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Chinese knotting, also known as (), is a Chinese folk art with ties to Buddhism and Taoism. A Chinese knot is made from a single length of cord that is woven into different shapes, with each shape having a symbolic meaning. The most common color used in Chinese knotting is red, a color associated with luck in Chinese culture, although any color can be used. Charms, beads, and jade are sometimes incorporated into a Chinese knot. It is believed that Chinese knotting originated for recording information and exchanging messages before writing was commonplace. Traditionally, Chinese knots acted as to ward off evil spirits. Chinese knots are used today to decorate homes during festivities and are also commonly seen in traditional jade jewellery and Chinese clothing.
| +Types of Chinese knots !Name !Chinese name !Alternate names !Images | |||||
| Chinese button knot | 中國鈕扣結(traditional) 中国纽扣结(simplified) | Knife lanyard knot, Bosun whistle knot | |||
| Cloverleaf knot | 三葉草結 (traditional) 三叶草结 (simplified) | Four-flower knot, dragonfly knot; ginger knot (생쪽매듭, Korean) | |||
| Cross knot | 十字結 (traditional) 十字结 (simplified) | Square knot, friendship knot, Japanese crown knot | Front view File:Chinese Cross knot back view.jpg | Back view | |
| Double connection knot | 雙結 (traditional) 双结 (simplified) | Matthew Walker knot; dorae knot (도래매듭, Korean) | |||
| Double coin knot | 雙錢結 (traditional) 双钱结 (simplified) | Carrick bend, Josephine knot, Awaji musubi (淡路結び, あわじ結び, abalone knot); wing knot (날개매듭, Korean) | |||
| Good luck knot | 好運結 (traditional) 好运结 (simplified) | lovers knot (동심결매듭, Korean) | |||
| Pan Chang knot | 盤長結 (traditional) 盘长结 (simplified) | Coil knot, temple knot, endless knot, 2x2 mystic knot; chrysanthemum knot (국화매듭, Korean) | |||
| Plafond knot | 平結 (traditional) 平结 (simplified) | spectacle/glasses knot (안경매듭, Korean); caisson ceiling knot | |||
| Round brocade knot | 圓錦結 (traditional) 圆锦结(simplified) | six-flower knot; apricot/plum blossom knot (매화매듭, Korean) | |||
| Sauvastika knot | 萬字結(traditional) 万字结 (simplified) | Agemaki (Japanese), ; dragonfly wing knot (잠자리날개매듭, Korean) |
The I Ching, Xici II (ca. 168 BCE), describes the practice:
The Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE) scholar Zheng Xuan, who annotated the , wrote that: (2026). 9789579402286, Tai wan gu ji. ISBN 9789579402286
The chapter of Tibetan Empire (Tibet) in the New Book of Tang says:
Knots gradually evolved into a distinct decorative art in China, beginning with the use of ribbon knotting and decorative knots on clothing during the Spring and Autumn period. This is attested in the , where it is written that:
Chinese knotting was thus derived from the culture. The Chinese word Lào is an ancient Chinese term for knots, and it was customary to tie a knot at the waist with silk or cotton ribbon.
It was also mentioned in a poem written by Huang Tingjian:
The most famous poem about the Love knot was written by Meng Jiao in (labels=no – ).
The phenomenon of knot-tying continued to steadily evolve over thousands of years with the development of more sophisticated techniques and increasingly intricate woven patterns. During the Song and Yuan dynasty (960–1368), the Pan Chang knot, today's most recognizable Chinese knot, became popular. Much artwork evidence has also shown the knots as clothing decoration during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644); for instance, in Tang Yin's artwork, a knotting ribbon is clearly shown.
According to the Chinese classical novel Dream of the Red Chamber, the Lào zi was developed and spread between the middle and upper nobility, who used Lào zi as a way to express love and luck between family members, lovers, and friends. It was also a form of honorable craftsmanship studied and created by maids in the Imperial Palace. As written in the (labels=no), when knotting, the maids of Ci Xi were able to quickly produce many different knots.
The use of on clothing and knots as a folk craft remains alive in China.
The is a legacy of the Tang dynasty of China, when a Japanese Emperor in the 7th century was so impressed by Chinese knots which were used to tie a gift from the Chinese that he started to encourage Japanese people to adopt the practice.
Japanese knots are more austere, formal, simple, and structurally looser than the Chinese knots. In function, Japanese knots are more decorative than functional. With a greater emphasis on the kumihimo that are used to create the knots, Japanese knotting tends to focus on individual knots.
The Korean knotting techniques is believed to originate from China, from which Korean knots evolved into its own culture in terms of design, color, and incorporation of local characteristics. The origins of date back to the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the first century CE. articles were first used at religious ceremonies.
A wall painting from 357 CE found in Anak County, Hwanghae Province, now in North Korea, indicates that silk was the primary medium at the time. Decorative cording was used on silk dresses, to ornament swords, to hang personal items from belts for the aristocracy, and in rituals, where it continues now in contemporary wedding ceremonies. Korean knotwork is differentiated from Korean embroidery. is still a commonly practiced traditional art, especially among the older generations.
The most basic knot in is called the (or the double connection knot). The knot is used at the start and end of most knot projects. There are approximately 33 basic Korean knots which vary according to the region they come from. The tassel is noteworthy as the most representative work familiar to Westerners, and often purchased as souvenirs for macramé-style wall-hangings.
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