(From a Japanese painting. British Museum.)]
[Illustration: HAND-SCREEN, BAMBOO HANDLE
(From a Japanese painting. British Museum.)]
The rigid screens received from China at the close of the sixth century are referred to in the earlier part of this chapter, under China. Those in use in Japan present no material difference to the Chinese except in the details of their decorative significance. The larger screens were employed both in civil and religious ceremonial, as war standards, and waved by servants in attendance upon royal and distinguished personages. These latter denoted the rank of the owner, the material being of silk or other fabric stretched over a wooden framework, painted or otherwise decorated, the forms extremely varied, but more usually those of the circle, oval, or pear. The pear-shaped hand-screen is seen in the hands of Hotei, the fat god of prosperity, and of Juro, the god of longevity, as an invariable accompaniment of those divinities. An example is given from a portrait of Lü T’ung-pin, a Taorist Rishi of the eighth century, by Go-gaku, nineteenth century, British Museum, 640. This has a red tassel or tail at the end of the fan, a kind of combination of fan and fly-whip. A similar fan appears in a painting of the Caligraphic school, British Museum, 1617. This fan is of Chinese origin, and is constantly represented in the art of that country.
Fly-whips were also used. Of the representations of the sixteen Arhats (Buddhist divinities) given in the ‘Butsu zō dzu-i,’ three hold fly-whips (futsujin) in their hands. This instrument is also seen in the right hand of Vimalakîrrti, an Indian priest, in the painting on silk attributed to Shingetsu, Sesshiu school, fifteenth century, British Museum collection.
The fly-whip or chasse-mouche was also used by generals while on horseback, this being made of strips of tough paper suspended from a lacquered handle mounted with bronze.
A list of the more important varieties of Japanese fans, together with the dates of their introduction, as given by native authorities, will probably be of service.
Rigid fans or hand-screens, introduced from China, end of sixth century A.D. Folding-fans (bamboo), invented by the Japanese, 668-671 A.D. Gumbai Uchiwa, flat iron battle-fans, eleventh century. Gun Sen, folding iron battle-fans, twelfth century. Hi ogi, court-fans, eleventh century. Mai ogi, dancing-fans, beginning of seventeenth century. Rikiu ogi, tea-fans, ” ” ” Water-fans for kitchen use, eighteenth century.