Our people made and used many kinds of beautiful and convenient fans from ancient times.

   Before Koryo period, fans made of bark and grass like willow bark and cattail and round shape fans made of feathers and furs of birds were widely used. Kyon Hwon, King of Later Paekje sent fan to congratulate enthronement of Wang Kon, King of Koryo and it was a round fan made of peacock tail feather.

   Later in Koryo and the feudal Joson dynasty periods, fans were made of various materials as cloth, paper, bamboo, laver and the like.

   There were a round fan and folding fan.

   A round fan has a round surface and there is a handle that can be taken in people’s hand and folding fan is made of several thin ribs that can be folded and unfolded.

   Folding fan was made of thin bamboo sticks and the bottom was tied so that if it was unfolded it forms sunbeams shape. Cloth, paper, laver and such things were plastered on these bamboo sticks. On the surface of folding fan beautiful landscapes, drooping branches of the weeping willows, lovely flowers and butterflies and the like were painted to the life. Ornaments depicting cicada, duck, egg-plant, pepper, plum blossom and chrysanthemum which were made of woods like box and gems like jade and amber were hanged to enhance the value of arts of fan.

   In Koryo times, our fans were widely known to other countries for its artistic value and exquisite manufacture skills.

   Folding fans were particularly spread to Song (China) and were patronized among people. People of Song said that if they unfolded Koryo folding fan, it became more than 1ja (about 30cm) wide and if they folded it, it became 2 fingers size and they praised fan-making talent and skill of Koryo people as “the heaven’s ability”.

   In the past days, people gave and took fans between villagers and friends in early May in lunar calendar when hot weather set in.

   During the feudal Joson dynasty, when it came November in lunar calendar they made New Year’s calendar and gave to people and it was called Hasontongryok-fan in summer, calendar in winter.

   Besides fans were not only used for means to bear the heat but also used for ceremonial and decoration. There were fans to cover face of a bridegroom in weddings and fans to keep for room decoration which was painted beautiful picture or written fine poems.