preserved during the Qing Dynasty, which had been uncovered in archaeological finds, and on historical texts, piecing together scraps of information about the evolution of knots, and then assembling practical manuals to disseminate the art of Chinese knotting to a wider audience. Once an oral tradition, handed down from one generation to another, Chinese knotting became – almost overnight – accessible to millions worldwide, which is testified today by its widespread popularity. Chinese knotting has now become a type of elegant and colorful craft, removed from its original practical use.
In her first book, Chinese Knotting: Creative Designs That Are Easy and Fun! (first published by Echo Publishing in 1983 and reissued by Tuttle Publishing two decades later, in 2003), Lydia Chen traces the origins, history and symbolism of Chinese knotting before taking the reader through the fundamental elements necessary for tying Chinese decorative knots – the materials, implements and main processes. Step-by-step instructions are given for eleven basic knots, which provide the building blocks for fourteen compound knots. These are followed by 41 knotting projects of varying difficulty. The book is primarily a compilation of Chinese knots that had almost been lost to time.
In her second book, Fun with Chinese Knotting: Making Your Own Fashion Accessories and Accents (first English edition, Tuttle Publishing 2006), the author explores the potential of this traditional art. The book not only entices newcomers to pick up Chinese knotting by focusing on how Chinese knots can be used as fashion accessories (hair ornaments, earrings, necklaces, pendants, brooches, belts, bracelets and rings) and as accents on clothing and other everyday items, but also stimulates them to explore the vast potential of developing new Chinese knots through using innovative cord materials and new color blends, and also by combining Chinese knots. Nine basic knots, nineteen compound knots and five tassel designs form the foundations for making the 135 extraordinary creative applications illustrated in the book.
SONG DYNASTY (CE 960–1279)
Cloverleaf knot
Cloverleaf knot decorating the top of a white porcelain box. Private collection.
MING DYNASTY (CE 1368–1644)
Pan chang knot
Pan chang knot hanging from a screen in a portrait of the Emperor Xiaozhong. Photo courtesy Palace Museum, Taipei.
QING DYNASTY (CE 1644–1911)
Plafond knot
Plafond knot and tassel suspended from a ball carved from hollowed ivory tusk. Photo courtesy Palace Museum, Taipei.
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (IN TAIWAN) AND PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (1949–PRESENT)
It was a blessing that the art of Chinese knotting did not become extinct after the birth of the Republic of China (in Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Indeed, Chinese knotting has experienced a resurgence since then, especially in the late 1970s, largely through the efforts of fervent knotting enthusiast Lydia Chen, who has spent twenty-five years researching and compiling traditional Chinese knots in addition to inventing fourteen new basic knots, among them the creeper knot and the constellation knot.
Creeper knot
Gold thread necklace composed of creeper knots, by Lydia Chen.
Constellation knot
Wall décoration formed of constellation knots, among others, by Lydia Chen.
In this volume, The Complete Book of Chinese Knotting, published here for the first time in English, Lydia Chen has condensed almost twenty-five years of untiring research on fourteen basic knots (up from eleven in the first book) into four main methods of tying basic knots. This makes them not only easier to remember but is also more conducive to stimulating creativity. In addition, she has summarized the different ways of modifying basic knots into nine major categories. The variations of the fourteen basic knots may change, but they all fall within the ambit of these nine major modification techniques. Together, they have spurred the creation of another 56 brand-new Chinese knots in this book.
Here also are displayed some of the author’s breathtaking original works, which she has created as wall pictures, ornamental hangings and exquisite jewelry to give a different dimension to the art of Chinese knotting. Many of these complex formations are inspired by real and imaginary creatures encountered on early brassware, jade, stone carvings, statuary, paintings, wall murals and mirror holders. Some are created with gold and silver thread – a difficult medium in which to work because of its inelasticity – while others are painted to produce a stiff, sculptural effect. Yet others are designed to project movement and life – a challenge in an art that is essentially symmetrical and static. It is the author’s dream to inspire other enthusiasts to broaden the creative horizon of Chinese knotting.
Chinese Knots in Ancient Times
Chinese knotting, ancient as it may be, was never the subject of scholarly treatises and there are only passing references to it in the literature. Some scholars believe this is because the early Chinese looked down on science, technology and the folk arts, believing that “Philosophy is the Way, and all others are just tools.” Yet, the complexity and ingenuity of the knots that have survived from the late Qing and early Republican periods as well as tantalizing secondhand evidence from sculpture, stone carvings, paintings and poetry testify to the culmination of a long, unbroken artistic tradition that may possibly have predated the written record.
From early times, knotting was one of the most basic skills that Man needed for survival. It was only after knotting techniques were developed to bind two or more things together that he could invent a variety of tools for hunting and fishing, such as bows, arrows and nets. Mankind went on to make farming tools, such as hoes and shovels, by fastening stones to wooden sticks, which led, in turn, to the construction of shelters using cords to bind the different members together, and the development of other inventions to aid production and convenience. Eventually, knotting became developed for communication purposes, to exchange letters and numbers and to record events. The art of knotting gradually found its use in decoration and rituals, firmly establishing itself as an important part of traditional handicrafts.
Using Cords to Record Events
Although it is difficult to envisage, there is sufficient documentary evidence to show that the ancient Chinese recorded events with cords. In a commentary by an
