Newsletter

Koreans exchanged fan around the beginning of the summer. Fan was necessity in the hot summer. It was widely used for various ceremonies and rituals, and was one of the fine gifts given to foreign envoys.

The emergence of round fans, and the origin of folding fans

The oldest record of fans in East Asia is that of China. It is said that King Shun(舜) also used fan. The early form of Chinese fans is round fans. It was called Danseon(團扇) or Wonseon(圓扇), and in Korea it was called Bang-goo Boochae. Danseon was made of various materials such as silk, peacock feathers, and bamboo, and the length of the handle differed depending on the use.

In the 8th century, a new name and form of fan appeared in Japan; the name was Heoseon(檜扇). Heoseon is a wooden fan which slices Korean spindle tree, and then sticks them together. In the early form of the folding fan, it could be folded unlike round fan. This developed into a folding fan with paper glued to the wooden ribs. Heoseon was made by Japan first. However, academia is still arguing whether the origin of folding fans with paper on wooden ribs is Goryeo or Japan. Besides, it is not easy to know its origin.

Fan of Goryeo, Praised by the Literati of Song Dynasty

The folding fans of Goryeo and Japan were delivered to Song Dynasty. Among them, Goryeo's has inspired a sensation to the upper class of Chinese society. Deng Chun(鄧椿) is a critic of the Song Dynasty, and wrote the following. He admired Fan of Goryeo, and quoted a review by Su Shi(Su Dong Po, 1037~1101), the best literary man of the Song Dynasty.

Su Shi said, “The folding fan of Goryeo was made by attaching paper on bamboo ribs; it is sophisticated and delicate and has better quality than Chinese fan.” In particular, folding fans made of paper in Goryeo are over 30 centimeters when unfolded. But when you fold it, it becomes very small, about two fingers wide. Deng Chun also noted exotic colors and designs. The turquoise dyed on paper is a color that is not common in China, so it was more attractive. This was a popular item among intellectuals of the Song Dynasty in China. Poet Huang Ting Jian(黃庭堅, 1045~1105) also wrote poems with affection for fan of Goryeo.

In 1123, the Song Dynasty dispatched Xu Jing(徐兢) as an envoy to Goryeo. Xu Jing recorded the geography, customs, and various goods of Goryeo that he saw and heard. He commented on the folding fans of Goryeo as follows.

The folding fans of Goryeo during this period were characterized by dense ribs. There are about 5 ribs in Japanese folding fans, and if the number of ribs is small, folding fan does not become much smaller. Fan was more used as a ritual and beautiful artwork than as a means of avoiding heat. The folding fan of Goryeo became very small when folded, and it was convenient for people to carry it. China has always appreciated the practicality of folding fan of Goryeo. It became a standard for luxury goods when the number of ribs increased to more than a certain number. Therefore, when social status is increased, fan with many ribs is used. For example, in the Joseon Dynasty, Dangsang guan(堂上官) used fan with 40 ribs, and the king used fan with 50 ribs.

Products to be Developed through Cultural Exchange between Countries

It was in the 16th century that folding fans became common in China. It should be at least 15th century that it started to produce in earnest in China. However, in the 12th century Goryeo, errands also used folding fans, which means that folding fans are widely distributed in Goryeo. Goryeo used folding fans 400 years before China; the folding fans of Goryeo were delivered to China, capturing the hearts of the shidafu.

Folding fans developed in cultural exchanges between Korea, China and Japan. China embodied the form and type of Danson, and Japan began to make Heoseon. Goryeo amplified the practicality of folding fans, creating the prototype of the most widely used today.