In the brilliant galaxy of Chinese civilization, intangible cultural heritage shines like countless sparkling pearls, carrying the nation's memory and wisdom. Among them, the Chinese lacquer fan, with its unique craftsmanship, profound cultural heritage, and high artistic value, stands out as a rare treasure in the intangible cultural heritage repository. It is like a time traveler spanning thousands of years, telling the poetry and legends of ancient East with every opening and closing of its fan surface.
I. Origin: From Royal Ceremonial Object to Folk Elegance
The history of the lacquer fan can be traced back to the distant Han Dynasty, when it was mainly used as a ceremonial object for emperors and nobles, symbolizing power and status. The "Book of the Later Han Dynasty · Records of Clothing and Accessories" records the "zhangshan" (a type of fan), which was made of feathers or silk and served as the prototype of the lacquer fan. By the Tang Dynasty, the craftsmanship of lacquer fan making reached its peak, becoming a precious collection of the imperial court and nobles. Although the "light silk fan" in Du Mu's poem Autumn Evening ("Silver candles cool the painted screen in autumn light, A light silk fan chases fireflies") does not explicitly refer to the lacquer fan, it reflects the important role of fans in social life at that time.
In the Tang Dynasty, the lacquer fan was exquisitely crafted. The fan bones were made of high-quality wood with beautiful textures, such as sandalwood and chicken-wing wood, which were carefully polished and carved into various elegant shapes. The fan surface was made of silk or paper, and techniques like lacquering, painting, and inlaying were used to draw vivid patterns of landscapes, flowers, birds, and figures, with bright and magnificent colors. Tang Dynasty lacquer fans were not only widely circulated in China but also exported overseas via the Silk Road, becoming a vivid calling card of Chinese culture.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the lacquer fan craftsmanship continued to develop and gradually spread to the folk. With the prosperity of the commodity economy, the lacquer fan was no longer exclusive to the imperial court and nobles but became a daily necessity accessible to ordinary people. On the basis of inheriting traditional craftsmanship, lacquer fans of this period paid more attention to the combination of practicality and decoration. The themes of the fan surface patterns became more diverse, including not only traditional landscapes, flowers, birds, and figures but also content reflecting social life and folk customs. Meanwhile, local characteristics gradually formed in lacquer fan making: Suzhou lacquer fans in Jiangsu were famous for their delicate craftsmanship and elegant shapes, while Guangzhou lacquer fans in Guangdong were known for their bright colors and gorgeous patterns.
II. Craftsmanship: A Legend of Lacquer Art with Ingenious Craftsmanship
Making an exquisite lacquer fan is a complex and systematic project that requires multiple elaborate procedures, each embodying the craftsman's painstaking effort and wisdom. From the selection of fan bones to the decoration of the fan surface, from the preparation of lacquer materials to the drawing of patterns, every link demands superb skills and great patience from the craftsmen.
(1) Selection and Production of Fan Bones
The fan bone is the framework of the lacquer fan, and its quality directly affects the service life and appearance of the fan. Therefore, craftsmen are extremely picky when selecting materials for fan bones. Generally, the materials for fan bones need to be hard, have beautiful textures, and be resistant to deformation. Common materials include nanmu, sandalwood, chicken-wing wood, and bamboo. These materials not only have good toughness and strength but also emit a faint fragrance, adding a unique charm to the lacquer fan.
After selecting the materials, craftsmen cut the wood into appropriate shapes and sizes according to the design requirements. Then, they use tools like planes and sandpaper to polish the fan bones, making their surfaces smooth and delicate for a comfortable hand feel. The polishing process requires great patience and care, and no detail can be overlooked to ensure the quality and beauty of the fan bones. After polishing, craftsmen apply lacquer to the fan bones for protection and decoration. The lacquering process also needs strict control: each layer of lacquer must be evenly applied, and the next layer can only be applied after the previous one is completely dry. Generally, several to more than ten layers of lacquer need to be applied to achieve the desired effect.
(2) Production and Decoration of the Fan Surface
The fan surface is the soul of the lacquer fan, and its decoration directly determines the artistic value of the fan. Traditional lacquer fan surfaces are mostly made of silk or paper, which are soft and absorbent, making them very suitable for lacquer art creation.
In the production process of the fan surface, first, the silk or paper is cut and arranged to match the size of the fan bones. Then, a layer of primer is applied to the fan surface, which serves to protect the surface and provide a good foundation for subsequent lacquer art creation. After the primer dries, patterns can be drawn. There are many methods for drawing patterns, such as painting, inlaying, and carving.
