Love Like The Galaxy

A recent image from the popular drama Love Like The Galaxy (星汉灿烂) sparked curiosity and amusement online. Actress Zhao Lusi (赵露思) was pictured holding what appeared to be a short, knife-like object against her face. Fans questioned the peculiar prop. However, this was no blade, but a remarkable example of ancient Chinese design: a hand fan known as a Bianmian (便面), or sometimes a Hushan (户扇). This object, with a history stretching back over two millennia, reveals a practicality and elegance far beyond simple air circulation. More Than a Fan The Bianmian is instantly recognizable by its rigid, often rectangular or trapezoidal shape, resembling a kitchen chopper or a small paddle. Its defining feature is a single, fixed handle attached to a flat face, commonly made from bamboo or wood. Unlike folding or round fans, it does not conform to standard geometric shapes. Its primary function was indeed to create a breeze by waving it, pivoting around the handle like a door on its hinge, which explains its alternate name, Hushan, or "door fan." Yet its use extended far beyond personal comfort. One of its most noted social functions was as a "face shield." In crowded streets or during travel,…