Folding fan

Folding fan

　　    The folding fan is a traditional Japanese handicraft. While the round fan was invented in China and later introduced to Japan, the folding fan was invented in Japan and then spread to China. The first folding fans were made by sewing together thin slices of cypress wood, hence they were called "cypress fans," but later the fan surface was changed to paper. Folding fans appeared as early as the beginning of the Heian period. According to the Nishinomiya Record, during the early Heian period, court nobles would bestow folding fans upon their attendants every summer, making the folding fan one of the items attendants carried during court events. Later, court ladies were also influenced by this trend and often carried folding fans as decorative accessories.

　　    During the Meiji era, Japanese folding fans became one of the best-selling trade goods, exported to many European countries. By then, fans had evolved from paper surfaces to silk surfaces, which were very popular. By the Taisho era, fans had become daily necessities for ordinary people and were widely used in rituals, religious ceremonies, and folk events. With the advancement of science, the practical value of both round and folding fans will gradually diminish, and they will develop more as handicrafts and decorative items.