The Newtown bee., 1880-02-04
THE FAN IN JAPAN.



 The Many Uses to Which 1t is Put.
 In Japan the fan figures in every cir cle, unmistakably defines the line of fashion and social customs, and woe unto the one who departs from the wisdom of his ancestors, and mixes his fans up. A general swap of babies would create less confusion. With us, if man appeared on Broadway cooling him. self with folding fan, the odds are in favor of his arrest as a lunatic, while in the land of the Japs this style of fan is exclusively the property of the men. and 8 woman must confine herself to the ugly flat abomination, though never allowed to carry it on the street, or be- fore man, in doors or out. Precisely what shape the law and Mrs. Grundy permit her to toy with in the absence of male adorers is vexed question, but it is certain that to use real flat fan in the presence of male native is to affront him mortaliy, and raise lovers or family fight, should the thoughtless damsel own brother who can be held responsible. Among the upper ten this folding fan and symbol of the inexor- able law of cast is worn in the belt or bosom ot the loose robe, thereby stamp ing him with the seal of blue blood and high social standing. The lower classes carry it always down the neck of the dress, or poked under the knob of hair on their glistening skulls, where it sticks like skewer or colossal hair-pin. It leaves something to be desired in the way of beauty, but admits of no mis- takes in station or degree.
 Passing through Japanese city is a trip through kaleidoscope. On every side crowds of queerly appareled folks saunter bare-headed Chats are modern frivolities just coming into general favor) under brilliant-hued umbrellas, with the gaudiest of fans, waving salutations to friends and directions to servants. Later on you accept this butter-cupping of Japanese fashions, and lose your sense of amusement at the sight of the entire male element armed with the folding fans, and every one of them an emblem of customs and stations which requires long residence in Japan to become thor oughly familiar with. Take, for. ex- pie, the spreading guilt and color ed fans glittering with brilliant bugs. butter flies, and nondescript beasts and bios. sons. Every city and country belle here owns them by the dozen, and fortunately for the ignorance that is bliss feels herself appropriately gotten up fol conq lest. But at home these by right and usage belong to the singing and dance girls of Japan, and are carried by them as disguising trade mark. Nc high-born dame, maid or matron, would touch this badge of lower stratum O.
 society, even to save herself from melt
 ing. As for the dramatic talent in Jap
 land, it is probably greater than we ar,
 led by circumstances to suppose, whe1
 we read of tragedy and comedy as inter
 preted by the motions of an actor'
 fan" A skillful use of it, and othe
 shortcomings are ignored, and critic
 and audiences delighted by this new
 version of night art. As weapon o
 offense, the old Japanese battle fan wa [ unrivaled. Generals, colonels, and othe
 martial fish swam about in the tide O
 war under the protection of these hug
 iron-bound things, covered with heav, parchment, and bearing the symbol o carnage on their faces; and blow ol the head or back generally kept the un , happy victim effectually quiet.
 , As presents in Japan, fans are in gen eral demand, and from the commones , bamboo with reed cases to the intri } cately carved ivory and lacquered ones - are the ''latest things" out in brids 5 presents; in fact, they are almost tn , only kind received. This distressin 7 monotony in taste of the blushing bride "dear five hundred friends" is apt t turn her house into the semblance of a bazar. with fans as the stock in trade F To add to this disastrous result, the 8 are used as cards for social and New , Years calls, and as mediums for every < thing from congratulations upon tn , birth of a baby to the line of condolenc, 7 from scurrilous satire to a challenge t l mortal combat. They actually usur I the privileges of the press and the tele v graph, and everything is fish that come r to the net of Q fan artist, from politics
 situation to scandalous intrigue. N 2 regular manufactories exist in the who J of Japan, and any one who can is a
 lowed to utilize current topics and dail
 scenes to make pictures of them, mour
 them on fans, and send them far an wide.
 I There is nothing, as far as we can SCI : in which the Japanese fan does not pla a leading part. To the juggler it is q absolute necessity; magic balls ths = float in the air, balloons that dart her l and there, plates that waltz comfortabl on thumb-nails, and butterflies ths ) skim lightly along the sharp edge of sword, are ordinary specimens of wizar art, and have only the breath of an il :. visible fan to keep them in position. s for chicken and rat fights, boxing an q wrestling matches, of which the JaI anese are inordinately fond, none ( a them can go on till the umpire is read : with his fan to give the signal when e begin or end. It is generally a gigant = butterfly gayly, adorned with ribbol t and tassels, but if necessary can be use }, as club to whack the crowd into zoe h order Ha7per's Bazar.