Ceneral Knowledge
1.中国扇子的起源：
中国是世界上最早使用扇子的国家，扇子的历史源远流长，它可上溯到远古的虞舜时代，相传舜为广开视听求贤自辅，曾制作五明扇。扇子明确的记载，已有3000多年历史。扇子最早出现在殷代，用五光十色的野鸡毛制成，称之为“障扇”。当时，扇子不是用来扇风取凉，而是作为帝王外出巡视时遮阳挡风避沙沙之用。西汉后，扇子开始用来取凉。东汉时，扇子的面料采用丝织的素娟，扇子的形制主要有方、圆、六角等，由于宫中用得多，又称“宫扇”。隋唐两代，盛行于世的主要是纨扇和羽扇，以及少量的纸扇。宋时，出现了携带极为方便的折扇。宋以后，折扇渐渐流行。明清是折扇发展鼎盛期，文人墨客题扇画扇成为一种时尚。
1.The Origin of the Chinese Fan:
China gets credit for being the first place where fan was manufactured. Documentation showed that fan had more than three thousand years history in China, which was made of colorful pheasants’ feathers called ”Zhang Shang” in the Shang Dynasty. At that time fan was not used to make yourself feel less hot, but served as processing to shield the sunlight and dust when emperor cruised his state. It was not until the Western Han Dynasty that fan was used to enjoy cool air. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, fan was made of silk and could be in shapes of round, square and hexagon. It was primarily reserved for the member of the royal court with the call of “Pal-ace Fan”. Silk fan, feather fan and a few of paper fan were the most popular in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Folding fan convenient to carry appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty. It quickly gained popularity thereafter. Folding fan entered the boom period of production in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and became a fashion among scholars and artists to show their genius by writing and painting on fan-cover.
2.扇子的类别：
扇子种类很多，从形状上看，有折扇、团扇、葫芦形扇、梯形扇、芭蕉叶形扇、方形扇、椭圆形扇。从制作材料上看，有绢扇、纸扇、木扇、羽扇、象牙扇、芭蕉扇、葵扇以及竹编、蒲编、麦秆编扇等。从色彩上看，则是五光十色，丰富多彩，但基本上有黑扇、白扇和彩扇几种。
2.The Category of Fan:
Fans are rich in varieties. According to the shape, they can be divided into folding fan, round fan, gourd-shaped fan, trapezoid fan, square fan, and elliptic fan. According to the material of fan-cover, they can also be classified into silk fan, paper fan, wood fan, feather fan, ivory fan, palm leaves fan, bamboo fan, straw of wheat fan, cattail leaves fan and so forth. Fans have very coloristic effects. But basically, there are black fan, white fan and colorful fan.
3.扇面的材料和制作：
扇面是折扇的主体，材料以纸为主。扇面主要分“画面”和“素面”两种。前者有制作时由画工绘制的纹样或图画，后者为了适合书法绘画的需要，纸面空白。素面的种类有很多，明清两代，金纸和白纸是主要的两类扇面。金纸因为加工不同，有各种品种，“泥金笺”、“冷金纸”、“酒金纸”。其中以泥金笺使用最为普遍。明代至清前期，为金纸和白纸扇面并重的时代，清中期，转向以白纸扇面为主。清中后期，黑纸折扇逐渐流行，书画以金色或白色完成，别有一种质朴古雅的趣味。另外，明清时期还有少量的有色素纸扇面，色纸有浅绿色、浅蓝色等。
折扇扇面，幅面半轮，上大下小，且有折叠骨痕，幅式上异于卷、轴、册页，并且材质多为上过矾的熟纸和金笺，所以在扇面上题书作画必须考虑扇面的特性，做出相应的安排，才能满足稳定、匀称、完整、充实等绘画造型艺术的基本要求。下笔落墨时要求明快简洁，流畅多变，不能稍有迟疑。扇面的正反两面，一面题诗，一面作画，书画合璧，从而成为特殊的独立艺术形式。
3.Material and Manufacturing of Fan-cover:
Fan-cover is the principal part of a folding fan, the material mainly using paper. The cover is differenced from painted cover and none-deco-rated cover. There are varied types of none-deco covers. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, white paper and golden paper were most com-monly used, and with different kinds accord-ing different ways of the paper-making. Dur-ing Ming and early Qing Dynasties, golden Pa-per and white paper all commonly used, but after the middle of Qing Dynasty, white paper replaced golden paper as the main material of making folding fans, and in the late Qing Dynasty, black paper became more popular, and gold and white color were used to deco-rate the cover as painting and calligraphy. Also, few light green or light blue papers had been used in Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The fan-cover normally is shaped into hemicycle and with folding vestige. The format is very different from hand scroll, hanging scroll and folding books, and the material is usually different papers with alum, so painting and writing on fan-cover must be carefully thought and arranged with ink and color, and therefore the basic demand of decoration need to be matched. This character requires artists use the simple and quick method to paint and write without any hesitation. Usually, one side of the fan-cover decorates with calligraphy and painting on the other side. So, it is the unique form of Chinese art.
