Knotty Notions ][ Translation

The THCA instructor test with comparison to the ZGJ tests plus a Japanese preview

2018-02-22T00:00:00-08:00

The THCA has a specifically labelled instructor or teacher test consisting mostly of hoop flowers (turks head mats) and hollow mystic knots with a few fun cloverleaf and mystic knot variants. The ZGJ set of tests cover perhaps a third of the (admittedly repetitious) content here. The ZGJ advanced test also sprints completely into the wilderness, relatively speaking, with complex and involved projects.

Earlier this week, while matching Taiwan to China tests, I was thinking about asking some Korean and Japanese nodologists to kibbitz/offer opinions but then I had the revelation that their organizations probably (maybe?!?) had their own tests. It was at this point that I re-discovered in my archives incomplete information about the Japan Chinese Knotting Association (JCKA) and their tests. I considered mixing in the hardest JCKA test but it looks like they are still developing their instructor test. That said, I am still thinking about translating the beginner/intermediate tests and correlating them with the Taiwan and China tests. In any case, I have put out feelers to both Japan and Korea and will let you know what I find out.

檢定分級-師資 (jiǎndìng fēnjí-shīzī) THCA Teachers / Instructor Test
(26 knots with 3 inversions and 2 rotations, Pages 47-48)

01. 4股3花(單平結)	(4 gǔ 3 huā (dān píng jié)	/ 3B4L)
02. 6股5花(單平結起手)	(6 gǔ 5 huā (dān píng jié qǐ shǒu)	/ 5B6L)
03. 4股5花(五福)		(4 gǔ 5 huā (wǔfú)	/ 5B4L)
04. 6股7花(七巧)		(6 gǔ 7 huā (qī qiǎo)	/ 7B6L)
05. 5股4花(鈕釦環)	(5 Gǔ 4 huā (niǔkòuhuán)	/ 4B5L button knot var)
06. 7股6花(鈕釦環)	(7 gǔ 6 huā (niǔkòuhuán)	/ 6B7L button knot var)
07. 5股6花(六合)		(5 gǔ 6 huā (liùhé)	/ 6B5L (six unity))
08. 7股8花(八珍)		(7 gǔ 8 huā (bā zhēn)	/ 8B7L (eight treasures))
09. 盤長 90°位移(一)	(pán zhǎng 90°wèiyí (yī)	/ centre rotated 2x2 mystic (a))
10. 星辰結(八耳)		(xīngchén jié (bā ěr)	/ octagonal stellar knot)
11. 心形股長結(一)		(xīn xíng gǔ zhǎng jié (yī)	/ heart shaped mystic knot)
12. 心形股長結(二)		(xīn xíng gǔ zhǎng jié (èr)	/ heart shaped mystic knot inverted)
13. 盤長 90°位移(二)	(pán zhǎng 90°wèiyí (èr)	/ centre rotated 2x2 mystic (b))
14. 酢漿草結(複翼)		(cù jiāng cǎo jié (fù yì)	/ square cloverleaf + vertical fig 8)
15. 星形結		(xīng xíng jié		/ 4 pointed star knot)
16. 六角盤長		(liùjiǎo pán zhǎng	/ hollow hexagonal mystic knot)
17. 五角盤長		(wǔjiǎo pán zhǎng	/ hollow pentagonal mystic knot)
18. 水滴			(shuǐdī		/	hollow teardrop mystic knot)
19. 心形結(一)		(xīn xíng jié (yī)	/ hollow heart shaped mystic knot inverted)
20. 心形結(二)		(xīn xíng jié (èr)	/ hollow heart shaped mystic knot)
21. 回菱			(Huí líng		/ 5x5 hollow mystic square knot)
22. 十字菱		(shízì líng	/	5x5 mystic square w cross void)
23. 三角盤長(一)		(sānjiǎo pán zhǎng (yī)	/	hollow 5 mystic triangle)
24. 回菱			(Huí líng	/	5x5 hollow mystic diamond knot)
25. 十字菱		(shízì líng	/	5x5 mystic diamond w ‘x’ void)
26. 三角盤長(二)		(sānjiǎo pán zhǎng (èr)	/ hollow 5 mystic triangle inverted)

Test Item Concordance In addition to 3 inversions, 2 of the knots are copies of other knots but rotated 45° .

TT01 = -- 
TT02 = --
TT03 = ZI17c
TT04 = --
TT05 - ZA39
TT06 = --
TT07 = ZA40
TT08 = ZA42
TT09 = --
TT10 = ZI12a
TT11 = --
TT12 = TT11 inverted
TT13 = ZA25
TT14 = --
TT15 = --
TA16 = --
TA17 = --
TA18 = ZA23
TA19 = --
TA20 = TA19 inverted
TA21 = ZA22
TA22 = --
TA23 = --
TA24 = TA21 eigth turn
TA25 = TA22 eigth turn
TA26 = TA23 inverted

The advanced THCA and ZGJ tests compared

2018-02-21T00:00:00-08:00

The THCA advanced test knots are exclusively pan chang/mystic knot variants. The compound knot section consist of two (2) more elaborate amphora knot variants.

