BY: McKayla Beard

Some examples of the modern Chinese fan.  The first fans were simply leaves and feathers.  The first real fan was made in the era of Yao and Shun thousands of years ago or can be guessed at about 1600–1046 BCE.  The fan has been an important part of Chinese art and culture ever since.  China was the first country to manufacture fans.

 The first fan constructed was made from a half circle of bamboo with silk wrapped around them. These however were not foldable.  These were not allowed to be used by a common man until the Han dynasty(206 BCE–220 CE), when the emperor decided they were to important to be kept from the commoners. This was a big deal for all of China. The quality of your fan said a lot about your class.

Fans were used by both men and women. Although now in the modern world they are only really used by men when fighting. Notice how his fan is made.

 Fans at one time were so popular that there was a scarcity of silk. The emperor became afraid that there wouldn’t be enough silk for his palace, so he outlawed fans made with silk!  Silk was only allowed to be used by royalty and people of very high standing.  Since paper wouldn’t wrap around the bamboo half circles like silk did the Chinese had to make a whole new design.

 The foldable fans were adopted from Japan so the first Chinese paper fans looked more like this. (But not this decorative!)

~It all started as a way to cool down but before long it was an art. ~The fan was a whole new canvas for artists. Many were covered in tiny intricate designs. In the book I read two young girls recorded their lives on a fan that they passed back and forth. ~ In portraits of women the artist would include beautiful fans to show the woman's wealth. ~But that wasn’t enough for them. They had to take it farther.

 The fan soon had its own language.  Since the building of this silent language was gradual, many of the same movements mean more than one thing.  Since they have multiple meanings, the language of the fan has to be put into context of what is happening at the time the motion is made.

 Fanning herself with her left hand: Don’t flirt with that woman!  Passing the fan from hand to hand: I see that you are looking at another woman.  Slowly fanning herself : Don’t waste your time, I don’t care about you.  Hiding the sunlight: You’re ugly.  Quickly and impetuously closing the fan: I’m jealous.  Resting the fan on her lips: I don’t trust you.  Opening and closing the fan several times: You are cruel.  Drawing the fan through the hand: I hate you!

 Dropping the fan: We will be friends or I belong to you.  Covering the left ear with an open fan: Do not betray our secret or I wish to get rid of you.  Slowly fanning herself: I’m married or don’t waste your time. I don’t care about you or I’m free and available. I don’t have a boyfriend.  Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her left hand: I’m engaged or I want a boyfriend.  Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her right hand: I want to be engaged or I am engaged.

Funny looking  Place the fan behind the head: Don’t forget me.  Place the fan behind the head with finger extended: Goodbye.  Fan in the left hand in front of face: I’m desirous of your acquaintance.  Doing as if she’s counting the fan’s blades: I want to talk with you.  Hitting her dress with her fan: I’m jealous.  Taking the fan from her boyfriend: I don’t want anything else from you.  If she see’s her boyfriend flirting or thinks he’s cheating, she touches the tip of her nose with the fan: Something doesn’t smell good here.

 If she appears briefly at the balcony, slowly fanning herself, and returns inside, shutting the balcony behind her: I can’t go out today.  If she appears briefly at the balcony, excitedly fanning herself, and quickly goes inside, leaving the balcony open: I can go out today.  Fans became a big part of culture in almost no time. Especially when you keep in mind the china’s origins can be dated to almost 2.24 millions of years ago.

This is the book Snow Flower and The Secret Fan which I read. It is very good about describing the life of a woman from foot binding to being married off to wars. I loved it!

The End!!