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Chinese knots come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are made from a single cord and are often double-layered and symmetrical in all directions. [3] [4] [5] Satin cording is the most widely used material, especially when the knotting is done for clothing and jewellery; however, cotton, parachute cord, and other materials are frequently used as well.
Lào zi (simplified Chinese: 络子; traditional Chinese: 絡子), also called Tāo zi (Chinese: 绦子), is an ancient appellation for knots in China. [1] In ancient Chinese literature, the Lào zi actually refers to what is now known as zhongguo jie (simplified Chinese: 中国结; traditional Chinese: 中國結; Hanyu Pinyin: zhōngguó jié; Tongyong Pinyin: li; lit.
Knots and knotting have been used and studied throughout history. For example, Chinese knotting is a decorative handicraft art that began as a form of Chinese folk art in the Tang and Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) in China, later popularized in the Ming. Knot theory is the recent mathematical study of knots.
The frog is the end-product of thousands years of traditional Chinese knotting craft, which is itself rooted in the Lào zi culture. [3] [11] As a form of fastener, the frog first appeared on traditional Chinese clothing, [1] [12] and can be traced back to the Song dynasty when fabric was braided into braid buckles to create the loop and the button knot.
The Chinese and Japanese names for this knot are based on the shape of the ideogram for the number ten, which is in the shape of a cross that appears on one face (and a square on the other face). [2] The Ashley Book of Knots, first published in 1944, says: "A decorative Chinese Loop. This is commonly employed as a Lanyard Knot.
Knots appear in various forms of Chinese artwork dating from several centuries BC (see Chinese knotting). The endless knot appears in Tibetan Buddhism, while the Borromean rings have made repeated appearances in different cultures, often representing strength in unity.
The Chinese button knot is essentially a knife lanyard knot where the lanyard loop is shortened to a minimum, i.e. tightened to the knot itself. There emerges therefore only two lines next to each other from the knot: the beginning and the end. The knot has traditionally been used as a button on clothes in Asia, thus the name.
Digits in positions for 10 and higher powers are represented by clusters of simple knots (e.g., 40 is four simple knots in a row in the "tens" position). Digits 2–9 in the "ones" position are represented by long knots (e.g., 4 is a knot with four turns), and the digit 1 in the "ones" position is represented by a figure-eight knot.