Bang Hwa-seon, one of Jeonju’s most renowned artisans of the folding fan, immerses herself in taegeuk fans late at night at the Sori Arts Center in North Jeolla Province.

The Province of Jeonju is richly endowed with tradition and arts, and part of the region’s artistic spirit can be found in folding fans. From ancient times, master craftsmen have created top-notch folding fans using bamboo and high-quality hanji, or traditional Korean paper made from mulberry trees. The high-quality fans were so popular that they were even recognized by kings during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Even today, descendants of the master craftmen in the region are still working hard to prove their longstanding reputation.

	Peonies decorate this fan, showing Bang Hwa-seon’s artistic touch

One of those artisans is Bang Hwa-seon, an expert creator of folding fans. She is the oldest daughter of the late Bang Chun-geun, intangible cultural asset No. 10 of Jeonju, North Jeolla. Ever since she took over the family business, Bang Hwa-seon has devoted herself to producing the round fans, specializing in those with a taegeuk pattern - the swirling two- and three-color symbols so common in Korea, like on Korea’s national flag.

The taegeuk pattern sometimes covers the whole surface of fans and at times takes up just a small part. Either way, the taegeuk is regarded as a perfect match with fans for its aesthetics and meaning. The taegeuk represents the balance of the universe and its movement as well as yin and yang.

The process of making a taegeuk fan is not simple. First of all, just the right type of two-year-old, thick-stemmed bamboo needs to be cut at just the right time. Then brocade and hanji are attached to the 1-millimeter-thick (0.04-inch) ribs. Next, the edges of the fan are covered by hanji. Making a handle of pine or other materials is also an important part of the process.

	Taegeuk-patterned fans in a variety of colors, all designed by Bang Hwa-seon

Bang’s folding fans are highly acclaimed for their exquisite beauty and balance between tradition and modernism. She puts in much effort to enhance the aesthetics of her fans by using a variety of designs, such as applying lacquer or giving a slight change to the face or handle. By doing so, her fans are highly regarded as beautiful fans and pieces of art.

	Duirim fans are the most sought-after items these days, thanks to their diversity in color and texture.

These days, practical fans like duirim fans - which were actually first used for blowing away chaff and waste - are increasingly popular, thanks to their greater diversity of colors as well as their portability. With bright colors and fanciful designs, Bang has boosted demand for this old art by adding distinctly modern touches.

Bang has committed most of her life to fans. She said folding fans offer a chance for people to slow down, empty their mind and ponder life’s meanings - a profoundly different way of looking at the world for modern people accustomed to the artificial winds of electric fans and air conditioners.

“Eighty percent of what made me is wind,” Bang said, poetically describing her life-long dedication to fans.


BY PARK SANG-MOON [moonpark@joongang.co.kr]