Fans

Welcome to this edition of China Lifestyle Journeys, the series that brings you chats, discussions and insights on all aspects of Chinese living. We will cover festivals, food, traditions, customs and much, much more. I’m your host Jocelyn… and I’m Mat, just an English guy with lots of questions.

So, Mat, what’s your big question today?

(Mat)

Hello and welcome to another episode of China Lifestyle Journeys! Today, we’re talking about Chinese fans. So if you’ve been in a Chinese city in summer, hot summer weather, you’ve probably seen people keeping cool with ahandheld1 fan. Now I’m sure there’s more to fans than just keeping cool. So, let’s start with the basics. Jocelyn, what do we know about the history of Chinese fans?

(Jocelyn)

OK, so the history of fans in China dates back to over 3,000 years ago. Actually their original function was the same as the way we use them today – in ancient times people used fans to create a breeze2 and stay cool in hot weather.  Obviously, in those days there was no air conditioner or electric fans. So handheld fans were probably the best option for keeping cool.

(Mat)

So, over 3,000 years ago, people who were feeling hot in cities, used fans to keep themselves cool. And today we still use them for the same thing. So have fans ever been used for other purposes over the years?

(Jocelyn) 

Actually yes, they have. Besides keeping people cool, fans have had some other important uses too. There was one type of fan, calledZhang Shan3. This was a long-handled fan, and it was shaped like a door and used for ceremonial4 purposes. It was believed to be invented by a king a really long time ago. And it representedimperial5 power andauthority6 during the Qing Dynasty.   

(Mat)

I think I’ve seen those fans, the wooden handle is quite long and the fan part is in the shape of, kind of like a rectangle7, as you said, it looks like a door. But I guess for most people, if they imagine a traditional Chinese fan, they picture one that looks like half a circle, a kind of like moon shape. Does that fan or that type of fan, does it have a name?

(Jocelyn)

I think you’re talking something called Tuan Shan8, or Gong Shan9. Yes, this is a famous style of fan. And these fans were often quite big and they were originally used to protect important people (like the kings) from the sun, or wind, or even sand (during a sandstorm). Servants10 used to hold these fans for thenobles11. So these were not really for creating a breeze, these were more like a shade, to shade12 peoplefrom the sunshine.

(Mat)

OK. Now whenever I’ve seen a Chinese fan, it usually has some kind of painting on it, some kind of design, either a picture or some writing. Can you tell me something about that? 

(Jocelyn)

Yeah, sure. There’s a long tradition of fans being decorated with calligraphy13, paintings, and auspicious14 patterns. They were like little pieces of art. And people would use fans with different designs to express their status or personal preferences. So, it was a way toshow off15 their creativity and taste. The calligraphy on the fan could be meaningful phrases, or poetry, or even famous quotes. Paintings were also a popular choice, featuring16various subjects like landscapes, flowers, birds, and even mythical creatures.  

(Mat)

Now I think most people know about folding fans, I’m guessing that they arrived later because they are a little bit more complicated than the other types of fan. So when did folding fans become popular?

(Jocelyn)

Folding fans started to become popular during the Han Dynasty, around 2,000 years ago. Bamboo and hand-woven leaf fans were invented, making fans more affordable for common people. So, around the same time, silk fans started to become popular. And because of the sturdy17 materials (bamboo and silk), many ancient examples are still around today. In certain museums you can see fans that are thousands of years old.

(Mat)

So I guess these were quite an important fashion accessory in their day and there was probably something like a “fan-making” industry.

(Jocelyn) 

Yes, you’re right! Many hundreds of years ago, the fan-making industry was mostly made up of family-run businesses. They produced fans in small quantities and sold them from the front of their workshops. Hangzhou was the centre of this industry during the Southern Song Dynasty. You may have heard that Hangzhou was (and still is) a very important production and trading centre for silk. So it makes sense that a city famous for its silk, became famous for its silk fans.

(Mat)

Yeah, that makes sense. So if I go to Hangzhou today, can I find one of these traditional fans? Are they easy to find? Can I buy them? Are they expensive?

