Yuezhou fans, alongside Hangzhou fans and Suzhou fans, are collectively known as the three great fans of China, with a history spanning nearly 400 years. In 2021, Yuezhou fan-making was included in the extended list of the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects. Despite their small size, these fans are meticulously crafted, embodying a wealth of knowledge.

Liu Zhengwen, founder of the Baling Fan studio, is a renowned Yuezhou fan maker in Yueyang city, central China's Hunan Province. The 72-year-old started to make fans in 1966.

The craft of Yuezhou fan making involves 72 steps, each requiring high technical standards and all essential in the manufacturing process. Liu is one of the few experts in Yueyang who has mastered the skills through apprenticeship and hard work.

Liu Zhengwen works on a Yuezhou fan. (People's Daily/Yang Xun)

In the 1990s, the widespread adoption of electric fans and air conditioners led to a decline in the use of traditional fans, impacting fan production and sales. Liu found himself at a loss in this challenging situation.

Once, Liu read an article titled "The Art of Fans" by Feng Zikai, which stated, "Fans in China are a particularly developed form of calligraphy and painting." This realization led him to understand that although fewer people might use fans for cooling due to technological advancements, the craftsmanship and collectible value of fans endure.

Liu started to immerse himself in the art of fans by incorporating painting and calligraphy on them. He utilized a bamboo variety with a speckled texture for the fan framework and collaborated with renowned artists to design fan surfaces featuring iconic landmarks in Hunan.

The meticulous craftsmanship resulted in elegant and artistic fans, showcasing their collectible value.

Photo shows a Yuezhou fan inheritance and demonstration base located in Yueyang city, central China's Hunan Province. (People's Daily/Yang Xun)

In 2008, the Baling Fan Studio created a fan featuring the five Olympic rings. The fan was designated by the organizing committee of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as a gift for foreign heads of state and dignitaries, reigniting interest in Yuezhou fans.

In 2011, Liu was named a master of arts and crafts of Hunan Province. In October 2018, he was named a provincial-level inheritor of Yuezhou fan making techniques.

Today, Liu's son, Liu Yuejun, and daughter, Liu Yuechun, are also actively engaged in innovatively inheriting the craft of Yuezhou fan making.

Liu Zhengwen's son, Liu Yuejun, showcases a fan featuring the five Olympic rings, which was designated as a gift for foreign heads of state and dignitaries during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. (People's Daily/Yang Xun)