Page 130 - Lidya Chen "Complete Book of Chinese Knotting"

07 Creative Designs (115-129) 3/23/07 5:00 PM Page 127

Fei tian, literally “flying maidens,”are also
11 known as celestial beings and apsara in
Buddhism.They appear as divine dancers and
musicians adorning statuary, paintings and tem-
ple structures. According to a Buddhist scripture,
fei tian were born as lotuses in the Holy Pond.
Whenever the Buddha preached, they would
hover in the sky, play music or sprinkle flowers,
their long, golden tassel-like costumes swaying
gracefully in the wind.
Of the nearly 500 cave-temples at Dunhuang in
China, 270 feature fei tian in their mural paintings,
covering a period from the fourth to the eleventh
centuries. More than 4,500 of these paintings can
A fei tian in a wall mural at China’s Dunhuang Caves. be seen on the tops of alcoves, around borders
and surrounding the preaching Buddhas.
The fei tian in the design above does not imi-
tate any particular one in Dunhuang.The sudden
ascent of the fei tian and her serpentine tassels
are used merely to portray speed and a sense of
unfettered freedom.
TYING INSTRUCTIONS
1.Tie a round brocade knot to make the hair bun.
2. After completing the head, lay out the design
on a board, anchoring the cord with pins.
3.Tie a double coin knot to make the breasts of
the maiden and a pan chang knot with compound
outer loops for the lower body.

REAL AND IMAGINARY CREATURES 127