Person
Tori ZiegerNotes
Fans are an integral accessory in Chinese history. Fans first began appearing in Chinese history in the 16th century BCE. These first fans were large and used to create shade more than anything else. With the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE), fans evolved to be more of a cooling tool. During this time fans were made out of feathers and were used almost exclusively by the noble class. The Han Dynasty (202 BCE-204 CE) saw the invention of the round fan, which was a single piece of silk or other material in a rounded shape and attached to bamboo or ivory handles. During this time, functional hand fans were used by commoners but fans were still a status symbol for the noble class. These round fans would be highly decorated and very intricate.
The folding fan, which is likely the most well known style of Chinese fans and is the style of the fan seen here, first began to become popular during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE). While these fans are still functional, these continued to be status symbols for the wealthy.