Folding fan (hiōgi / sensu)
Abanico plegable (hiōgi / sensu)
- Date
- c. 800 · confidence low
- Place
- Kyoto, Japan
- Credited to
- Heian court craftsmen
- Field
- Tools
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A fan of wooden or bamboo ribs and paper or silk leaves that folds and fits in a belt. It arose in Japan, where it was used at court and in the theatre, and from there spread to China and Europe.
Chinese tradition ascribes the folding fan to the Song period, while Japanese sources place it in the Heian period and Japanese gifts are known to have reached China in the 10th century. Priority is debated.
What it led to
- the fan as a court and nō/kabuki theatre accessory
- arrival in China, Korea and later Europe in the 16th century
- 18th-century European fans with their courtly language