Since ancient times, the explanation of the origin of folding fans involves three countries, namely China, Japan and Korea. There are different opinions about the origin time of folding fans. Folding fan ribs have never flourished since the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, and one of the signs of their prosperity is that the fan ribs tend to be diversified in shape and style. Let's first look at the origin of folding fans.

One view is that folding fans originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty, because Hanshu records: "Open without power, stop at the meeting and cross Mazhangtai Street to meet horses." Some people infer that instant noodles are folding fans. The reason is that "Xu" is whipping the horse, and it is necessary to close the folding fan to drive the horse. However, some scholars believe that Ma Xu means touching and patting. These allusions include Biography of Historical Records of Wu Wang: Because of its back, and The History of the Three Kingdoms: Wei Shuwu Diji: Laughing and Using Hands. Therefore, the tool used to flatter the horse at that time was not necessarily a folding fan.