A sedan chair is a covered seat or small cabin carried on poles by two or more people, used to transport one person from place to place. Imagine a comfortable chair enclosed by walls and a roof, with long poles attached to each side. Two strong carriers would lift the poles onto their shoulders and walk in sync, carrying their passenger through crowded streets or up steep hills.

For centuries, sedan chairs were a popular way for wealthy or important people to travel, especially in cities with narrow streets where carriages couldn't fit. In ancient China, emperors rode in elaborate sedan chairs decorated with silk and gold. In 18th-century London and Paris, nobles hired sedan chair carriers to take them to parties and theaters, staying dry and clean while being carried above the muddy streets.

A sedan chair worked like a human-powered taxi. The passenger sat inside, protected from weather and dirt, while the carriers did the hard physical work of transportation. Some sedan chairs had windows and curtains for privacy, while others were open so the passenger could be seen.

Today, sedan chairs are mostly seen in historical movies or museums, replaced by cars, buses, and trains.