Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-03-22
FANS OF TIE FAR EAST.
THEIR VARIETY AND USES IN THE
LAND or The MIKAD0.

Empress JIM" -bheb S'e'
Pans OF mons rs Implements Of War.
Fang play much larger part in the
socia. life customs, enc artistic develop |
ment OF the interesting people OF japan
than they ever have done. or are likely to
do, in Eurore Wnb US the fan is the
sdotpnent, The Toy, the accessory OF the
toilet 81 ledv. aud IS uses-ii among
no fans can be said to have g use-is con-
fined 10 tn. fair seq IL Japan, where so
man, things are said 20 he topsy- turyy
secordina to our Western deus where
the borse Is stabbed With his tell 10 the
meneer. apd tethered by his heed TO the
stall post; whs-e the carpenter saws
with MS lesl hepd while ne draws the
plane 10 sim instead 0: pushing It from
him where you lock the cupboard 3y
turning the key from left 10 rig ht, ana
unlock Il by the opposite movements
whore BOOKS open az what we consioer
the leAs page, and writing is In vertical
coiumns-tbe fan IS much more the
special appsnags OF he male sex than OF
tho aides fans OF japan are also numef-
Gus N lhe,s varieties, snd diverse In their
uses.
According TO Professor Anderson, fans,
like meBt everything else, were in
by the Chin-se, together with the L1arl-
ner's compass, the printing press and
other tflass Of modern civilization. Mr..
Anderson might nave gone further back
In reference to fans OF ancient Egypt and
of the Assyrians; and no doubt Sir
George Birdwood could tell US that they
were familiar objects OF that mysterious
and almost prehistoric people who
founded the civilization OF what he loves
TO speak o! as ".he middle king
DOM But for the moment we are in
Japan.
Nothing is known about the history OF
Japanese iaas before the Sixth century OF
our era, when the japanese emerged from
their insular shell and came in contact
with Chinese civilization in the Corea.
1t is fattering to the ladies to find that
everything Japanese is ascribed at about
this date to a woman, the conqering EN-
press Of Japan, who bears the to us Ia
miliar name of lingo, or, as it is some
times more properly written, Jingu.
This warlike heroine, who preceded our
Elizabeth by nearly 1000 years, had her
own experiences OF Corean Armada,
which was shattered and destroyed by
we'll timed storm.
With the help of a dragon who
with an all conquering sword which is
still precious relic in the temple treas
ury Of Japan, and crystal ball, which
enabled her, like Britannia, to rule the
waves. she conquered the Corea, defeated
the Chinese, and annexed for the use of
Japan many Of their arts, their most de-
testable language, which has an alphabet
of10,0O0 signs Ga fatal gift to her country,
while, among other things, she learned
also the art OF making feather fans on
the Chinese model. Her feather fan still
survives, in picture at least. 1t is of
stiff semicrcular form, with vertical
plumes and a long fiat handle, much on
the familiar pattern of the handscreen of
to- day.
Once introduced, the fashion of fans
became universal in Japan both for men
and women. They are adapted to a va
riety OF uses, characteristic Of the prac-
tical genius OF the people, and are regu-
lated by very strict ct quette.
The fan became universal because il
was made the instrument of the warrior,
the baton of the general, the insignia of
priests, the mark of rank of the noble,
and the useful accessory of the courtesies
of daily life, both for men and women;
as it was constantly in the hands OF EN-
peror and Empress of people of gentle
birth and serious occupation as well as OF
actors, singers and musicians of renown,
the great artists of every epoch did not
disdain to lend their aid in decorating
the fan and inventing designs for it.
The warriors fan was of iron, either
made screen shaped in one piece, or with
folding iron ribs. strict tradition,
which lasted through many centuries,
bod / hp hoY nd 10
The generals fan, constructed of an oval
piece of iron carefully forged on char
coal fire, SO as to be very dense and strong
enough to parry a sword cut, was always
decorated on the one side with the sun
and moon, and on the other with the
conventional representation Of the seven
planets inlaid in silver and gold.
There is a celebrated story of a blood
feud between two military chiefs having
the names OF Kenshin and Shengin, OBJ
viously an anagramatic inversion OF the
same name. Kenshin made a sudden
attack upon Shengin, endeavoring to cut
him down with a sword, but Shengin de-
Tended himself so adroitly and success
fully with his iron fan that his followers
had time to collect, and Kenshin met
with The fate that be had designed tor
his adversary, and so the feud was ended,
with triumph for the fan.
The fans carried by gentlemen, and es-
pecially those used by serious personages,
were mounted on delicate ribs of fine
and hard cedar or pine wood, the fan
faces being of white or ivory colored
stout paper, made from vegetable fibre,
and painted by celebrated artists of the
courtly and historic school, known as
the schools of Kano or of Tosa, with his
toric or traditional subjects of heroes,
dignitaries, and persons celebrated in
classic song or story.
The fan proper to be used by princesses
and noble ladies on ceremonial occasions
was OF small size, and delicately cut out
OF moderated wood of hard grain, and
very light in the hand. 1t was some
times painted with flowers in their proper
colors, and sometimes, as is the modern
fashion in Europe, decoration of nat
ural flower arrangement for the occasion
- IL for iod Inv