History · Art · Culture · Craft
The Art of the Chinese Fan
Discover the history, art, symbolism and craftsmanship behind traditional Chinese fans — from the folding fans of the literati to silk, bamboo and paper fans.
In this guide, “Chinese fan” refers to the traditional hand fan (扇子) — not fan culture or the surname Fan.
The collection
Explore Chinese Fans
Folding Fan
Zhéshàn · 折扇
The collapsible fan of scholars and courtiers.
Round Fan
Tuánshàn · 团扇
Silk-covered fans carried by palace ladies.
Silk Fan
Shānzi · 扇子
Soft, translucent surfaces, painted by hand.
Bamboo Fan
Zhúshàn · 竹扇
Ribs carved from bamboo, built to last.
Paper Fan
Zhǐshàn · 纸扇
Lightweight leaves, folded and painted.
Feather Fan
Yǔshàn · 羽扇
Ceremonial fans of feathers and authority.
Featured stories
The fan, through the ages
History
The History of Chinese Fans
From bronze-age ritual fans to the folding fans that filled the sleeves of Ming-dynasty scholars.
Culture
What Do Chinese Fans Symbolize?
Lotus for purity, bamboo for integrity, cranes for longevity — every motif carried a wish.
Art
Painting on Fans
A canvas you could hold in one hand — the intimate art of painting and calligraphy on fans.
Featured fan gallery
Every fan tells a story
Open, folded, painted, carved — the same fan can be read a dozen ways. Details that take a lifetime of craft to produce.
The journal
Latest from the Journal
Basics
What Is a Chinese Fan?
A short introduction to the traditional hand fan — its forms, materials, and why it matters.
History
The History of the Chinese Folding Fan
How the folding fan travelled from its early origins to become an emblem of the literati.
Art
Chinese Fan Motifs & Their Meanings
A visual dictionary of flowers, animals and symbols painted on fans — and what each one means.