Handcrafted Silk and Bamboo Chinese Fan

Description

Handcrafted silk bamboo Chinese fans carry the weight of centuries in the span of your hand. Cool air rises in slow arcs. The silk catches light. The bamboo yields without breaking.

The folding fan traces its origins to the imperial courts of China, where artisans in Suzhou and Hangzhou perfected the art of stretching raw silk over split bamboo ribs. Silk, chosen for its breathability and luminous surface, was dyed using mineral pigments and plant extracts. Bamboo, harvested at peak maturity and dried for months, provides the structural memory that allows the fan to open and close thousands of times without warping.

Each fan measures approximately 33 cm when open, with sixteen precision-cut bamboo ribs tapered to a point at the pivot and broadened at the guard to resist splitting. The silk panel is hand-stitched at the margins, not glued, which preserves the tension of the fabric over time. Weight sits under 80 grams, making it effortless to carry. The surface accepts hand-painted motifs: cherry blossom, crane, landscape, or classical calligraphy, applied in ink or mineral pigment depending on the variant selected.

Handcrafted silk and bamboo Chinese fan. Silk panel over sixteen bamboo ribs, hand-stitched at margins. Open span approximately 33 cm. Weight under 80 grams. Origin: China, artisan workshop. Available in multiple motif variants. Sold as single unit.

A working object with deep historical lineage. Artisan craft without compromise or shortcut. The authority of Artisan d’Asie.