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Fanning a fashion

Exquisite hand fans, a hallmark of Chinese workmanship, played a significant role in maritime trade with Western markets from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Chinese Export Fans in the 18th-20th Centuries, an exhibition at the Zhengzhou Museum, Henan province, explores this exchange between the East and the West through a selection of finely made folding fans for daily use. It runs till Oct 26.

The pieces, made for export and now in the Guangdong Museum's collection, were crafted primarily by artisans in Guangdong, a key hub of foreign trade. Made from materials such as paper, silk, shells, gold, silver, and scented woods, the fans blend Chinese artistry with Western tastes. They depict European landscapes, figures, coats of arms, and motifs, while also incorporating Chinese decorative elements that catered to the Western imagination of China at the time.

9 am-6 pm, daily, before Sept 1. 9 Wenhan Jie, Zhongyuan district, Zhengzhou, Henan province. 0371-6771-1767.