Ming and Qing folding fans

Author: Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The folding fan has a long history in China and comes in a variety of types. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the folding fan quickly became popular due to its convenient folding and carrying, as well as its beautifully painted fan surfaces and intricately carved fan handles, which combined utility with aesthetics. It soon replaced the traditional handheld fan and became the preferred choice for scholars and refined individuals, often carried in their sleeves, earning the nickname "a refined object for the sleeves." The emergence of the folding fan, compared to other types of fans in China, came relatively late, and its origins remain a subject of debate. There are two main theories: one suggests that the folding fan evolved from the "waist fan" designed by laborers during the Han and Jin dynasties for easy folding and carrying while working and for casual use during rest periods. The other, more accurate theory posits that the folding fan was introduced to China from Japan and Korea in the 11th century. Guo Ruoxu's "Record of Pictures and Noticias" (Northern Song Dynasty) includes a passage under the "Goryeo Kingdom" section that reads: "The people of Goryeo (referring to the illustrations) often used folding fans as private trade items when visiting China. These fans were made of dark blue paper, adorned with paintings of the country's nobles, mixed with women, horses, or scenes of golden sand beaches by water, lotus flowers, plants, and waterfowl, all meticulously detailed—known as 'Japanese fans,' as they originated from Japan." This record provides documentary evidence for the theory that the folding fan originated from Japan (then known as the Wa country) and was later introduced to China via Goryeo. However, from the 11th century to the early 15th century, over three centuries, the folding fan did not spread widely and was only used by a small number of scholars and wealthy individuals.