(Jocelyn)

Actually, Hangzhou would be a great choice because it’s also got a fan museum, so you can see all kinds of fans, even some really old ones. And just like most museums, it has a gift shop so you can buy a new copy of many of the older fans on the show in the museum.

(Mat)

Well, that does sound pretty cool… a museum dedicated to fans or fans of fans. I’ll have to check that out next time I’m in Hangzhou. 

Well, that’s it for today. We hope you enjoyed this episode, thanks for listening. We hope to see you again next time. Until then, goodbye. Stay wise.

Key words and expressions:

1. handheld CET4  adj. /ˌhændˈheld/ 手提式的，便携式的

held in the hand or hands

e.g. a handheld device手提式设备

2. breeze CET4 n. [C] /briːz/ 和风，微风

a light and pleasant wind

e.g. However, outdoor breezes may quickly blow those clouds away.然而，户外的微风可能会迅速吹走那些云彩。

3. Zhang Shan 障扇

4. ceremonial CET4adj. /ˌserɪˈmoʊniəl/ 仪式的，礼节的

related to, used in, or involving a ceremony

e.g. The men were dressed in ceremonial black robes.男人们穿着庄重的黑色长袍。

5. imperial CET4adj. /ɪmˈpɪəriəl/ 帝国的；皇帝的

belonging or relating to an empire or the person or country that rules it

e.g. the imperial palace皇宫

6. authority CET4n. [U] /ɔːˈθɒrəti/ 威信；权力；管辖权

the moral or legal right or ability to control

e.g. the local housing authority 当地住房管理机构

7. rectangle IELTS / TOEFLn. [C] /ˈrektæŋɡəl/ 长方形

a flat shape with four 90° angles and four sides, with opposite sides of equal length

e.g. The rectangle is 5 cm long and 1.9 cm wide.这个长方形的长是5厘米，宽是1.9厘米。

8. Tuan Shan 团扇

9.  Gong Shan 宫扇

10.  servant n. [C] /ˈsɜːvənt/ （尤指旧时的）佣人，仆人

a person who is employed in another person’s house, doing jobs such as cooking and cleaning, especially in the past

e.g. civil servant 公务员；文职人员

11.  noble CET4n. [C] /ˈnəʊbəl/ 贵族

a person of the highest social group in some countries

e.g. a noble spirit浩然之气

12.  shade… from… 给……遮住直射光线

to prevent direct light from shining on something

e.g. I shaded my eyesfrom the glare of the sun.我遮住眼睛，避开刺眼的阳光。

13.  calligraphy IELTS / TOEFL / GREn. [U] /kəˈlɪɡrəfi/ 书法；书法艺术

(the art of producing) beautiful writing, often created with a special pen or brush

e.g. The elegance and grace of Chinese calligraphy have made it not only a means of communication but also a form of artistic expression.中国书法的优雅和风采使其不仅成为了交流的方式，还成为了一种艺术表达形式。

14.  auspicious IELTS / TOEFL / GRE adj. /ɔːˈspɪʃəs/ 吉利的，吉祥的

suggesting a positive and successful future

e.g. In Chinese culture, the number eight is considered highly auspicious.在中国文化中，数字8被认为是极其吉祥的。

15.  show off 展示

to show something or someone you are proud of to other people, so that they will admire it, him, or her

e.g. She likes to show off her collection ofpaintings. 她喜欢展示她的绘画收藏。

16.  feature GRE / IELTS / TOEFLv./ˈfiːtʃər/ 以……为特色

to include someone or something as an important or special part

e.g. The Spring Festival Gala often features traditional Chinese dances, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the country.春节联欢晚会经常以传统的中国舞蹈为特色，展示了其丰富的文化遗产。

17.  sturdyCET6 / IELTS / TOEFLadj./ˈstɜːdi/ 结实的，牢固的

physically strong and solid or thick, and therefore unlikely to break or be hurt

e.g. The Great Wall of China stands as a sturdy testament to the engineering marvels and historical legacy that define Chinese culture.中国的长城是坚固的证明，它体现了中国文化的工程奇迹和历史传承。