Palanquin was a means of personal transportation used by the wealthy from ancient times to the 1800’s. A palanquin, also spelled palankeen, consisted of a covered couch resting on two poles carried by four people—two to each pole. A passenger sat or lay on the couch. A boxlike lower section surrounded the couch, and an upper framework covered with curtains or shutters provided privacy. Passengers entered and exited the palanquin through a door. Wealthy and important people in China and Japan used the palanquin much as taxis are used in the West. A palanquin resembled a smaller vehicle called a sedan chair, which was carried by only two people.
