Chinese Knot

Chinese people have known how to tie knots with cord ever since they began tying animal pelts to their bodies to keep out the cold thousands of years ago. With the advance of civilization, Chinese people used knots for more than just fastening and wrapping. Knots were also used to record events, and some knots had purely ornamental functions.

In 1980, some dedicated connoisseurs collected an arranged the decorative yet practical knots that have been passed down through the centuries in China . After studying the structures of these knots, the devotees set about creating new variations and increasing the decorative value of the knots. These exquisitely symmetrical knots which come in so many forms are as profound as the great cultural heritage of the Chinese people. The knots have thus been collectively named Chinese Macrame.

Chinese Macrame is based on over a dozen basic knots that are named according to their distinctive shapes, usages, or origins. The Two Coins Knot, for example, is so named because it is shaped like two overlapping coins of the kind once used in ancient China .

The Button Knot can actually function as a button, and the Reversed Swastika Knot is derived from the Buddhist symbol , which was commonly seen on the streamers hanging down from the waistband of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Similarly, the basic form of the Pan-ch'ang Knot, which is actually a series of continuous loops, symbolizes the Buddhist conception of continuity and the origin of all things. Indeed, the Pan-ch'ang Knot is the primary knot of Chinese Macram| upon which an endless number of variations can be made.

Chinese Macrame, like Chinese calligraphy, painting, sculpture, porcelain, and even Chinese cooking, is easily recognizable to Sinophiles. This is because the basic structures of Chinese Macram| cause it to differ greatly from Western or Japanese Macram| in shape and function.

The knots of Chinese Macrame are pulled quite tightly. They do not easily come undone when used to bind or wrap something, so they are very practical. Furthermore, the complicated structure of Chinese Macrame allows for all kinds of variations and enhances its decorative value.

Almost all the basic knots of Chinese Macrame are symmetry has set certain technical limitations on the design and creation of new patterns and themes, symmetry is consistent with time-honored ornamental and aesthetic standards in China . Visually, the symmetrical designs are more easily accepted and appreciated by Chinese people.