Hand-painted fan made to order. A beautiful decorative item or, if desired, one intended for practical use. Its sturdy bamboo frame and paper embellished with gold flakes make it an elegant and refined piece. The Meaning of Bamboo Bamboo is a symbol of enduring friendship and longevity. It represents flexibility rooted in strength. A metaphor for life, it evokes the character of the wise; green in all seasons, it does not break under hurricanes. This indicates a human quality of great adaptability that makes a person strong precisely because, when faced with life’s events, they do not resist change but flow with it and adapt to it. Orchids, bamboo, plum trees and chrysanthemums represent the KI, or vital energy, of the four seasons and the four stages of human life. They are considered the ‘Four Nobles’.