A folding screen, also known as pingfeng (Chinese: 屏風; pinyin: píngfēng), is a type of free-standing furniture consisting of several frames or panels, which are often connected by hinges or by other means.

Folding screens originated from ancient China, eventually spreading to the rest of East Asia, and were popular amongst Europeans.

[1] A folding screen was often decorated with beautiful art; major themes included mythology, scenes of palace life, and nature.

It is often associated with intrigue and romance in Chinese literature, for example, a young lady in love could take a curious peek hidden from behind a folding screen.

[1][2] An example of such a thematic occurrence of the folding screen is in the classical novel Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin.

[6] The folding screen surrounded the bed of the young couple, its twelve panels were adorned with butterflies alighted on China pink flowers (an allusion to lovers), and had silver hinges resembling glass coins.

[13] from the Heian period in the 9th century, due to the development of Japan's original Kokufū Bunka (国風文化), the designs became more indigenous and came to be used as furnishings in the architectural style of Shinden-zukuri.

In this period, the Rinpa school folding screens were popular, which were characterized by highly decorative designs using gold or silver foil, bold compositions depicting simple objects, and repeated patterns.

In Vietnam, folding screens have also derived into a type of architecture built in front of houses for protection and luck influenced by feng shui.

[1] As example in 1584, a Japanese embassy on behalf of Oda Nobunaga gifted the so-called Azuchi Screens to Pope Gregory XIII, who displayed them in the Vatican.

They were used to prevent draft in homes,[9] as indicated by the two characters in their Chinese name: ping (屛 "screen; blocking") and feng (風 "breeze, wind").

[9] Screens may be used as a false wall near the entrance from one room to another to create a desirable atmosphere by hiding certain features like doors to a kitchen.