How many kinds of ancient fans were there?

There are many kinds of fans in ancient China, but only folding fans and round fans are really favored by collectors.

Modern classification:

There are many kinds of fans, including feather fan, cattail fan, pheasant fan, round fan, folding fan, silk bow fan, mud fan, black paper fan, sandalwood fan and so on. The manufacturing techniques of fans listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list include sandalwood fan in Suzhou, Jiangsu, Wangxingji fan in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, folding fan in Rongchang, Chongqing, Gong Fan in Zigong, Sichuan, sunflower fan in Xinhui, Guangdong and feather fan in Huzhou.

Historical evolution:

The main materials of the fan are: bamboo, wood, paper, ivory, tortoise shell, jade, bird feathers, other palm leaves, betel nut leaves, wheat straw, cattail and so on. It can also be woven or made into various daily craft fans with beautiful shapes and exquisite structures, which are carefully carved, carved, bronzed, drilled or painted by famous people by skilled craftsmen. The traditional fan culture of Han nationality originated in ancient times. Our ancestors hunted plant leaves or poultry feathers in hot summer, and processed them just to block the sun and generate wind. Therefore, fans are called sunshade days, which is the original source of fans. The earliest fan was a symbol of power made of reeds. The original function of the fan is not to enjoy the cool, but to show the status and privileges of the ruling class. Because fans are more common in palaces, it is also called "Palace Mountain". After Sui and Tang Dynasties, feather fans and wan fans appeared in large numbers. Scholars in this period loved to play with fans and regarded them as "elegant things with sleeves". Some poets and poets not only drink and write poems, but also often recite poems while shaking thousands of fans. During this period, a large number of poems related to fans appeared, such as Li Qiao's Fan, Bai Juyi's White Feather Fan, and Tang Yi's poem Folding Fan Fu. If there were no fans in the hands of ancient literati, it would seem a bit chicken-ribbed, just like a petty bourgeoisie without a pet dog. In the Qing dynasty, not only literati, officials, accountants, and even people of all colors at the bottom of society liked to shake their fans and "pose".

The original name of the fan in history is "nameless fan", and it is said that it was made by Yu Shun. Cui Bao's Notes on Ancient and Modern Costumes in Jin Dynasty: "Five Ming Fan was made by Shun. Influenced by Yao Chan, he opened his eyes, sought help from others, and pretended to be brilliant. Qin, Han Gongqing and scholar-officials all need it. Wei, Jin Fei is not allowed to ride (the emperor). " In other words, Shun made the Wuming Fan for the purpose of attracting more audiences and seeking talents. It was used from the Qin Dynasty to the Han Dynasty. Zhang hit this fan to show the idea of attracting talents to the outside world, but it became the emperor's exclusive use in Wei and Jin Dynasties. During the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, a kind of "Zhai Fan" appeared, which was made of colorful pheasant tail feathers, so it was called "Feather Fan". Er Ya says, "The leaf is named after the wood, and the fan is named after the reed." It can be inferred that the early fans may be rectangular reeds. The early fans were not used for enjoying the cool, but as etiquette tools for rulers, so they were also called "etiquette fans". Fans in China after Qin and Han dynasties mainly have square, round and hexagonal shapes. The fabric of the fan is made of silk. Because it is widely used in the palace, it is also called "Gong Shan". The popular fans in Sui and Tang Dynasties were mainly Wan Fan and Feather Fan, and there were a few paper fans. After the Song Dynasty, folding fans gradually became popular. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Zhejiang, Suzhou and Sichuan were rich in folding fans, and inscriptions and paintings were also popular here. This exquisite skill was introduced to Europe from the Ming Dynasty, and then it became popular all over the world.