Chinese knot is a decorative handicraft art that creates knot patterns. It is one of the more traditional art forms almost completely lost in modern China. It began as a form of Chinese folk art in the Tang and Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in China. The art is also referred to as Chinese traditional decorative knots. In other cultures, it is known as "Decorative knots". It is the most representative handicraft familiar to westerners, and often bought as souvenirs for macrame-style wall-hangings.

History of Chinese knot

Archaeological studies indicate that the art of tying knots dates back to prehistoric times. Recent discoveries include 100,000-year old bone needles used for sewing and bodkins, which were used to untie knots. However, due to the delicate nature of the medium, few examples of prehistoric Chinese knotting exist today. Some of the earliest evidence of knotting have been preserved on bronze vessels of the Warring States period (481-221 BCE), Buddhist carvings of the Northern Dynasties period (317-581) and on silk paintings during the Western Han period (206 BCE-CE6). The phenomenon of knot tying continued to steadily evolve over the course of thousands of years with the development of more sophisticated techniques and increasingly intricate woven patterns. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) knotting finally broke from its pure folklore status, becoming an acceptable art form in Chinese society and reached the pinnacle of its success.

There are many different shapes of Chinese knots. The most common being flowers, birds, dragons, fish, and even shoes. Culturally they were expected to ward off evil spirits similar to bagua mirrors or act as good-luck charms for Chinese marriages.

This Chinese knots are made by Bamboo charcoal. It is not only a representative Chinese handicraft, but also an environmentally functional material which has excellent absorption properties.