Painting is one of the most commonly used techniques in lacquer fan making. Craftsmen use natural mineral pigments, such as cinnabar, azurite, and malachite, to draw various exquisite patterns on the fan surface. These pigments are bright in color and fade-resistant, keeping the fan surface beautiful for a long time. During the painting process, craftsmen need to use various painting techniques, such as meticulous painting, freehand brushwork, and splashing ink, to integrate their creativity and emotions into every stroke, making the patterns vivid and full of vitality.
Inlaying involves cutting precious materials like shells, jade, gold, and silver into various shapes and inlaying them on the fan surface to form exquisite patterns. These inlaid materials complement the lacquer art, making the fan surface more gorgeous and layered. Inlaying requires extremely high skills from craftsmen, who need to master precise cutting and inlaying techniques to perfectly combine various materials.
Carving is to carve various exquisite patterns and designs on the fan surface, giving it a three-dimensional and textured feel. Carving techniques are divided into bas-relief (yangke) and intaglio (yinke). In bas-relief, the pattern is raised, while in intaglio, the pattern is recessed. Whether it is bas-relief or intaglio, craftsmen need to have superb carving skills and rich experience to ensure the carved patterns have smooth lines and clear layers.
(3) Selection and Preparation of Lacquer Materials
Lacquer materials are one of the key materials in lacquer fan making, and their quality directly affects the quality and service life of the fan. The traditional lacquer used in lacquer fan making is natural raw lacquer, which is a natural resin coating extracted from the sap of lacquer trees. Natural raw lacquer has excellent properties such as corrosion resistance, moisture resistance, wear resistance, and high temperature resistance, and it is harmless to the human body, making it a very environmentally friendly coating. However, preparing and using natural raw lacquer is not easy. Natural raw lacquer is a milky white liquid that gradually oxidizes and turns black upon contact with air, forming a hard film. When preparing lacquer materials, craftsmen need to add various pigments and additives according to different needs to adjust the color, concentration, and drying speed of the lacquer. For example, adding cinnabar can make the lacquer bright red, and adding turpentine can dilute the lacquer for easier application. Meanwhile, craftsmen need to master the proper proportion and mixing method of the lacquer materials to ensure their uniformity and stability.
When using lacquer materials, craftsmen need to control the thickness and uniformity of the lacquer. If the lacquer is applied too thickly, the film will dry slowly and may crack or bubble; if it is applied too thinly, it cannot effectively protect and decorate the surface. Therefore, craftsmen need to reasonably control the thickness of the lacquer according to the material of the fan surface and the requirements of the pattern. Generally, the thickness of each layer of lacquer is about 0.1 mm.
III. Culture: Spiritual Su寄托 on the Fan Surface
The lacquer fan is not only a practical daily necessity but also a work of art carrying rich cultural connotations. Every detail of it embodies the aesthetic concepts, value orientations, and spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, making it an important carrier of traditional Chinese culture.
(1) Embodiment of Aesthetic Concepts
The craftsmanship and decorative style of the lacquer fan fully reflect the unique aesthetic concepts of the Chinese nation. In traditional Chinese culture, people advocate the idea of "harmony between man and nature" and pursue the unity of nature and humanity. The patterns on the lacquer fan surface mostly take natural landscapes as themes, such as mountains, rivers, flowers, birds, insects, and fish. By depicting natural scenery, people express their love and admiration for nature. Meanwhile, when drawing patterns, craftsmen pay attention to the fluency of lines and the beauty of rhythm, using techniques like the interplay of virtual and real, and the alternation of density to make the patterns layered and three-dimensional, giving people a subtle and elegant aesthetic experience.
In addition, the color matching of the lacquer fan also reflects the aesthetic concepts of the Chinese nation. In traditional Chinese culture, colors have rich symbolic meanings: red represents good luck and joy, yellow represents dignity and authority, blue represents tranquility and depth, and green represents vitality and energy. When making lacquer fans, craftsmen reasonably match colors according to the theme and implication of the patterns, making the colors of the fan both bright and harmonious, giving people a visual enjoyment.
(2) Expression of Value Orientations
The lacquer fan also carries the value orientations of the Chinese nation and is an important tool for people to express emotions and convey ideas. In ancient times, lacquer fans were often used as gifts to relatives and friends to express blessings and friendship. For example, at weddings, people would give a pair of lacquer fans, implying that the newlyweds are a happy couple and will live a happy life; at birthday banquets, giving a lacquer fan expresses wishes for the birthday person to enjoy good health, long life, and good luck. Meanwhile, lacquer fans are also a carrier for scholars and refined scholars to express their aspirations and feelings. Many literati and poets would inscribe poems and draw paintings on the fan surface, fully demonstrating their literary talent and artistic accomplishment. For example, the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu inscribed the poem "Silver candles cool the painted screen in autumn light, A light silk fan chases fireflies" on a fan, expressing his feelings about court life and his yearning for freedom.
