Asian Art

Chinese knotting

Chinese knotting, also known as zhongguo jie (Chinese: 中國結; pinyin: Zhōngguó jié), 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 good-luck charms 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 traditional Chinese clothing.

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See also

• ▸Daochuo
• ▸Djelal ed-Din Korkmasov
• ▸Gaddang people

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