Is there any special meaning of the common round fan in ancient poetry?

Is there any special meaning of the common round fan in ancient poetry?

Fan culture is an important branch of utensil culture, and round fan is an important part of fan culture. In the Tang Dynasty, there appeared a large number of poems with the image carrier of the round fan, either lamenting the beauty's loss of power, or sentimental literati's frustration, or wishing the new couple lovesickness. The cultural connotation carried by the round fan is also enriched by the meticulous carving of literati, from symbolizing the bitterness of women in the palace to becoming synonymous with people who have no choice but to serve the country.

Fan culture has a very long history in China. As a tool of daily life, with the continuous development of fan manufacturing technology, fans gradually became an ornament and later evolved into a status symbol. The appearance of Tuan Fan in the Western Han Dynasty added a lot to the fan culture in China. Tuan Fan, also known as Acacia Fan or Fan Luo.

The earliest connection between Tuan Fan and poetry can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, and Ban Jieyu, the concubine of Emperor Han Cheng, is the most famous. The "Acacia Fan" is named after the words "Cut off the Acacia Fan and be like a moon" in Bancroft's Song of Mourning for the Past. With the popularity of Tuan Fan, the description of Tuan Fan in the works of literati in Tang Dynasty increased. As the highest peak of China's classical poetry, Tang poetry has a close relationship with Tuan Fan.

Judging from the round shape of the original round fan, it symbolizes a happy reunion.

Tuan Fan, also known as Acacia Fan, first implied the blessing to newly married men and women, and then slowly extended it to the wishes of every family and the joy of the whole family.

In fact, the appearance of round fans was before the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. It was not until August 15th was officially designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Northern Song Dynasty that people began to associate round fans with the Mid-Autumn Festival for two reasons. First, both of them are related to reunion. Mid-Autumn Festival is a reunion festival, and the fan symbolizes reunion. Secondly, the round fan is shaped like a bright moon, which is also a great pleasure to enjoy the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival.

In ancient poetry and calligraphy, many people compared the moon to a round fan. From Han Ban Jieyu's earliest poem "Song of the Tuan Fan": "Cut into acacia fans and meet again like a bright moon." Inscription of Tang Bohu's Autumn Fan Map in the Ming Dynasty: "Qiu Lai Wanfan Collection." Both mentioned the connection between Qiuxi and Tuanfan.

Therefore, the round fan mainly symbolizes a happy reunion.