Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor used them in his palace over 6000 years ago. The earliest recorded fans date from the Han dynasty. Called "procession fans," they were fastened to sedan chairs to shield the riders from dust and sun.
根據古籍記載，漢以前用於宮庭中的扇子相當大，稱為「障扇」，除遮塵、蔽日、生風外，還可用來增加威儀。