Page 112 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots
P. 112
The Art of Chinese Knotwork: a Short History 101
In the portrait Ming Hsiao-tsung Tso-hsiang,
the folding screen situated right behind the Ming emperor
Hsiao-tsung (reigned 1488-1505) is decorated with pendants made
of knots of the mystic P'an- ch'ang pattern (Fig. 10). P'an-ch'ang,
by the way, is one of the eight treasures or implements used by
Buddha.
- Knots as household ornaments
In ancient China knots were tied to a multitude of household items besides
furniture. They were in effect ornaments to other decorations, lending elegance
and subtlety to objects that would otherwise seem commonplace.
Sunshades or canopies were often decorated with knots of dif-
ferent types, as depicted in the images from the scroll Lo-shen Fu
T'u-chuan (painted by the renowned artist Ku K'ai-chih in the 4th
century) and the 5th-century stone inscription of imperial pilgrim-
age unearthed in Honan Province (Fig. 11).
Fig. 12. T'uan-ching Chieh (Round Brocade Knot)
