As in the previous dynasties, under the Ming China lived a flourishing of the arts: painting, poetry, music, literature and theater. The designs represented in lacquered and porcelain objects were as complex as those that appeared in paint. These objects were found in the houses of the wealthiest, together with silks and figures of jade, ivory and cloisonné. The houses of the rich were ornamented with rosewood furniture and lattices. The writing materials of the officials' studios, including elaborate boxes of brushes made of stone or wood, were ritually designed to give an aesthetic appearance.
