What do fans mean in China?

It wasn't until the Zhou Dynasty, more than 2,000 years ago, that people started using folding fans to cool down. The “feather fan” became popular among the aristocracy because it was extremely expensive to produce. Made of bird feathers, it was widely recognized as the symbol of wealth, authority, and wisdom.

Are fans Chinese or Japanese?

The fan is one of few Japanese handicrafts originating in Japan, and not in China, during a period where most technological learning came from the Chinese mainland. The earliest recorded domestic sighting of the Japanese fan was in the 6th century, where burial tombs were adorned with pictures of fans.

How many types of fans were common in China?

Today, there are over 500 kinds of fans in China, of which the sandalwood fan from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, the damask silk fan from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the fire-painting fan from Guangdong Province and the bamboo thread fan are known as the four most famous fans of China.

What is hand fan in Chinese?

The Chinese character for "fan" (扇) is ideogrammatically composed of the characters for 'door' (戶) and 'feather' (羽).

What do fans symbolize?

Perhaps the most enduring role of the handheld fan is as the symbol of wealth or royalty, which stretches as far back as the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Babylon and continues even to this day. In western culture, fans were commonly associated with the sophistication of the upper classes.

The History of Chinese Fans 中国扇子史

What are Chinese fans called?

Shan is the general term for all Chinese fans, however, China has many varieties of fans, each with their own name. The earliest written reference to a fan in China is in AD 121 where reference was made to a large leafed plant which was used as a fan.

What are silk fans?

They are hand made and hand painted. These fans are good for cooling purpose and great for party like weddings. Silk fans become trendy as focal point of the table or charming accessories for bride maids. They make the sweet, elegant gifts to all women.

Can a fan be used as a weapon?

The commander would raise or lower his fan and point in different ways to issue commands to the soldiers, which would then be passed on by other forms of visible and audible signalling. War fans could also be used as weapons. The art of fighting with war fans is tessenjutsu.

What do fans symbolize in Japan?

Holding a fan was also considered restorative to the soul. Fans are also used as a social barometer. Placing a closed fan between yourself and someone else means you are acknowledging their superior status. Fans are also used in Japanese theater to accentuate the stylized movements of Kabuki and Noh.

What is the origin of fan?

Etymology. Merriam-Webster, the Oxford dictionary and other sources define "fan" as a shortened version of the word fanatic. Fanatic itself, introduced into English around 1550, means "marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion".

What does a fan tattoo mean?

The fan symbol represents good luck and generosity.

What does a fan in Kabuki theater art symbolize?

In this video, Kabuki master Shozo Sato discusses the origin of fan use in Kabuki theater and demonstrates the common usage and symbolism of the various fan movements, using the fan to represent a tray, a sunrise, the wind, rain, cutting with a knife, drinking, and other items and ideas.

What is the meaning of a hand fan?

Noun. hand fan (plural hand fans) A hand-held device designed to be waved back and forth in order to induce airflow for the purpose of cooling the user.

Why do samurai carry a fan?

These types of fans were made to look like ordinary fans and were used by samurai as weapons in places where swords and other weapons were not allowed. Tessen fans were also used for fending off darts and knives.

Are fans used in Kung Fu?

Martial art fans are more typically found in the Chinese martial arts like Kung Fu and Wushu, but are also commonly used in some of the Japanese arts where they are known as Tessen.

Did the Chinese use fans as weapons?

But do you know that fans can also be weapons in martial arts? In many Chinese martial arts novels and dramas, “扇子 (shànzi) fans” are used as weapons. A chivalrous person can defeat many enemies with only a small fan. As this video shows, two foreigners use fans as weapons to fight each other.

What are Chinese fans made of?

For thousands of years, the Chinese people never stopped innovating fan design and manufacturing, adopting different materials such as bamboo, palm tree leaves, wood, paper, feather, silk, bone, and sandalwood, and made fans of various shapes, such as circular, square, oval, flower petals, or hexagonal shapes.

Did men use fans in ancient China?

The fan has played an important part in Chinese and Japanese life. Fans were carried by men as well as women, and there were many classes of fans, each reserved for some special purpose.

When did fans start?

Early History

Pictorial records showing some of the earliest fans date from around 3000 BC and there is evidence that the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans all used fans as cooling and ceremonial devices, while Chinese literary sources associate the fan with ancient mythical and historical characters.

What does dropping a fan mean?

Quickly and impetuously closing the fan: "I'm jealous" Dropping the fan: "I belong to you"

How do you make Chinese fans?