KNOT TYING

Last month in my Chinese class we had a woman come in to teach us about knot tying. We got to make a necklace and a bracelet from different colored threads.  It was a bit confusing at first but once I got into the grove and figured out the pattern,  it was easy to keep going. Traditional knot tying has been around for at least 1000 years here in China.  From what I read there is some evidence that is was around even hundreds of years prior to that and appears to be closely tied to Buddhist history.  Most of us think of boy scouts when we think of knots but It is considered very much an artform here in China.  I will say though, as I was making my necklace and bracelet I did have numerous flashbacks of my craft making days at campfire camp and church camp when I was younger.  Some knots are really basic and others more complicated.  Most knotted decorations are sold in markets and are usually red in color.  A lot of people hang up traditional knots in their homes for good luck and for prosperity.  I have one traditional knot hanging from a mirror in my apartment and you can see the picture below.  I know most of you have seen these kind of knots or something similar in Chinese restaurants or maybe other places.