(3) Su寄托 of Spiritual Pursuits
The lacquer fan is also a su寄托 of the spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, representing the craftsman spirit of striving for perfection and excellence. Making a lacquer fan requires multiple complex procedures, and each procedure demands superb skills and great patience from craftsmen. During the production process, craftsmen always uphold a rigorous and serious attitude, striving for perfection in every detail. This spirit is a vivid embodiment of the Chinese nation's craftsman spirit. Meanwhile, making lacquer fans also requires craftsmen to have a sense of innovation and creativity. On the basis of inheriting traditional craftsmanship, they constantly explore and innovate, integrating modern design concepts, new materials, and new technologies into lacquer fan making, giving the lacquer fan new vitality in the new era. This innovative spirit is also the driving force for the continuous development and progress of the Chinese nation.
IV. Inheritance: Guarding the Millennium-Old Cultural Treasure
With the development of the times and the progress of science and technology, the lacquer fan, a traditional handicraft, is facing many challenges. The development of modern industry has brought a large number of plastic and metal products to the market. These products are cheap and have high production efficiency, posing a great impact on traditional handicrafts like the lacquer fan. Meanwhile, the lacquer fan making process is complex and requires a lot of time and energy. Moreover, it takes a long time to train a qualified lacquer fan craftsman, leading to a shortage of talents and difficulties in inheritance. In addition, with the change of people's lifestyles, the practical function of fans has gradually been replaced by modern electrical appliances like air conditioners and electric fans, and the market demand for lacquer fans is gradually decreasing.
However, challenges coexist with opportunities. Under the background of the country's vigorous promotion of traditional culture and emphasis on the protection of intangible cultural heritage, the lacquer fan has also ushered in new development opportunities. The government has increased its efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage, issued a series of relevant policies and regulations, and provided financial and technical support for lacquer fan making. Meanwhile, intangible cultural heritage protection bases and museums have been established to collect, display, and study traditional handicrafts like the lacquer fan, allowing more people to understand and recognize the value and charm of the lacquer fan.
Some schools and training institutions have also opened lacquer fan making courses, training a group of young lacquer fan making talents and injecting new vitality into the inheritance of the lacquer fan. Young craftsmen, on the basis of inheriting traditional craftsmanship, constantly explore and innovate, integrating modern design concepts, new materials, and new technologies into lacquer fan making, and developing a series of lacquer fan products with a sense of fashion and practicality. For example, some lacquer fan making enterprises have combined lacquer fans with modern daily necessities like mobile phone cases and key chains, developing derivative products such as lacquer fan pendants and lacquer fan jewelry, further expanding the market space of the lacquer fan.
In addition, the cultural exchange function of the lacquer fan has become increasingly prominent. In international cultural exchanges, as one of the representatives of traditional Chinese culture, the lacquer fan is often presented as a national gift to foreign friends, winning wide praise and love from them. Through the cultural carrier of the lacquer fan, traditional Chinese culture has gone to the world, allowing more people to understand and recognize China's history and culture.
V. Prospect: Letting the Lacquer Fan Art Shine with New Glory
The lacquer fan is an important part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. It carries thousands of years of historical memory and cultural connotations and is a treasure of our nation. Guarding and inheriting the lacquer fan art is not only a respect for history but also a responsibility for the future.
To better protect and inherit the lacquer fan art, we need the joint efforts of the government, society, and individuals. The government should further strengthen the protection of lacquer fan making craftsmanship, improve relevant policies and regulations, and provide more financial and technical support for lacquer fan craftsmen. Meanwhile, it is necessary to strengthen the publicity and promotion of lacquer fan culture, through holding exhibitions, sales activities, and other means, to let more people understand and recognize the value and charm of the lacquer fan.
All sectors of society should also actively participate in the inheritance and development of lacquer fan culture. Enterprises can strengthen cooperation with lacquer fan craftsmen to develop more competitive lacquer fan products and promote the development of the lacquer fan industry. Schools and training institutions can further strengthen the training of lacquer fan making talents, offer relevant courses and majors, and cultivate more reserve forces for the inheritance of lacquer fan art.
As individuals, we can also start from ourselves and actively pay attention to and support the development of lacquer fan art. We can contribute to the inheritance and development of lacquer fan art by purchasing lacquer fan products, participating in lacquer fan making experience activities, and other ways. Meanwhile, we should enhance our cultural confidence, consciously inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation, and let this ancient art form of the lacquer fan shine with new glory in the new era.
With the gentle wave of the lacquer fan, thousands of years of time flow on the fan surface; with the inheritance of ingenuity, the ancient craftsmanship continues at the fingertips. It is believed that with the joint efforts of the government, society, and individuals, the lacquer fan, a pearl in the intangible cultural heritage, will surely bloom with more dazzling light on the stage of the new era and make greater contributions to the prosperity and development of the Chinese nation's culture.
