Page 101 - J. C. Turner "History and Science of Knots"

90 History and Science of Knots

Knots and splices are useful because they bind things; yet, in ancient
China knotted ropes were employed to keep records as well . Such practice as
exercised by Hsuan-yuan , Fu-hsi, Shen-nung, and other notable mythological
figures is well documented in a chapter in the classic Chuang-tzu [7]. It is also
set forth in a commentary in the I Ching that `in prehistoric times, events were
recorded by tying knots , and in later ages, writing was used for the purpose
instead' [6]. In his classic I Chu, the Han scholar Cheng Hsuan (127-200)
further expanded on this passage to point out that `great events were recorded
with large knots, while smaller knots signified events of less importance' [6].
Some fine examples would be that the numbers 10, 20, and 30 were symbolized
with the knots { , j 1 , and t" respectively, and that the word
`end' was represented by the " knot [8].
As the civilization of China progressed , existing knot types and their
variations could no longer meet the increasingly sophisticated requirements in
the recording of events . While men had been able to replace the knot device
with more advanced systems, such as pictography and writing [15], knots were
still widely used in daily life and were depended upon by men . Some of these
primitive knots were even decorative in structure.

The Characteristics of Chinese Knotwork

Chinese knotwork has primary utility as decoration, and its intrinsic aesthet-
ical value is truly beyond compare. Not only does it occupy an important
position in the decorative arts of China, it has also assumed a catalytic role
in the development of the art of knotting in both Japan and Korea. That the
Chinese ways of making knots could have exerted such a widespread influence
in East Asia is by no means a coincidence; the author.believes that the causes
must be found in the structural diversity of the knotwork and its versatility in
application.
The Chinese knots of concern to us in this article are those of both deco-
rative and practical value. In general, they have the following characteristics:
First, Chinese knots are very compact in structure. The strain which
pulls against the knots would draw the constituent parts tightly together,
allowing them to hold. At the same time, Chinese knots are highly decorative,
making them suitable for a variety of applications. The practice in T'ang
China (618-907) of tying presents with red and white strings or cords serves
as a good example; and as a matter of fact it is in this Chinese tradition that
the Japanese mizuhiki finds its origin [12]. While the first mizuhiki emerged
in the 7th century, the Japanese have through the ages shown a stern loyalty
to `tradition' and confined the application of the mizuhiki exclusively to gift-
wrapping, and, as a result, no significant or innovative breakthrough has so far