Introduction

The folding fan has two components, the ribs and the sector. The ribs are often made with bamboo or ivory and tough paper or thin silk as the sector. During use, it must be unfolded into a semicircular shape. It emerged in the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the fifth century.

Composition

Ordinary folding fans use bamboo as the ribs and tough paper as the sectors. A superior fan may have poems or pictures on the sector. For high-grade folding fans, the ribs and leaves may be made of ivory with various decorative figures carved on them and sectors that have calligraphy and paintings from famous scholars.

Materials

A large variety of materials may be used to make folding fans. The material of fan ribs may be ivory, hawksbill, sandalwood, eaglewood, bamboo or various kinds of wood. The processes include inlaid carving, carved lacquer engraving, lacquer filled with gold dust, and lusterless paint. In some fans, the ribs are hollowed out and may store 32 tiny dice or filled with fragrance. All folding fans are carved with various patterns and look delicate. Some fan ribs imitate the shape of swallow tail while others hide rivets. Fan sectors may be made with white paper, colorful paper, pasted with a scented cover, gold foil or sprayed with gold dust.