The Historical Origin of Chinese Knot

As an ancient handicraft, the Chinese knot carries the long cultural memory of the Chinese nation. As early as the late Neolithic period has appeared in the embryonic form, when the rope is mainly used to bind fixed objects and record information. With the development of society, it began to be widely used in daily life, not only as clothing accessories, but also in religious ceremonies, weddings, funerals and other occasions.

The Tang Dynasty was a glorious stage of frequent cultural exchanges in Chinese history, and it was also a turning point for Chinese knot art to mature. After the Song and Yuan dynasties, this kind of handicraft became more and more exquisite and complex, and gradually formed the various styles we see today. The Ming and Qing dynasties even reached their peak. Exquisite plate-buckle-style ornaments were popular both inside and outside the palace, and were also popular among the people to hang them on doors and windows to ward off evil spirits and avoid disasters.

With the passage of time, the originally solemn and solemn etiquette function gradually faded, replaced by a variety of artistic expressions. Nowadays, whether in traditional festivals or ordinary days, we can see Chinese knots full of vitality but without losing the elegant charm everywhere.

The exquisite craftsmanship

If you want to truly understand and appreciate a good Chinese knot work, you must first understand the complex production process behind it. From the selection of materials to the final completion of each link requires artisans to invest a lot of time and energy to polish and perfect. First of all, the choice of rope is very particular, usually choose natural materials such as cotton and linen fiber, because they feel comfortable and easy to process and shape; the second is the knotting technique-seemingly simple but contains infinite mystery.

A senior artist once said, "A good Chinese knot should have three elements: stable structure, smooth lines and harmonious beauty." In order to meet such requirements, the continuous accumulation of experience and innovative spirit in practice is one of the essential key factors. For example, Auspicious Ruyi Knot is a good example. It is composed of multiple ring units, each part is intertwined but not chaotic, which fully demonstrates the creator's ability to accurately grasp the spatial layout and proportional relationship.

For beginners, you can start from the most basic part of the practice, such as flat knot, eight-character knot and other entry-level projects. After mastering the basic rules through repeated training, you can gradually challenge more difficult tasks! In addition, there are also many high-quality teaching resources available online for reference and learning ~

Cultural symbol with profound implication

In traditional Chinese culture, almost all objects are given one or more layers of special meanings, and Chinese knots are no exception. Different types of knots represent different wishes. Longevity knots symbolize the desire for health and longevity, while Pisces knots are the good expectations for more than one year after year. These implicit messages are not just simple graphic combinations, but reflect the wisdom of the ancients and the spiritual sustenance of yearning for a better life.

In addition to the above two, there are many other interesting shapes waiting for everyone to discover and know! For example, a million-character knot expresses an eternal vow of love; a group of brocade flowers suggests a family life of reunion and harmony... Every time a particular holiday or event is mentioned, it is associated with the existence of the corresponding style, which is why it is still so popular even after all these years, right?

There are also long-running legends that add to the legend of these small objects. It is said that there was a woman named Li Qingzhao in the Tang Dynasty who was particularly good at making all kinds of strange things for friends and family as gifts. Later, she made up a "concentric knot" that became a few marriage stories...

Beautiful Scenery at the Festival Celebration

Every time an important festival is coming, every family will take out the beautiful Chinese knots that have been prepared long ago to decorate the courtyard of their houses. Especially during the Spring Festival, it is more obvious-red lanterns are hung high and decorated with small ornaments of the same color. During the Dragon Boat Festival, when the fragrance of zongzi is overflowing, many people will tie colorful longevity locks in front of their doors to pray for peace and success. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moonlight scattered on the carefully arranged balcony railing as if even the moon had to see more beautiful scenery...

Whether it is a large public event site or a private house, you can see their busy figure. It is because of such a strong traditional flavor that modern society has become more warm and cordial. When we occasionally stop to savor all the beautiful things around us in the busy pace of life, we may also feel the deep friendship from our ancestors.

Entering the Contemporary Design Trend

In recent years, many young designers have turned their attention to this ancient craft, trying to inject fresh blood into it to make it glow with new light. As a result, a series of brand-new products combining modern aesthetics and Chinese classical culture came into being-necklace pendants, mobile phone chains, key rings and even clothing, shoes and hats may have unexpected but appropriate elements embellishment. These successful cases of cross-border cooperation prove that it is possible to create amazing results if you do anything with your heart.

Market research shows that consumers' acceptance of goods with Chinese characteristics is increasing year by year. On the one hand, it is because of the increasing self-confidence of the Chinese people and the desire to regain the long-lost sense of national identity; on the other hand, it benefits from the popularity of the Internet platform