Size, however, determines class. Stools used by servants in a wealthy home would always be closer to the ground than those used by their masters. The woodblock print from Forgotten Tales from Zen Adherents shows decorated drum-shaped stools used by women for their toilette while the nursemaid squats on a narrow rectangular seat with stubby legs (Fig. 169) We can also compare a square huanghuali stool 20 inches (50 cm) high with one of soft locust wood that reaches only 14 inches (35 cm), or a basic peasant perch recently purchased in the market Much is only 9 inches (22 cm) off the ground.

     With each step down the social ladder, the stool drops lower to the ground (Figs 171, 172) Perhaps the most poignant example of stool size and hierarchy can be seen in the multiple stool in Fig 173 which was possibly used by a servant to squat on in order to bind the feet of her lady who would have placed her disfigured "lotus buds" on the upper stool for ministrations

     Headrests were another innovation (Figs 174, 175) A headrest looks like a stool, except it is very small, low to the ground and features a dip in the center to accommodate the neck The legs of headrests are often splayed for support. While classic headrests like the Ming-style zitan example shown are revered for their simplicity, ornate headrests crafted during the Qing dynasty also exist Comfort was not an issue for this particular zitan, cloud-patterned headrest.
     Contemplation or meditation stools were another type of seat (Figs 176,177). These large square seats are low to the ground and sometimes feature backrests or armrests. They are meant to accommodate a monk in the lotus position
     The uninitiated might assume that the bench was a common seat around a food table (Fig. 179) This was not so Although some benches may have been used for dining purposes, the bench was conceived for more romantic functions: it was built for love and music. A musician playing a qin might sit on a low bench while his admiring audience sat on the floor (Figs 180 184).