Fan

In summer, the fan can drive away summer heat and bring cooling breeze. Since old ages, the Chinese fan has been carrying artistic and unique national style.

The fan first appeared in China, about 3 000 years ago, in the Shang and Zhou dynasties. There are many kinds of Chinese fan, such as paper fan, silk fan, palm fan, feather fan, bamboo-knitted fan, etc. Regarding to the shapes of the fan, there are rectangular, round, pentagonal, hexagonal and sunflower-shaped fans.

Writing poems and drawing pictures on the cover of a fan is another characteristic of the Chinese fan. From ancient times till now, many famous Chinese calligraphers and painters enjoyed themselves in doing so, which has left us a lot of excellent works.

The folding fan is the most common in China. It is convenient to carry and handsome to look at. Hangzhou is the most famous place for producing fans in China. The frame of the Hangzhou folding fan is usually made of precious materials. The famous black paper fan, sandalwood fan and ivory fan are not only the notable products among Chinese fans bur also famous around the world.