Through History
A new book tells the untold story of the evolution and design of Chinese fans throughout the centuries
The designs and purposes of fans in China have been evolving for around 3,000 years. Excavations at Mashan in the Hubei region of China in 1982 uncovered a bamboo fan that dated from the 5th century BCE, demonstrating the long relationship between the Chinese and the use of fans. Fans began as purely functional tools for keeping a person cool or blocking out sunlight, but have since come to be created and exported as artistic works and objects of cultural significance in their own right.
In a new book entitled Chinese Fans: The Untold Story (Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers, 2023), authors Hahn Eura EunKyung and Dr HaYoung Joo showcase China’s cultural heritage and history through 71 fans from the Eurus Collection in Seoul. Exhibiting the best of Chinese fan craftsmanship, these fans are made from a wide variety of materials with varying designs: some are adorned with specific motifs while others are decorated with painted landscapes. The history of these fans, which date from the 18th to the 20th century, is discussed within the book, with a specific focus dedicated to the fans that were produced for export and trade with the rest of the world.
THE EMPRESS DOWAGER
Painted by the Dutch painter Hubert Vos in 1905, this portrait of the Empress Dowager shows her holding a fixed fan decorated with a peony. The Chinese fingernail guards worn by the Empress symbolise her status and wealth.
EUROPEAN INFLUENCE
Dating from the mid 19th century, this fan features designs on both sides that depict various European landscapes, flowers and ladies. The fan is made from wood with a detailed black lacquer and gilt decoration.
CAI WENJI
The design on this gold paper fan shows the poet and musician Cai Wenji, who lived during the Late Han Dynasty, returning to Han. The fan monture is made from bamboo and has a silk slipcase. It dates from 1830.
KING OF THE FLOWERS
The peony is called the King of the