4.扇面的书法特点：
扇面书法的字体、内容不限，字数的多少，字形大小，也全凭书家主张。章法上以每道折痕为一个单位，自上而下，顺直书写。通体看来，形成由轴心向外辐射或由弧边向轴心聚拢的格局。宽处写两行，窄处写一行。一行一写到底成为长行，第二行写到写不开为止，成为短行。自右向左一行一行地书写，款识落在左侧，占最末一或两行，名号印章要放在下端，以示谦逊。需要写上款时，另起一行写在顶端，而且只能用受件人的字、号，配以相应的称呼，一般不写名，更不写姓，以示尊敬。
4.Character of Calligraphy on Fan-cover:
There is no limited for the content or number of characters for calligraphy, and that largely depends on artists’ will. Writing must follow the track left by the folding lines, up to down, finally forming the pattern of dissipating from the centre to two sides. Calligrapher may write two lines in a wide track, or just one line if it is narrow, start from right line to left and sign at the end of left line to show the condescension. Keeper’s name of the fan is always written on another line as respecting, but with no name or surname and just with byname.
5.扇骨的材料、式样和工艺：
竹子是制作扇骨最常用的材料，尤其是书画扇的扇骨，常取毛竹、湘妃竹、棕竹为之，一般用蘸水打磨的方法加工成光滑细润的扇骨，或以竹骨为胎，刷上大漆，制成漆骨。常见的有乌黑、朱红两种颜色，凝重而典雅。乌木、紫檀、花梨、鸡翅等硬质木材也可作扇骨，但缺乏柔韧性而不如竹子用得普遍。硬木经细致打磨，会展现出天然的色泽和纹理，色泽沉稳大方，纹理细密、奇特，为藏家所珍爱。而象牙作扇骨则是极其稀少的珍品。
扇面是长条形的，大骨上宽下窄，这一点是固定不变的，在此基础上能工巧匠们创造出种种样式，各具特色。直骨是最简单也是较古老的式样，相对于它的形式有“螳螂腿”、琴式、竹节式等，而根据扇头形状的不同，又分为“如意头”、“蚱蜢眼”、“鱼尾”、“和尚头”等。
扇骨在明代以素骨居多，但也有在竹上髹漆的。到后来发展出镶、嵌、画、烫、刻、镂雕、雕漆等各种装饰手法，显示出高超的工艺水平。
5.Material, Form and Craft of Fan-rib:
Bamboo is the most common material for making ribs, particularly for the fan-ribs with painting ande calligraphy. They are normally grinded with waters with the surface, or painted lacquer. Black and red are most common colors. Some hard woods could be used for making ribs as well, like Wumu, Zitan, Huali, Jichi, but the pliability is not good as bamboo. Wood, after grinded, can appear the nature color and veins, and it is always regarded as trea-sure for the collectors. Fan-rib made of lvory is rarely seeing curio.
Fan-rib is strip-shaped. The shape of large rib can be wide at the top and thin at the bottom, which is changeless, and based on which, various forms in shapes of straight rib, mantis leg, zither, bamboo joint and so on are created by skillful craftsman. The rib end of a fan is classed depending on its different shapes, like grasshopper’s eye, fish’s tail, monk’s head etc.
Main techniques for making fan-ribs are inlaying, painting, ironing, carving, hollowed engraving, lacquer, gilding etc.
6.折扇的规格和形制：
折扇的规格取决于扇骨的长短宽窄、根数多少。扇骨和扇面大小薄厚、折叠层数，扇骨与扇面相互匹配。
折扇外侧的两片骨为大骨，大、小骨数目之和即为该扇的档数。
九档、十一档均为日式扇，用材考究，如象牙或紫檀，清末民国年间十分流行。长度为31至32厘米。
十二档、十三档、十四档扇较少见，流行于明末清初。其特点是方头，宽骨(指大骨)，长度在一尺左右。
十六档扇是清代至民国年间最为流行的规格，扇骨长约30至32厘米。
十八档扇在1949年以后开始流行。扇骨长约九寸或九寸五。
二十档、二十二档、二十四档几种规格的扇骨尺寸较小，皆为坤扇。
三十档、四十档扇为工艺扇，展开后可形成一百八十度角，扇骨短而窄，收藏价值不高。
6.Specification and Form for Folding Fan:
Specifications for folding fan depend on the length, width and number of ribs, and match the fan-ribs and fan-covers.
