Crosstalk is a folk art form much loved in China. It helps people relax and unwind after the daily grind. Meng Hetang, a crosstalk performer, has been practicing this art for 17 years. On the very first day of his apprentice, his master gave him a folding fan. Not only is this an indispensable prop for his performances, it is also a symbol of the etiquette and emotional bond between the master and disciple.
Meng Hetang: For a crosstalk performer, the fan you hold on the stage serves a purpose. /It can become anything, a saber, spear, sword, hook, fork, whip, crutch, or meteor hammer. With just a fan in hand, you can portray anything on the stage. As I gradually became familiar with it, I realized—ah, this fan isn’t just a tool to help me make a living, it also carries a certain charm, something you can play with and appreciate.
From casual appreciation to serious study, Meng Hetang has became a fan collector. Coinciding with the recent openingof his friend Cui Shu's new studio, Meng decided to commission a custom-made fan as a gift, because to him, a fan is more than just a present—it embodies unspoken understanding and well-wishes.
Meng Hetang: Mr. Wang, sorry to bother you again.
Wang Jian: Hello! Please take a seat.
The framework of a fan is the key part of a hand-made fan. Wang Jian, an inheritor of this national intangible cultural heritage, has over four decades of fan-making experience. Though he is much older than Meng Hetang, the two enjoy a long friendship based on their shared passion for fans. Upon hearing Meng's request, Wang gladly accepted this "special gift order."
To understand how fans are made, you must begin with selecting its material. From raw bamboo to the fan framework, the process involves nearly ten steps, including boiling, drying, roasting, scraping, peeling, and polishing. Then the strips are stored for at least eight years for them to achieve the ideal rigidity. Only bamboo that remains strong and undamaged from insects over the passing of time will be selected as qualified material for fan making.
Wang Jian: To determine the quality of a good fan, the most basic criteria are whether the colors on both sides the same? Is there a consistent thickness? Then, its tightness—does it open and close smoothly? Also, examine the polish and luster—are the grain patterns fine and even? If these requirements are met, it can be considered a decent fan. If you’re looking for something exceptional, then it comes down to whether the fan has its own distinct features and unique charm.
In Wang Jian's eyes, a truly exceptional fan is a harmonious fusion of craftsmanship and artistry. For millennia, China's fan-making techniques have been passed down and refined through generations, blending innovation with tradition. More than just a marker of the owner's status, each fan embodies a variety of artistic disciplines, like poetry, calligraphy, painting, seal engraving, chasing, inlay work, and lacquering. When literati come together, twirling a fan in hand is like carrying a portable museum—a delightful expression of shared refinement and intellectual pursuit.
The framework and leaves together form the essence of a folding fan. While awaiting the completion of the fan framework, Meng Hetang visited the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University to consult with artist Liu Liping about the painting on the fan leaves.
Liu explained that since ancient times, Chinese people have used depictions of landscape to express their emotions. When literati converse together, they particularly like expressing their sentiments through presentations of mountain-and-water scenery with their paint brushes. As the traditional saying goes, "Finding a kindred spirit through the language of nature." Thus, giving a close friend a fan decorated with landscape painting is very fitting.
Two weeks later, the framework and leaves of the fan are completed. Meng Hetang hasput them together, hoping to give this special gift to his friend as a surprise.
Meng Hetang: Hello Cui Shu my friend! This is really a great place. Here is a small gift for you.
Cui Shu: Good to see you bro.
Meng Hetang: Chinese people express their feelings in an implicit manner and some things aren't publicly displayed. For example, I love to share with my close friends the things I like. Though this fan might seem like a modest gift, it represents profound meaning.
An elegant fan passes on the legacy of millennia. From raw bamboo to a piece of artwork, generations of fan masters have passed down their wisdom and skill, refining simple materials into jade-like perfection. Light as a whisper yet enduring as time itself, these delicate creations carry not just the aesthetic ideals of their era, but also bear witness to the quiet grace of art and the constancy of friendship. With the opening and closing of each fan, they reveal entire worlds within their folds. The gift of a fan stands today, as ever, a humble token of deep regard.
Producer Wang Xiaohui
Executive Producer Min Lingchao
Line Producer Liu Pengfei
Chief Director Xu Baicheng
Director Feng Nan
Cinematographer Feng Nan Ma Bohan
Screenwriter Fu Lang
Film Editor Feng Nan
Translator Lundquist Zachary Gordon
Proofreader Sun Lei
Publicity Fu Lang
Film Prologue Chi Dawei
Art Designer Si Cheng
Composer Benjamin Lim Yi Du Mo
Acknowledgements
Dong Hao
He Hua
Guyun Fan Workshop
Meng Hetang Studio
CUN DESIGN
DEYUNSHE
Produced by
China Internet Information Center