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Final Exam Paper

Chinese intangible Cultural Heritage - The folding fan

Introduction

Among China's rich intangible cultural heritages, the folding fan carries the Oriental beauty and humanistic emotions of thousands of years. It is not merely a daily item for ancient people to cool off in summer, but also a traditional object that combines practicality, craftsmanship and cultural significance, which can directly reflect the spiritual world of the Chinese nation. In 2008, the art of making folding fans was included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and this ancient folk craft has ushered in new development opportunities. This article will explore the unique value and inheritance and development path of the folding fan as an intangible cultural heritage from four aspects: its historical origin, craftsmanship features, artistic connotation and contemporary inheritance.

Historical origin

The round fan originated from the "bian mian" in the Pre-Qin period. It was mostly made of bamboo or papyrus and was used for shading and dust blocking. The development of the silk weaving industry in the Han Dynasty gave rise to the circular "round fan" (also known as "Huanhuan fan") with silk as the fan surface. Ban Jieyu's "Song of Resentment" vividly depicted it. At this time, it had become a carrier for the emotional expression of the women in the imperial court.

During the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, the manufacturing techniques of folding fans further developed. The material of the fan surface expanded from a single silk to brocade, gauze, and other materials, while the fan ribs were made of precious materials such as bamboo, wood, and ivory. Simple paintings and embroideries began to appear on the fan surface.

The Tang Dynasty was the heyday of the development of round fans. The social atmosphere was open and handicrafts flourished. The shapes of round fans became more diverse. Besides the round ones, there were also irregular shapes such as crabapple-shaped, plum blossom-shaped and hexagonal ones. At this time, the folding fan was not only a luxury item for the imperial court and nobility, but also entered the homes of ordinary people and became the subject of praise for scholars and poets.

During the Song and Yuan dynasties, the artistic value of the round fan was further enhanced, and the painting on the fan surface became an important form of expression in literati painting. During the Song Dynasty, scholars and poets such as Emperor Huizong and Mi Fu were all skilled at painting on fan surfaces. They incorporated themes such as landscapes, flowers and birds, and figures into the fan surfaces, turning the folding fan into an art piece that integrates poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal engraving.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the craftsmanship of making round fans reached its peak. The carving skills on the fan ribs became increasingly exquisite, and the themes of embroidery and painting on the fan surfaces became more extensive. Famous local schools such as "Suzhou fans", "Hangzhou fans", and "Sichuan Fans" emerged. Round fans thus became the culmination of traditional Chinese craftsmanship.

Process characteristics

The making of a round fan is a complex systematic project, involving multiple steps such as material selection, bone making, surface stretching, painting and embroidery. Each process embodies the wisdom and hard work of the artisans. Its technological features are mainly reflected in the following three aspects:

First, the materials are carefully selected and the pursuit of excellence is pursued. The production of folding fans has strict requirements for materials. The fan ribs are mostly made of materials with excellent texture and grain, such as bamboo, wood and ivory. For bamboo bones, Anji moso bamboo is the best choice, while for wood bones, precious woods such as rosewood are considered superior. The fan surface is made of light and breathable silk such as brocade, gauze and gauze. Among them, Hangzhou textile and Song brocade are particularly well-known. These high-quality materials ensure the unique texture of the folding fan.

Second, the bone-making is exquisite and the carving is unparalleled. The production of fan ribs is the core link in the craftsmanship of folding fans. It requires multiple processes such as sawing, planing, filing and grinding to form a smooth and round shape. The ribs of high-end folding fans are also carved with techniques such as intaglio and relief engraving to depict landscapes, poetry and other themes. Suzhou micro-carvings are even more exquisite and unparalleled. Hundreds of characters can be engraved on the slender ribs of fans, fully demonstrating the superb craftsmanship.

Third, the surface is fine and the decoration is diverse. The process of stretching the surface requires first cutting the silk into shape, and then fixing it on the fan ribs through methods such as pasting and sewing. Throughout the process, it is necessary to ensure that the fan surface is flat and taut. The decoration of the fan surface mainly features paintings and embroiderings. The paintings are done with meticulous or freehand techniques, while the embroiderings rely on well-known embroidery styles such as Suzhou embroidery. The stitches are delicate and dynamic, making the folding fan both practical and artistic.