Basic Introduction to Yangshuo Painted Fans
The craft of painted fans in Yangshuo can be found all over West Street, mostly featuring the landscapes of Guilin, making them very meaningful as souvenirs. The fan frames are made from local nan bamboo, while the surfaces are made of xuan paper or silk, and then go through processes such as painting, dyeing, mounting, pasting, threading, and lacquering. These fans are adorned with poetry, calligraphy, and seal impressions, combining elements of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and printing into one artisanal and tourist souvenir.
Product Characteristics
(1) By size of the fan surface, they range from small ones that fit within a foot to larger ones measuring between 1 to 2 meters;
(2) By content of the fan surface, there are various themes from ancient and modern times including calligraphy, Guilin landscapes, Yangshuo scenery, flowers, birds, insects, fish, galloping horses, fierce beasts, and women in traditional dress;
(3) By production technique, they include handcrafted, semi-handcrafted, screen printing, and branding.
History and Folklore
Fuli Town in Yangshuo, known as China's “Artistic Painted Fan Hometown,” saw a large-scale emergence of painted fan production in the 1980s. Over 200 households in the town make a living primarily by painting, processing, and selling these fans. Seventy percent of the 1.5 million painted fans produced annually in Yangshuo County come from Fuli Town. These products are popular in over 30 countries and regions including Japan, the United States, and Australia, becoming an effective way for local farmers to escape poverty and achieve prosperity.