Page 52 - Lydia Chen - The Complete Book of Chinese Knotting

04 Pan Chang Knot (49-64) rp08 6/2/08 12:13 PM Page 49

Pan Chang Knot

In this very stable knot, the cord is woven into a double-thickness pattern. It is
always tied with the ear loops on all four sides vertically down and wrapped and
pulled around each other. When an ear loop of the right cord end meets another
loop, it will always go through it, whereas that of the left cord end will always wrap
around another loop. The last side to be completed is formed using the pull one,
wrap one technique.

Modified Knots

Traditionally, the pan chang knot is a square knot of adjustable size. A modified pan
chang knot is made when the shape changes despite the knotting technique remain-
ing the same. There are four types of modified pan chang knots.

Solid Core Type
This includes all modified pan chang knots without a central hole, although the
knot may be triangular, polygonal, crossed, curved or in the shape of a pagoda. All
of these knots are taught in the author’s second book, Fun with Chinese Knotting:
Making Your Own Fashion Accessories and Accents.

Pan chang knot Stone chime knot Carp knot San cai knot Golden bell knot

Prosperity knot Bao men knot Cloud formation knot Double ten knot Ling hua knot

Central Hole Type
Any knot with a central hole made using the pan chang knotting technique, regard-
less of whether it is square, polygonal, round, curved or in the shape of a pagoda,
belongs to this group. Although the knotting technique is the same, it is important
to ensure, first, that the outer loops are all linked, such as in the ling hua knot, and
secondly, that the last side to be finished is the inner ring. If two cords are used to
knot the inner and outer rings separately, always start with the peripheral knot bod-
ies. When knotting a big knot formation, it is easier and less messy to knot with two
separate cords. Again, all the knots below are taught in Fun with Chinese Knotting.

Hui ling knot Crossed hui ling knot Double hui ling knot Love knot

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