Drum stools, also known as embroidery stools, are distinctive seating items within the Chinese traditional furniture family. Their design resembles ancient drums, with a small top and bottom and a large middle section, making them highly characteristic.

The history of drum stools is long, dating back to the Warring States period. At that time, they were seating cushions for women to warm up with incense, known as "waist drum-shaped seating cushions." By the Tang Dynasty, influenced by the Buddhist lotus throne, women's seating cushions were often in the shape of a drum, referred to as "jita" or "quantai." These seating cushions were used in the palace, covered with a embroidered cloth, hence also known as "embroidered drum stools."

By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the drum stool had become a common seating furniture, both elegant and luxurious.