Introduction
A Chinese knot is a charm used for decoration by older Chinese generations. They are hand made from threads and woven together and then named according to the shape and meaning.
In Chinese language there are many well wishes phrases. “Knot” in Chinese means reunion, warm, or marriage, so Chinese knots are often used to express good wishes to others, including happy, love, and no evil. For example, “full of joy”, “happiness and long life”, and “double happiness” are all traditional Chinese well wishing phrases.
History
Chinese Knots dates back centuries and was used to record events, they were used in china and during the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911) knotting was finally accepted as a form of art.
Type of knot
One major characteristic of decorative knot work is that all the knots are tied using one thread, which is usually about one-meter in length. However, when finished the knot looks identical from both the front and back. They can come in a variety of colours such as; gold, green, blue or black, though the most commonly used colour is red. This is because it symbolizes good luck and prosperity. There are many different shapes of Chinese knots. The most common being butterflies, flowers, birds, dragons, fish, and even shoes.
Products
In nowadays, Chinese Knot has various products. The two main series are auspicious hanging and knitting clothing adornment. Auspicious hanging includes large tapestry, big room hanging, automobile hanging etc. Knitting clothing adornment includes ring, eardrop, hand chain, necklace and other woman's special adornments.
Logo based on Chinese knot
Many designers in China take their ideas for design directly from Chinese Knot patterns as the patterns itself meanings are delicate, elegant and detailed, hence evident that Chinese Knot are very important to designers.
1) Beijing 2008 bid Olympic games logo
This is the Logo used for the 2008 Olympic Games bid by China; the design is based on Chinese Knot pattern “Knot of one Heart”,
using the typical color of the five Olympic rings. The design represents a human figure in a stance doing “Tai Chi” or shadow boxing. The simple lines symbolizes grace and harmony.
2) The 1st World Mind Sports Games logo
According to the game's official website, a truelove knot in five colors was selected as the final logo. It represents affinity, friendship, solidarity, communication, good luck as well as the traditional elements of China, the host of the 1st WMSG.
3) China United Telecommunications company logo design
This logo using the technique of Chinese Knot was also used to symbolize the connectivity and the fluency of the communications network.
Charm bracelet
A charm bracelet is an item of jewelry worn around the wrist. It carries personal charms: decorative pendants or trinkets which are signifiers of important things in the wearer’s life.
History
Charm bracelets and necklaces first appeared at the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Like people of many ancient civilizations, the citizens of the ancient Egypt lived very short lives by today's standard - 30 to 40 years on average. With so little time on earth, they obsessively prepared for a prosperous life after death. Charm bracelets played a significant role in the preparation process. Charm wrist and neck bracelets were not only seen as protective shields and signs of status in this life, they were also worn as ID tags to help the Gods guide the wearer and their possessions to the proper status level in the afterlife.
Fast forward to the dark days of the Middle Ages, and we find that charms and amulets were put to use by knights and kings. Charms were also worn on belts to represent family origin, political standing and profession.
As the year 2001 opened, the fashion industry once again discovered the lure of the charm bracelet, flooding the market with new charm styles in all price ranges. Fashion giants like Louis Vuitton have brought the glamour back to charm bracelets, declaring them the must-have accessory for any occasion. And if the past is any indication, charm bracelets will be in style for quite some time.
Charms on these bracelets has various meanings from; a heart meaning “true love will find you”, a baby bottle meaning “you will have happy and healthy children”, an owl meaning “you will have a life of wisdom”, a car or suitcase meaning “you will have a life of travel and adventure”.
Comparison
The difference between Chinese knots and charm bracelets are in its materials used for creation;
· Chinese knot is made of string or threads, charm bracelets is made of silver or expensive metal;
· Chinese knot has one individual meaning and cannot be changed, charm bracelet however can contain one or many charms on it, so it can represent more meanings;
· Chinese knot is relatively cheap to buy, but charm bracelet can be expensive depending on its makers and materials used;
Summary
Even though both these items are for good luck they are used in different ways, and have different meaning for the user or as a gift. Despite the fact these good luck items are from two different culture backgrounds they are available to people in the UK and in China.
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