Two sides ribs are called big bones, others are small bones, and their number is accorded to the fan-ribs.
Japanese style is always with nine or eleven ribs which are made of ivory or Zitan, with the length form 31cm to 32cm, and this style was popular in late Qing and Minguo periods. Twelve, thirteen and fourteen ribs are rare, and just in late Ming and early Qing Dynasties could be found, and those were normally square shape in the end and wide big bones about 30cm length.
Sixteen ribs were most popular in Qing and Minguo periods, and the length is about 30cm to 32cm.
Eighteen ribs became popular after 1949,and with the length about 30cm.
Twenty ,twent-two or twenty-four ribs are commonly made for ladies and are called Qunshan.
Thirty or forty ribs can be opened with the angle of 180 degrees, but ribs are short and thin. There is no much value for collecting.
7.扇头的形式：
扇骨聚头处俗称扇头。扇头的形式多种多样。有人统计，竟达120种之多。有花式、瓶口式、尖头式、圆头式、方头式以及鱼尾、燕尾、葫芦、竹节等等造型。
7.Shape of Rib End:
About 120 kinds of shapes are applied on the rib ends, and they appear as flower, vase mouth, shrill, round, square, fishtail, swallowtail, bamboo joint, gourd etc.
8.扇骨的装饰手法：
扇骨装饰旨在提高扇骨的美感和价值。常见的装饰手法有雕刻、镶嵌、髹漆、镂空、合骨、烫花、手绘等等。
8.Decoration of Fan-rib:
Decoration of fan-rib aims at improving aes-thetic feeling and value of the fan-rib. The usual ways of decoration are carving, inlaying, lacquer, penetrated carving, Ironing, mixed ribs, paste, painting and so on.
雕刻
雕刻是竹骨装饰中最普遍最常见的手法。竹刻在唐代已走向成熟。明清两代高手辈出，精品层出不穷。竹骨雕刻以玉竹为多，分阴刻和阳刻。阴刻又有深刻与浅刻之分。明清时，浅刻竹骨盛行，民国初年，深刻颇受青睐。阳刻有沙地、平地、留青之分。沙地是在铲除了竹皮的竹肌上用特殊刀具打上密密麻麻的如沙小点。平地是把地子全部铲平。留青即在凸起部分保留竹皮。
Carving
Carving is the most seeing way for decorating the rib. In the Tang Dynasty, carving on bamboo was already popular and mature. Many masters of making fans made numerous masterpieces with carving in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Jade bamboo was commonly used for carving, and with two different ways of Yinke and Yangke. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, base-relief was popular, and in Minguo period, deep-relief was much more welcomed. Yangke is divided into Shadi, Pingdi, and Liuqing. Shadi means remove the crud on the surface of the bamboo and make teeny dense dots on it with special tool, Pingdi means polish the whole surface, Liuqing means leave some of the green surface at the raised parts.
镶嵌
镶嵌是将骨、螺钿、银丝等材料嵌入扇骨，形成不同效果的纹饰。镶嵌有两种方式：一是直接嵌入法，二是嵌在漆骨的漆内。后者牢固度不如前者，工艺上也较前者简单。嵌螺钿扇骨在清中、前期十分盛行，多用于坤扇。银丝镶嵌，通常作于乌木骨上，颜色的反差，优雅醒目，几乎成为一种固定的完美组合。
Inlaying
Animal bone, mother-of-pearl and silver threads are always inlayed into the rib, to present different effects of decoration. There are two main ways of inlay: inlay at the rib directly and inlay at the lacquer. Fan-rib inlaid with mother-of-pearl was very popular in the early and mid-Qing Dynasties, and mostly applied on Qunshan, for lady use. Silver threads are usually inlaid on Wumu to form an elegant effect, which almost become a perfect combination.
髹漆
“以漆漆物谓之髹”，给普通竹骨涂上色泽艳丽的漆，成为漆骨。漆骨分素漆骨和绘画漆骨。
Painting
Bamboo painted becomes painting-rib, which is divided into painting-rib and nopainting-rib
雕漆
雕漆是在堆起的平面漆胎上剔刻花纹的技法，始于唐代。雕漆扇骨出现在明末，清代曾兴盛一时。因其工艺的复杂性，民国年间已少有制作。
Lacquer
Lacquer paint is a technique of carving flower patterns on the painted rib, it was started in the Tang Dynasty, and in the Ming Dynasty applied on fan decoration. As the technical complexity, it became rare after Qing Dynasty.
镂空透雕
镂空手法多运用于檀香扇骨，尤其是坤扇，主要施于小骨。日式扇的大骨也常以镂空工艺装饰。
透雕常用于黄杨木扇骨，多表现为花鸟、树木等图案。
Penetrated carving and hollowed engraving
Penetrated carving is most seeing on Qunshan with sandalwood. Hollowed engraving is usually seeing on boxwood. The design patterns are always flowers, birds and trees.
