Stap

The Stap (禢) is a Themiclesian piece of upholstered furniture primarily used in the modern day as a bed. When used alone, the term stap refers only to the bed frame; the horizontal bedding is called ksreq (笫), while the hung upholstery is generally termed ghrul (帷). Staps are distinctive from most Casaterran beds in that they are designed to be easy to disassemble, since in Themiclesian culture the preferred sleeping location changes according to the season and with reference with architecture, and beds would be moved accordingly.

Structure

In terms of hard structure, it consists of a surface elevated by legs usually no more than 9 inches off the floor and panels or railings that surround that surface. It may additionally have posters and rafters to support a upholstered canopy over the surface, and the space between posters may additionally be filled by panels, making an enclosed Stap (篁禢, sqwang-stap); where the stap is enclosed, there is always a door to allow access and sometimes even windows to convenience communication without opening the door. The door may be lockable from the inside and may consist of a single or double panel door.

The usable surface of the stap is usually of a hard material, such as wood, so in the interest of comfort bedding is widely used, though anciently it seems the poor had to contend with a hard surface, if they possessed a bed at all. The usual layering is in this order:

• Rug
• Multiple layers of woven mattresses
• Stuffed mattress
• Quilt

Rug

The purpose of the rug is twofold—to stop the woven mattresses, usually made of a coarse vegetable fibre material, from scratching the hard surface of the bed, which would produce disagreeable crackling noises when the sleeper shifts on the bed; it also prevents the woven mattresses from shifting out of place during the night. The rug itself is usually fixed to the bed by means of stakes driven through its four corners and into the bed surface.

Woven mattresses

The woven mattresses primarily provide cushioning for the sleeper. They are usually made of a plant fibre woven in a corrugated pattern, and in use the corrugations would alternate at right angles in successive layers. The ideal result, when piled up, is a bedding that is soft, cushioned but not bouncy or formless. The number of mattresses depends on personal preference, but four layers is common in modern usage and a luxurious appointment in former times.

The woven mattress can be made form barks of aromatic wood, but this takes special care in preparation and is generally more expensive than one made from ordinary plant fibres.

Stuffed mattress

The stuffed mattress is meant to smooth out the corrugations of the top woven mattress. The traditional materials for stuffing ranges from shredded cloth, sawdust, and other such refuse to silkworm coccoons that are rejected at silk mills for discolouration or other defects, interspersed with aromatics.

Quilt

The quilt is the topmost layer of bedding and the one that meets the sleeper. The orientation towards comfort and visibility has caused it to become the most panache-laden piece of bedding. Silk in multiple layers is commonly used since the middle of the 19th-century for a warm and breathable surface.

Day and night use

The traditional Themiclesian habit is to fold the softer layers and roll up the corrugated mattresses, because traditionally, the stap was not merely a bed for nighttime use but also a chair for day use. The bedding would be removed to reveal the fixed rug, on which a day-mattress would be placed; the user may sit on this mattress facing outwards, using a mobile desk placed flush against the edge of the bed or use a mini-desk stood up on the bed itself. Back support would be provided by cushions or the stap's railings. If the stap is an enclosed one, the drapery would be drawn up and windows opened, to allow odours and moisture to escape. The rolled mattresses would be stood up in a corner in the room, and the soft bedding piled on top of them. Much literature attests to the idea that a person is sure to be up and about if their mattresses are rolled up in a visible place.

Currently, this is not always done if the stap is not going to be used as a daytime chair.

This usage model was common at least from the time of the Meng restoration of the 6th century, where a twofold distinction existed between private and public spaces in the home; whenever not entertaining guests, a person would retreat into private quarters, where the stap was often the main piece of furniture, and the user could spend the entire day on it. Miniature trays and tables made it possible to eat and read in the stap easily, and lampholders were installed to provide illumination at hand. In the 17th century, starting with the upper classes, it became more common to make a threefold distinction between sleeping, private living, and public quarters in houses large enough to have these.

Maintenance

The rug and woven mattresses are usually taken out, any coverings removed, and exposed to the frigid and arid Themiclesian winter to sterilize pests. As nightly temperatures could descend to −20 °C (−36 °F) and relative humidity 10%, few organisms survive such conditions. After exposure, the items would be beaten over smouldering embers to drive out any "outside smell" that the bedding may have acquired during exposure; there should be no open flame in this step to prevent the bedding from catching fire.

Unlike a futon, stap mattresses should not be taken out and beaten with a carpet beater. As the mattress is woven, beating it would loosen the weaving and cause the corrugations to lose their elasticity prematurely and therefore reduce its useful life. If it must be beaten to dislodge dust or other refuse, it should be rolled up and beaten against another rolled up mattress instead; then, it should be unrolled and gently tapped.