It was popular during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to paint and write on paper fans. Despite the difficulty, artists managed to reproduce landscapes and poems on the folds, lending the fans a sense of romanticism and magnificence.

They were exchanged between friends as gifts, and made as collaborations between intellectuals and artists at salons.

Examples of this tradition are now on display in Suva, the capital of Fiji, where dozens of painted fans by six Chinese artists are on show at the China Cultural Center alongside fans made by Fijian artists.

The show is part of the center's yearly Chinese New Year celebration, an introduction to Chinese culture and tradition. There are also exhibitions of porcelain, stamps and intangible cultural heritage.