Korami

The korami [従身; こらみ] was a type of litter used as a means of human transportation by the upper and middle classes of the 15th to 18th centuries in Kanton.
The basket of the korami was about four or five feet long. Four bamboo poles or 'legs', used to stablise the korami when it was set down, were attached to each of the corners. A large overhead crossbeam, made of either wood or bamboo, was used by carriers to hold and move the litter. A roof of some type, often made of lightweight thatch or dried grass, covered the top, and screens made of thin rice paper could unrolled from inside to protect from sun or rain. Typically the korami was carried by a team of four men, although the number of carriers could increase depending on the status of the traveler. Korami carriers were known as koramite, and often acted as valets and footservants for the traveler on long, harsh journeys. Due to the difficulty of the work and the strength required to do it, koramite were often treated very well compared to other servants and were valued highly by their masters.
More elaborate, richly-decorated types of korami developed during the 17th and 18th centuries, and were often used by the merchant classes as transportation vehicles.