Can you imagine a fan as thin as silk? How about as delicate as a cicada's wing? Better still, can you imagine this fan being woven with bamboo filaments? Believe it or not, there is such a fan. It is the Gong fan, the peach-shaped fan made from bamboo in Zigong, a city in southwest China's Sichuan Province. In 2008, the craft of making Gong fans was added to the items on China's list of national intangible cultural heritage.
Fans have a history in China that dates back more than 3,000 years. In those early days, fans were crafted from pheasant feathers, and they were used primarily by the imperial family, as symbols of power and status, rather than for cooling.
During the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220), round silk fans were in vogue within the palace's walls. As such, the fans came to be called "court fans." During the dynasties that followed, the fan gradually evolved beyond its practical function to become a symbol of artistic expression and cultural refinement.
Throughout China's long fan-making history, numerous types of fans have flourished, and each has contributed to the rich, and diverse, heritage of the nation's fan-making industry. The Gong fan appeared during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Gong fan has since been cherished as one of the most exquisite expressions of this ancient craft, a radiant gem in the treasury of the decorative Chinese arts.
Brilliant Appearance
Gong Juewu, creator of the Gong fan, was a coal porter at a saltern, in Zigong, during the late 19th century. Inspired by a bamboo product he saw one day, he tried weaving his own fan. He split bamboo into hair-thin filaments, and then wove the filaments into delicate fan faces, adorned with flowers, birds, figures and landscapes. His exquisite fans soon became the talk of the region, and eventually became known as the Gong fan.
During the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1871-1908), of the Qing Dynasty, Gong submitted his bamboo fan to a craft competition, and his fan won first prize. The fan was later presented to the imperial court, and it was bestowed the name "Palace Fan" — an honor that instantly elevated its prestige and renown. In the years that have followed, the fan-making craft has been passed down through generations of the Gong family.
Gong Yuzhang, son of Gong Juewu, and the second-generation inheritor of the craft, remained committed to the craftsmanship passed down from his father. Yet, he continually refined the craft. By making the most of the bamboo's natural shades — green on the outside and yellow within — he wove more intricate and lifelike patterns. In 1953, one of his fans won a medal at the Leipzig International Fair, in Germany, and it was hailed as a treasure of Chinese arts and crafts. The family's exquisite fans have since made their way onto the global stage.
Meticulous Procedures
The Gong fan is woven from thousands of bamboo filaments, each finer than a human hair. Its delicate surface captures landscapes, figures, and scenes from folklore. Production is carried out entirely by hand, and requires extraordinary skills. The artisan begins by selecting the right bamboo. Only fresh, locally grown bamboo, about one year old, and free of blemishes and surface damage, is chosen. The bamboo selected, prized for its toughness and natural luster, is wrapped in silk and transported back to the workshop.
Splitting the strips and scraping the filaments are vital steps in the production. Using dozens of custom-made knives, the artisan selects the most evenly colored section from the middle of a bamboo joint, splits it into strips, and then subdivides the strips into extraordinarily fine filaments — roughly one-seventh the thickness of a human hair.
Weaving the fan's surface requires exceptional patience, and a meticulous hand. The artisan manipulates variations in the thickness, density and color of the filaments, to create intricate layers and fine details. Through various techniques, such as threading, inlaying and splitting, the fan's surface takes shape. Once completed, the fan is stretched onto a frame, then fitted with a handle, and adorned with silk tassels. A light tap on the handle produces a resonant, drum-like sound that lingers in the air.
Some skilled artisans will take several months to transform the bamboo into a delicate work of art. The finished fan is as thin as silk, and as soft as satin — a testament to the patience and precision that define this centuries-old craft.
Inheritance, Innovation
Gong Qian is a fifth-generation inheritor of the craft. She is also a provincial-level master of arts and crafts, and a provincial-level representative inheritor of this intangible cultural heritage.
Gong Qian began following her father, Gong Daoyi, into the mountains to select bamboo when she was 6. She began learning how to weave fans when she was 14. At that time, her father was already bedridden, so her grandfather, Gong Yuwen, and granduncle, Gong Changrong, assumed responsibility for her training. Under their hands-on guidance, she mastered the fundamentals of the craft; every filament had to be split to a precise thickness, and every pattern woven with meticulous care.
When Gong Qian was 16, her father passed away. On his deathbed, he urged her to pass down, and carry forward, the craft. She has since thrown herself into that mission, with unwavering dedication. Only through years of painstaking refinement do the patterns come to life on surfaces of her fans.
To Gong Qian, preserving the heritage of the craft means keeping the craft alive. With this conviction, she has established a Gong fan enterprise. She has also broken with family tradition by opening the craft to apprentices outside of the Gong family. Along the way, she has nurtured several skilled artisans and municipal-level inheritors of the craft.
"If inheritance is the root of the Gong fan, then innovation is its branches and leaves — expanding the possibilities for this ancient craft, bringing it out from behind a museum's glass and into the hands of a wider audience," says Gong Qian.
In the past, the Gong fan was largely confined to the realm of collectors. Gong Qian has significantly expanded the craft's product range. Beyond the traditional, peach-shaped fans, she has developed bamboo-woven ornaments, bamboo-woven scroll hangings, and framed bamboo-woven artworks.
To spark younger generations' interest in bamboo weaving, Gong Qian has developed a range of cultural and creative products that feature Gong fan motifs, including handbags and fridge magnets, as well as hairpins, earrings and brooches, to integrate this century-old craft into the fabric of everyday life. She has also partnered with artisans working in other heritage crafts, such as Chengdu silver filigree, to create accessories.
New Vitality
Gong Qian has worked tirelessly to bring the craft to a wider audience throughout the years. Through exhibitions, cultural exchanges and museums' displays, both at home and abroad, she has presented the artistry of the Gong fan to diverse viewers.
She has also demonstrated the fan-making process through livestreaming and on short-video platforms, giving the time-honored craft broader visibility — and resonance in the digital age.
Gong Qian has established a workshop in Aiye Ancient Town, in Zigong. The workshop offers experiential programs tailored to different groups. Family sessions allow parents and children to explore the craft together. Beginner courses focus on making small, bamboo-woven items, giving participants a basic understanding of the craft. For those seeking a deeper dive, immersive programs guide learners through the complete fan-making process, with hands-on practice at every step. The workshop also offers practice programs for university students, enabling young participants to gain insight into the dedication and perseverance behind the craft.
To plant the seeds of this heritage in the hearts of younger generations, Gong Qian and her apprentices offer experiential, bamboo-weaving courses in primary and middle schools. They introduce the history and culture of the Gong fan, and that allows the children to appreciate the beauty of the traditional craft. "The students are fascinated by the craft. Bamboo weaving has even become a hobby for some of them," Gong Qian says with delight.
When talking about the future, Gong Qian says she hopes to expand the ranks of inheritors, and to develop more affordable cultural and creative products, bringing the traditional craft to wider recognition and appreciation. She also hopes the craft — and the cultural identity of Zigong — will gain wider recognition and endure longer.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly July 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
