A Jinling folding fan is on display at a crafts research institute in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province, Aug 22, 2017. [Photo/IC]
Jinling folding fan whose frame is made of bamboo and surface of resilient paper or silk damask is a traditional handicraft in Nanjing. It is a tool to cool down in summer, and also for art appreciation due to its elegant appearance and cultural connotations.
The Jinling folding fan is not only one of the four most famous fans in China, but is also listed on the intangible cultural heritage list of Jiangsu province.
The fan frame is made of thin bamboo stripes. [Photo/IC]
The most important process in making a folding fan is its frame. The process includes 43 small steps, ranging from selecting material to chopping and burning it. First, select 6-8 years old bamboos which grow in fertile soil facing the sun. Then boil the selected bamboo, to isolate albumen and sugar from the bamboo, so that the bamboo won't attract insects later. Then chop the bamboo little by little to give it shape like the side of the fan. The second last step is to burn the fan side into an arc shape to make it fixable. The last step is polishing, to make the fan frame smooth.
The making of the fan surface needs to go through the process of selecting material, cutting the paper, mounting the surface, cutting the edge and so on. Last, to combine the fan frame with the fan surface, a folding fan is finally created.
A craftsman polishes a frame to make it smooth at a crafts research institute in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province, Aug 22, 2017. [Photo/IC]
A craftsman cleans the frame after polishing. [Photo/IC]
Different kinds of knives are seen on the table. [Photo/IC]
A craftsman models a fan frame using a knife. [Photo/IC]
A craftsman models a fan frame using a knife. [Photo/IC]
A craftsman brushes a layer of alum water on the fan to make it water-proof. [Photo/IC]
A craftsman puts bamboo stripes into the folds. [Photo/IC]
Jinling folding fans are on display at a crafts research institute in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province, Aug 22, 2017. [Photo/IC]
（China Daily）