In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sedan chair was more common than in of any other period. From the painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival, we can see there were many sedan chairs in the streets of North Song Dynasty. [Photo/ykxs.cn]

The guan jiao was graded by the status of the officials. There were sedan chairs carried by four persons or eight persons. The civilian sedan chair was often carried by two persons. At that time, a carrier was a special career. Only after training could they carry the sedan smoothly.

The bridal sedan is the core of the traditional wedding. The bride sits in the sedan and is carried from her mother's home to her husband' home. [Photo/chinanews.com]

There is a kind of civilian sedan called hua jiao (bridal sedan) used in a traditional Chinese wedding. The bridal sedan is wrapped in silk curtains with auspicious embroidery. The wedding sedan is either carried by four or eight people and is accompanied by a group of people who play folk music.

The sedan chair has been phased out for its lack of efficiency and high cost. As a traditional custom, only the bridal sedan has been preserved.