How to Use a Chinese Fan

Section 01

Parts of the fan, named

Before you open a Chinese fan, know what you are holding. A folding fan has five parts, and each one affects how it moves: the ribs (扇骨), the pleated leaf (扇面), the two thicker guard sticks (大骨), the rivet at the base (扇钉), and sometimes a tassel (扇坠). The rivet end is the pivot — every opening and closing movement starts there.

This guide assumes a standard Chinese folding fan: bamboo or wooden ribs with a paper or silk leaf. Round fans and feather fans move differently — see types of Chinese fans for how they compare.

Section 02

How to open a folding fan safely

• Hold the fan at the rivet end in one hand, guard sticks together.
• Place your thumb on one guard stick and your fingers on the other.
• Push the guard sticks apart gently — the pleats will begin to separate.
• Flick your wrist outward while the guards part, and the leaf opens on its own.
• Let the fan lock at full open; never force it past its natural arc.

The golden rule is to let the fan do the work. Paper leaves tear at the folds if you pull them open by the edge, and silk leaves crease permanently. If a fan resists, the rivet may be stiff — open it slowly a few times to loosen the pivot rather than forcing it.

Section 03

How to hold and close it

Hold an open fan at the rivet, with your thumb on one guard stick and your first two fingers against the other. The fan balances there, and you can wave, angle and snap it shut without touching the leaf. To close, reverse the opening motion: press the guard sticks together gently and let the pleats stack, then fold the last few ribs in with your fingers.

A well-closed fan looks like a single stick with the leaf hidden between the guards. If the leaf peeks out or the pleats sit crooked, close it again more slowly — the fold lines will find their place. The grip itself matters enough to deserve its own guide: see how to hold a Chinese fan.

Section 04

Basic fan movements

• The slow wave — hold the fan low and move it side to side from the wrist; this is the everyday cooling motion.
• The flick — open and close with a quick wrist snap; the classic performance move.
• The angle — tilt the open fan to shade your face or direct attention.
• The snap shut — close the fan in one clean motion; used in opera and tai chi to punctuate a movement.

For performance and tai chi, these movements become a full vocabulary. The fan in motion is covered in our guide to Chinese fan traditions, and the grip variations that make them possible are in how to hold a Chinese fan.

Section 05

Fan etiquette to avoid

• Don't flick a fan open near someone's face — the ribs and edges are harder than they look.
• Don't snap the fan shut loudly in a quiet room; it is a statement, so choose the moment.
• Don't fan directly at another person unless you are offering them air — fanning toward someone can read as dismissal.
• Don't grip the leaf; fingers mark paper and silk.
• Don't leave an open fan in the sun — the paint and leaf fade.

Etiquette follows from the same idea that made the fan a scholar's object: it should look effortless. If you are new, practice opening and closing at home until the motion is smooth — the fan should seem to move itself. Care advice for keeping it in shape is on the folding fan page.

Section 06

Frequently asked questions