, panels, top
Found in
Kang tables, square tables, side tables
Signature parts
Exposed leg · short posts · panels in grooves
Compare
Waisted corner
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How it works

A taller waist

In a high-waisted piece the upper part of the leg is left tall and shows on the outside. Short posts (矮老) divide the waist into bays, and a panel (绦环板) fills each bay, held in grooves. Below the waist runs a ledge (托腮) and below that the apron.

How it goes together

The apron and ledge tenon into the leg. The short posts tenon into the ledge below and the top above, and the panels’ edges sit in grooves in the legs, posts, ledge and top.

Proportions in the model are illustrative.

How it's made

  1. High waist
    Step 1

    High waist

    A tall waist under the top.

  2. Leg
    Step 2

    Leg

    The leg runs up through the waist.

  3. Apron and ledge
    Step 3

    Apron and ledge

    Apron and ledge tenon into the leg.

  4. Short posts
    Step 4

    Short posts

    Short posts divide the waist.

  5. Panels
    Step 5

    Panels

    Panels sit in grooves.

  6. Top
    Step 6

    Top

    The top goes on last.

Variations

Without posts

A high waist can also be plain, without posts and panels.

Can you CNC this?

Possible, with design or setup changes

Every part is a simple tenon, mortise or groove, but there are many grooves on several faces of the leg and posts, so expect several setups. Proportions should be taken from a real piece.

Free STL downloads (one file per part)

Before cutting or printing, read the CNC and 3D-printing notes on tool radius, scaling the STL files and their licence.

In museum collections

High-waisted table, late 16th century, late 16th c., Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession no. 96.124.3a
High-waisted table, late 16th century
Minneapolis Institute of Art

Where you’ll see it

  • High-waisted table · High waist: The tall waist is divided by short posts; panels sit in grooves between them, the leg, the ledge and the top.
  • High-waisted table · Ledge, apron and leg: Below the waist a ledge and apron tenon into the leg; at the corner the same shoulder logic as a baojian joint keeps the faces flush.

Questions

What is the ledge?

A projecting rail (托腮) between waist and apron.

What fills the waist?

Short posts and grooved panels.

Where is it seen?

Kang tables and side tables.

Further reading
  1. High-waisted table, late 16th century, Minneapolis Institute of Art (collection record)
  2. 王世襄《明式家具研究》（Wang Shixiang, Research on Ming Furniture），第 113 页，图 3.32a、3.32b
  3. 王世襄《明式家具研究》（Wang Shixiang, Research on Ming Furniture），第 119 页