When I was younger, the wedding scenes I saw in historical dramas almost always showed the bride with a red veil covering her head. But nowadays, in many shows, the bride often no longer wears the veil—instead, she hides her face behind an ornate round fan or a gauzy silk fan. Is this because the audience’s taste has changed, or is it simply a shift in the time periods these stories are set in? 🤔

From what I’ve noticed, dramas that feature the red veil usually take place in the late imperial era, especially the Ming and Qing dynasties through to the Republic of China.

On the other hand, the ones that show brides covering their faces with fans tend to be set in much earlier times—before the Song dynasty.

So today, let’s talk about the difference between the red wedding veil and the bridal fan in traditional Chinese bridal dress weddings.

Ⅰ. Que Shan Li

My little observation isn’t something I made up—it actually has historical roots!

The practice comes from a wedding ritual known as Que Shan Li (却扇礼, the “Fan Ceremony”), which was popular from the Wei and Jin dynasties through the Tang dynasty. The custom of “hiding one’s face with a fan” first appeared in the Jin dynasty.

The earliest written record of it being used in weddings comes from A New Account of the Tales of the World:

“After the wedding ceremony, the bride lifted her silk fan and laughed freely.”

Later, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the poet Yu Xin described the custom in his poem For the Wife of Huanghou’s Heir (《为黄侯世子赠妇》):

“Sharing a cup behind the screen, lifting the fan before the bed.”

In short, the fan wasn’t just a pretty accessory—it played an important symbolic role in ancient wedding rituals.

What Exactly Is the Que Shan Li? Also called Qu Shan (“removing the fan”), it was a wedding custom where the bride covered her face with a fan until a key moment in the ceremony. This tradition first appeared during the Wei and Jin dynasties and became especially popular in the Tang dynasty.

In the Tang Dynasty, when people got married, the bride would cover her face with a fan. Especially during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, it was quite popular for the groom to compose an “Que Shan Shi” (a poem to ask for the fan to be removed) on the spot to request the bride to put down the fan.

It was somewhat like a modern-day “love declaration”—essentially, the groom would write a poem to make his bride happy and persuade her to lower the fan. (The ancients were really charming; this tradition is so endearing! 😙)

This practice was not only a subtle wedding ritual but also carried meanings of warding off evil and invoking good fortune.

Of course, bridal fans weren’t always round in shape. In ancient times, tuan shan / 团扇 (literally “round fans”) came in many designs, though they were mainly used for decoration or to create a gentle breeze. The round fan in particular symbolized harmony and togetherness, which is why it often appears as a classic choice in traditional Chinese bridal weddings.

But did you know that men’s and women’s fans were actually different? The distinction lay in the style and size. Men typically used larger fans with simpler shapes—such as circles, octagons, or squares. Women, on the other hand, usually carried smaller fans with longer handles, and their designs could be more varied, depending on personal taste and aesthetics.

Ⅱ. Gai Tou

In the early Song dynasty, the fan ritual was still practiced, but as time went on, the use of the gai tou (a red wedding veil for Chinese women) gradually became popular. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the fan had almost disappeared from weddings, replaced almost entirely by the veil.

Why the change? One explanation is the rise of Neo-Confucian values during the Song and Ming periods. A red veil covered the bride more completely than a fan, which aligned better with the growing emphasis on modesty and the idea that women should “hide their faces” in public ritual. This shift in wedding customs also reflects changes in women’s social status.

At the same time, the color red became firmly established as the symbol of joy and prosperity. The red veil was not only more in line with Confucian ideals, but also a clear, celebratory symbol of marriage.

These days, quite a few historical dramas have picked up on this detail. For example, The Story of Minglan, which is set in the Tang–Song period, carefully recreated the Que Shan wedding ritual—showing that the production team really paid attention to historical accuracy.

Of course, not every drama sticks to the rules. Some shows give the bride a fan no matter the dynasty, simply because it looks good on screen. Others even combine both the fan and the red veil, which feels a bit “time-travel”—pretty, but historically confusing for viewers.

Summary

At modern weddings—whether it’s a ceremony with Chinese bridal attire or a new-Chinese-style wedding—there’s no need to follow strict conventions. Fan or red veil, both are beautiful choices. Which one do you prefer for a Chinese wedding? Share your thoughts in the comments!