Fun with Chinese Knotting - Making Your Own Fashion Accessories & Accents

Fun with chinese Knotting-(Berkeiey)

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04 Compound (70-110)FIN_ 11/6/06 9:25 AM Page 101

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RU YI KNOT 101

Ru Yi Knot

The ru yiis an elongated scepter about the length of a back scratcher. Its two

rounded ends are flattened and scalloped, and this is echoed in this knot. The

name ru yimeans “everything according to your heart’s desire.” Some say that

the ru yiscepter came to China with early Buddhist missionaries, who used

a similar-shaped device as a note-taking surface during explications of the

sutras. Others assert that the ru yiis indigenous in origin, pointing to the

fact that its rounded ends are strikingly similar to a Taoist motif signifying

immortality. Whatever its origins, the ru yiis a symbol of great fortune. To

carry one is to court good luck, and to own one is to enjoy prosperity.

Tying

The ru yiis made up of four cloverleaf knots (page 57), the one in the center

bringing the three outer ones together. First, tie three cloverleaf knots in a

series on one cord, several centimeters apart. Then use the two loops that

hang down between them and the two loose cord ends to tie a fourth clover-

leaf, the loops of which will run directly into the bodies of the outer knots.

Adjust and tighten so that the loops of all four knots are the same size.

Tips

• Remember not to let the centers of the cloverleaf knots loosen when you are
  taking out slack. Hold the bodies firmly while running the extra cord through.


• The diagrams show how to tie the ru yiknot using both ends of the cord.
  Eventually, some formations will require you to tie it using only one end. This
  will mean tying one of the outer cloverleaf knots first, instead of the top one,
  and tying the center one in stages as you proceed from one outer knot to the
  top one to the other outer knot.

1 First tie a cloverleaf knot.

2

3

4 Tie each cord end into a cloverleaf.