The first fan probably came into being quite accidentally:
a primitive man,  irritated
by flies and mosquitoes, might have picked a big leaf
off some nearby plant and fanned the annoying pests
away. Much to his delight, he found this fly-driver
could also bring him coolness. This lucky man, hence,
became the inventor of this popular accessory.
In ancient China, fans, apart from the simple purpose
of swatting pests and keeping cool, have acquired many
other kinds of significance. Over 3,000 years ago, imperial
families adopted long-shafted fans made of birds' feathers
for court performances and ceremonies. These fans usually
resembled the gorgeously colorful tail of mythical phoenixes.
 The
Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) enjoyed an abundance
of clothing materials, and this was when silk and satin
fans were introduced. To show their talents, scholars
and artists began to write poems or paint on surfaces
of fans. Soon, fans acquired considerable social significance
and became very popular among the elite and the learned.
Palm fans were made in the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD)
and have been widely used by the Chinese people. They
are very useful and welcomed by people of less expensive
taste.
 Around
1,000 years ago, folding fans were introduced into China
from Japan and Korea. They were usually made with fine
paper mounted on bamboo strips. The scholars, to their
delight, found them more suitable for writing or painting.
Thanks to their portability, these fans are still widely
used in China, especially during travel in the sweltering
summer.
The fan family is widely varied. Sandalwood fans have
become a favorite with ladies because of their pleasant
fragrance. Made entirely of wood, sandalwood fans are
beautifully shaped and carved with delicate designs£¬
A great variety of fans have been produced in  China;
Sandalwood, ivory, even gold, silver and jade have been
used as material. Actually, these fans serve more of
an ornamental purpose rather than a practical one, by
greatly enhancing the elegance and charm of a lady.
In traditional Chinese operas, fans are always indispensable
props. Waving their fans in different ways, characters
can reveal their inner character in different situations.
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