Hair sticks

A Chinese hair stick holds a whole bun with one pin.

Chinese nameFazan

MaterialsWood, bamboo, silver, jade

Hair lengthShoulder length or longer

In useThousands of years

Put up a bun in three moves

Gather your hair into a low ponytail and twist it until it starts to coil.

Wrap the twist around its base into a bun. Hold it flat with one hand.

Push the stick in at the bun's edge, catch hair at the scalp, flip it over, then slide it through to the far side.

One prong is a zan. Two prongs is a chai.

选Run the tip across your palm. It should be smooth and rounded.

选Thick hair needs a longer stick. It must clear both sides of the bun.

选Wood and bamboo grip fine hair better than polished metal.

选Mind the weight. A heavy top can tip the bun.

Skip anything sold as real ivory or tortoiseshell. Trade in both is banned or tightly restricted, even in pieces called antique.

Hand-picked pieces are on the way.

How do you use a hair stick?

Twist your hair into a bun, push the stick in at the edge, flip it over and slide it through. It takes a few tries, then it takes seconds.

Are hair sticks the same as chopsticks?

No. A hair stick is its own tool, tapered to grip hair, with a long history. Real chopsticks in your hair can look careless to many Chinese people.

Do men wear hair sticks?

Yes, historically. Before the Qing, Han Chinese men kept long hair in a topknot held by a pin. Men who wear hanfu often use one today.