Republican-China Fan Guards and Ribs with Wang Xing Ji Brand of Hangzhou

The fan-making industry in ancient China was developed mainly by family-run businesses, usually small in scale, with shops in the front and workshops in the back. The city Hangzhou witnessed a prosperous fan-making industry in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279 AD). The famous fan stores during that period were Xu Mao Fan Shop in Waziqian, Green Bamboo Fan Shop in Tanqiaoxia, The Chens’ Shop of Painted Silk Fan Tuanshan, etc., while the well-known brands in Hangzhou during the Republican China era were Shu Lian Ji, Zhang Zi Yuan, Wang Xing Ji. These fan ribs were made by the famous Wang Xing Ji store.