烫花
烫花就像现行的烙画一样，在竹、木骨上烫出各种纹饰。一般用于工艺扇。
Ironing
Ribs of Bamboo and wood are ironed to form all kinds of design, which is usually for craft fan.
合骨
合骨就是用两种材料合在一起做成一根扇骨。如乌木与竹合作小骨，象牙与兽骨合作大骨。合骨一般要遵循一个规律，即大骨内侧的材质要与小骨的材质相同。
Mixed ribs
Mixed ribs mean using two different materials joint together to make ribs.
镶贴
镶贴即把不同于扇骨的材料加工后贴在扇骨上进行装饰。扇骨的聚头处也常用此手法。镶贴材料有象牙、牛角、紫檀、乌木、玳瑁、玛瑙、玉石、琥珀等。
Paste
Using different materials that are different from the rib materials paste onto the fan-rib. The materials normally are ivory. ox horn, rosewood, ebony, hawksbill, carnelian, jade and amber etc.
9.扇袋：
扇袋是专门用来放置折扇的套子，在清代十分流行。清代早、中期的扇袋质量上乘，道光咸丰年以后，水准渐降。民国以后，扇袋不再生产。现在所能见到的几乎都是清代的遗存之物。
扇袋多用锦绣，有打籽、纳锦、戳纱、盘金、锁针、挑花、抽纱等不同织绣工艺。缂丝扇袋工艺复杂，故而较珍贵。扇袋纹饰包罗万象，有山水、人物、花卉、草虫、博古、吉语等等。
9.Bag for Fan:
Bag for fan is cover used exclusively for lying folding fan, which was very popular in Qing Dynasty. There had been a decline in quality of bag from the periods of Daoguang and Xianfeng. Since the period of Minguo, bag had gone out of production. So what we see today are almost the remains of Qing Dynasty.
Embroidery bag for fan has complicated craft with different twine and embroidery techniques, so it is very precious. Design of bag includes landscape, figure, flower, insect, antique, auspicious words and so on.
10.扇盒：
扇盒是专门储放折扇的器具。有纸盒与木盒之分。纸盒多裱以锦或蓝毛布。木盒的材质有紫檀、鸡翅木和黄花梨等。
10.Case for Fan:
Case for fan is instrument used for lying folding fan, which can be divided into paper box and wood box. Silk or blue clothing is mounted on paper box. The material of wood box includes rosewood, Jichi wood, Huanghuali wood etc.
11.王星记扇庄：
杭州王星记扇庄由绍兴人王星斋创建于光绪元年(1875年)。此庄生产的黑纸扇驰名中外。经八十多道工序，扇骨平整光洁，纸面柔软轻滑，坚韧耐用。曝晒、水浸后，不翘、不裂、不变形，素有“一把扇子半把伞”之称誉。扇面选用质地韧密的桃花纸，刷上几层柿漆，可抵日晒雨淋。扇骨多采用冬竹，也有象牙、乌木、玳瑁、湘妃竹等贵重材质。
11.Wang Xing’s Fan Store:
The Wang Xing’s Fan store in Hangzhou was established by Wang Xing come from Shaoxing province in the first year of Guangxu (1875A.D). The black paper fan which was produced by this store was well-known at home and abroad. Finely processed, fan was smart, flexible, ametabolic, and preservative as well. The most gorgeous fan was the black paper fan whose cover was made of fibre of mulberry bark, completely socaked in a natural oil paint. Each fan took more than eighty procedures before it was ready. The fan-rib was often made of precious material like bamboo, ivory, ebony ,hawksbill tortoiseshells, mottled bamboo and so forth.
12.团扇：
团扇的产生远早于折扇，因形状团圆如月，暗合中国人合欢吉祥之意，又名“合欢扇”。又因其由丝织物制成，故又称“纨扇”或“罗扇”。
12.Round Fan:
The birth of the round fan was much earlier than that of the folding variety. Its shape, like full moon, signifies the auspicious meaning of a union and happiness. The round fan has many elegant names, like “Wan Shan”, “Luo Shan”, and “He Huan Shan”.
13.洒金：
洒金主要分为两种：一是把剪碎的形状不一的小箔片吹撒在纸面上，不求整齐，大体均匀即可，称为“片金”;另一种是均匀地喷洒上金色小点，称为“雨金”。这里所谓的金、银是指有闪耀色的代用品，可以金或银单色使用，也可以同时使用。
13.Scattered Gold:
Fan-covers are coated with gold powder.
14.泥金：
是指在纸张表面满贴金箔通体饰金。
14.Gold Foil:
Fan-covers are covered with gold foil.
