History of the FanRhead, G. Woolliscroft (George Woolliscroft)
History
History of the Fan
Rhead, G. Woolliscroft (George Woolliscroft)
Fans
Mr. W. Harding Smith.
Mr. L. C. R. Messel.]
The second tells of Araki, a Samurai whom Oda Nobunaga wished to kill,
summoning him to audience, placing himself in such a position that the
neck of the Samurai came in line with the sliding panels separating the
audience chamber from the daimio’s room, intending to have the _shoji_
slammed together as the man knelt, and thus decapitate him. Araki,
suspecting the trap, promptly laid his iron fan in the groove, jamming
the shutters, and thus saving himself.[57]
The Ha uchiwa (jin sen) is a camp-fan originally introduced from China
in the seventh century and made of the feathers of the eagle, pheasant,
or peacock, the handle usually lacquered red, black, or blue; the
interesting example illustrated is formed of eagles’ feathers fixed in
a horn handle.
Dancing-fans (Mai ogi) were introduced at the beginning of the
seventeenth century. The brins are ten in number, the mount of thick
paper, usually bearing a family crest. One of the earliest of these
fans is to be seen in the painting of a dancer by Matabei (born 1578),
in the Morrison collection (reproduced in _Painting in the Far East_,
Laurence Binyon), the decoration of the mount consisting of a few
scattered leaves.
The fan is the most usual accompaniment of the dance, and is generally
seen in the hands of the Kagura dancers or of the performers with the
Shishi mask. The fan dance, which is more nearly allied to jugglery
than to the dance, is said to commemorate the performance of Uzume
while alluring the Sun Goddess Amaterasu from the cavern, whither
she once retired, plunging the world into temporary darkness by her
absence. In this, the fan represents the leaves of the pine-tree, the
performer balancing a number on his forehead, nose, mouth, hands and
feet.
Tea-fans (Rikiu ogi) are for use at the tea ceremonies celebrated in
honour of tea in every province on the first day of the first month,
and commemorating the curing of the Emperor Murakami, 947-967 A.D.,
of a disease against which the physicians were powerless. The Emperor
recovered after drinking an offering of tea made to the Goddess
Kwanyin. The code, that formerly was of a gorgeous description, was
modified later by Sen-no Rikiu, from whom the fan set apart as cake
tray or saucer derives its name. The Rikiu fan is of the simplest
possible construction, having only three sticks, the decoration also
being of a simple character. It is used for handing round little cakes,
and for no other purpose, fanning being strictly tabooed during such a
dignified proceeding.[58]
The giant closing fans (Mita ogi) were used in the processions at
Ise in honour of the Sun Goddess, the traditional originator of the
Japanese dynasty. These were six or seven feet long, five men being
appointed to carry one of this huge magnitude.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account