Chinese Fans

For a long span of time, the Chinese fan has been an important part of military, religious, civil and social life in Asia. Most people don't realize that for over 2,000 years, Chinese fans have been used in China. Evidence supports this as last century a Chinese fan was excavated from Ma-wang-tu tomb in Hunan province, which dates back to the 2nd century BC. But the fans existed even before, as both sexes carried them and social status dictated which type of fan a person could use.

Chinese fans were also used in court, and for each season of the year, a particular style of fan was considered appropriate. It was only until the Sung dynasty (960-1279 BC) that painting Chinese fans became respectable enough to gain importance as a medium of Chinese art. Painted fans soon became equally valued with paintings on scrolls, which had held an important place in Chinese art for perhaps 2,000 years before. Chinese fans were also used for religious ceremonies and shielding the face to avoid never-ending greeting rituals.

In subsequent centuries, Chinese fans were signed with the seals of the artist and their owners. And on many occasions, Chinese fans were removed from the fan sticks and mounted in an album. But Chinese fans were not only used for social or decorative purposes. During the Chou dynasty (circa 1106 BC), Chinese fans were used in a more practical way - by blowing the dust off of the wheels of chariots.

Much later in time, around the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907 AD), Chinese fans became fashionable in the courts and palaces. These more modern-looking fans were fashioned out of silk and bamboo and were a favorite with the ladies. A few centuries later, the folding fan made its first appearance and became popular with imperial court and common people. Today, Chinese fans are mostly made and used for decorative purposes, but a small percentage of people still use them to cool themselves on a hot day.