Phoebe Zhennan
Collection

The so-called ” Golden Nanmu ” is actually a broad concept. The nanmu is not the name of a specific tree species, but a general term for the zhennan wood. It has a special texture and appearance. The specialty of the Zhennan wood is the texture that includes water ripples, golden silk patterns, golden sand patterns, cloth plaid patterns and many more. Under the irradiation of strong light, these patterns will present a golden silky satin luster, and so they were called the “ Golden “ wood.

According to taxonomy and the “Chinese Biological Species List 2020” issued by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the (Golden Nanmu) Phoebe Zhennan wood was originated from the genus Phoebe of its family Magnoliaceae, also known as Zhennan. In the past, Phoebe was predominantly found in temperate to tropical areas, particularly in southern China. The authentic Golden Nanmu solely comes from the leaves of the Zhennan tree, cultivated in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan regions.

The primary substance utilized for constructing the emperor’s throne is the golden nanmu.

According to Mr. Zhou Jingnan, a specialist from the Palace Museum, the golden nanmu was the primary among the three tribute woods utilized by ancient emperors. The major portion of the Beijing Forbidden City and the current well-built structures were made utilizing the nanmu wood. Buildings such as Wenyuan Pavilion, Le Shoutang, Hall of Supreme Harmony, and Changling preserved the charm of Nanmu decorations and furnishings within their historical structures.

For example, the Ming Tombs were constructed during the eleventh year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1413). The Changling Lingen Hall, situated in Ming Chengzu Zhu Di, occupies a total space of 1956 square meters. One of the primary factors that contribute to the high value of the golden nanmu lies in its discernible textures. The golden threads are what make the golden nanmu exquisite in appearance. When the golden nanmu is cut, you can observe the appearance of “golden threads” on the cut surface. These “golden threads” can become clear and smooth when exposed to sunlight. In the presence of illumination, the elegance of the atmosphere made it noticeably sparkle.

Actually, the “golden thread” found in the golden nanmu is a crystal that develops after the cell fluid of nanmu undergoes oxidation over a considerable period of time! The type of crystal that accumulates within the spaces among wood fibers. Once exposed to intense light, it will exhibit a powerful reflection.

所谓“金丝楠木”，其实是一个广义概念，金丝楠并不是具体树种的名称，而是具有特殊纹路品相的楠木类木材的统称！其中，特殊纹路包括水波纹、金丝纹、金砂纹、布格纹等，这些纹路在强光的照射下，会呈现出金色丝状的绸缎光泽，因此被称为金丝楠木。根据生物分类学和中国科学院发布的《中国生物物种名录2020》，楠木属于木兰目樟科楠属植物，又叫桢楠！历史上，楠木主要分布在温带至热带地区，特别盛产于中国的南方地区。也只有云、贵、川一带所产的小叶桢楠，才是真正意义上的金丝楠！

要知道，金丝楠木可是皇帝宝座的主要材料，故宫博物院的专家周京南老师也曾说过，金丝楠是作为古代皇帝三大贡木之首，北京故宫及现存上乘古建多为楠木构筑。如文渊阁、乐寿堂、太和殿、长陵等重要建筑都有楠木装修及家具。如明十三陵中，建成于明永乐十一年（1413年），明成祖朱棣的长陵棱恩殿，占地1956平方米，全殿由金丝楠木巨柱支承，是中国现存最大的木结构建筑大殿之一。由此可见，金丝楠木有多珍贵。 金丝楠木之所以那么珍贵，最主要的因素就是金丝楠木拥有纹理！金丝楠木美就美在金丝上，将金丝楠木切开，你就可以看到一根根的“金丝”在切面上浮现！如果将它拿到阳光下，这些“金丝”清晰流畅，金光闪闪，非常耀眼夺目，而且能够浮现出一种尊贵的高雅气息。其实，金丝楠木中的“金丝”是楠木的细胞液经过漫长的氧化后形成的一种结晶体！这种结晶体是非常细微的，它们凝结在木质纤维之间的间隙中，一旦有较强的光线，就会有很强的反光效果，成为我们看到的“金丝”！