The ZGJ advanced test just goes on and on. If not for the continuous numbering, I would think I had somehow missed the section break into their teacher test. I still kind of wonder about that since, as far as I can tell, there is no ZGJ teacher test. Since the ZGJ advanced test sort of (???) combines the contents of the THCA advanced and teacher tests, perhaps they consider it their teacher test? If so, why not call it that? So many questions…

檢定分級-高級 (Jiǎndìng fēnjí-gāojí) THCA Advanced Test (38 knots with 2 inversions, 2 compound knots; pages 44-46)

01. 長盤長	(cháng pán zhǎng	/	1x5 long mystic)
02. 寶門		(bǎo mén		/	3x5 treasure door)
03. 迴紋		(huí wén		/	3x5 curved line)
04. 寶門		(bǎo mén	/		5x4 tall treasure door)
05. 三角盤長(一) 	(sānjiǎo pán zhǎng (yī)	/	pectoral knot / triangular mystic (unit))
06. 三角盤長(二) 	(sānjiǎo pán zhǎng (èr)	/	2x2 unit mystic triangle)
07. ¼圓盤長(一) 	(¼ yuán pán zhǎng (yī) 	/	2x2 quarter round mystic)
08. ¼圓盤長(二)	(¼ yuán pán zhǎng (èr)	/	3x3 quarter round mystic)
09. ½圓盤長(一) 	(½ yuán pán zhǎng (yī) 	/	2x2 half round mystic)
10. ½圓盤長(二) 	(½ yuán pán zhǎng (èr)	/	3x2 half round mystic)
11. 磬結(一)	(qìng jié (yī)		/	stone chime knot)
12. 磬結(二)	(qìng jié (èr)		/	stone chime knot inverted)
13. 菱花結	(líng huā jiē		/	water chestnut blossom)
14. 三才(一)	(sāncái (yī)		/	2 small steps knot)
15. 三才(二)	(sāncái (èr)		/	3 small steps knot)
16. 金鐘結	(jīn zhōng jié		/	golden bell knot)
17. 高陞結(一)	(gāoshēng jié (yī)	/	2 big steps knot)
18. 高陞結(二)	(gāoshēng jié (èr)	/	2 big steps knot inverted)
19. 六角盤長	(Liùjiǎo pán zhǎng	/	unit hexagonal mystic)
20. 五角盤長	(wǔjiǎo pán zhǎng	/	2x2 pentagonal mystic)
21. 六角盤長	(liùjiǎo pán zhǎng	/	2x2 hexagonal mystic)
22. 水滴		(shuǐdī			/	teardrop mystic)
23. 葉子		(yèzi			/	2x2 leaf mystic)
24. 葉子		(yèzi			/	3x3 leaf mystic)
25. 連體磬盤長	(Lián tǐ qìng pán zhǎng	 /   	stacked stone chime)
26. 3連體盤長(一)	(3 lián tǐ pán zhǎng (yī)	/ 3 stacked 3x3 mystic)
27. 3連體盤長(二)	(3 lián tǐ pán zhǎng (èr)	/ 3 merged 3x3 mystic)
28. 2連體盤長(一)	(2 lián tǐ pán zhǎng (yī)	/ 2 merged 2x2 mystic)
29. 2連體盤長(二) 	(2 lián tǐ pán zhǎng (èr)	/ 2 stacked 3x3 mystic)
30. 2連體盤長(三)	(2 lián tǐ pán zhǎng (sān) /	2 stacked 4x4 mystic)
31. 複翼盤長	(fù yì pán zhǎng	    /    3x3 complex wing mystic)
32. 疊翼盤長	(dié yì pán zhǎng	     /   4x4 stacked wing mystic) 
33. 複翼團錦	(fù yì tuán jǐn		   /	Complex wing brocade (decagonal))
34. 疊翼團錦	(dié yì tuán jǐn	/	stacked wing brocade (dodecagonal))
35. 疊翼回菱	(dié yì huí líng	/	4x4 stacked wing hollow diamond)
36. 疊翼三角盤長	(dié yì sānjiǎo pán zhǎng	/ 4 stacked wing hollow triangular mystic)
37. 複翼磬結(一)	(Fù yì qìng jié (yī)	/	complex wing stone chime top)
38. 複翼磬結(二)	(fù yì qìng jié (èr)	/	complex wing stone chime side)
A01. 團錦抓耳翼應用	(tuán jǐn zhuā ěr yì yìngyòng	/ crossed brocade double amphora knot)
A02. 盤長抓耳翼應用	(pán zhǎng zhuā ěr yì yìngyòng	/ crossed 3x3 mystic double amphora knot)

It may (or may not) surprise you that I have not clicked through every example link in the ZGJ tests. When I tried the link for items 10-21, I found that the contents of that link is only available to members with junior or intermediate medals. A little more research showed that these medals are given to those who have passed the relevant tests. Not all of the more advanced examples are locked to those who have not passed previous tests, though.

In addition to a few inverted knots, the ZGJ advanced test also introduces “mirror” knots. That’s what I’m calling it when the test finds it relevant whether or not a knot is clockwise or counterclockwise and wants both.

The last section of the ZGJ test, for the pick and choose complex ornaments, is a little messy translation-wise with large amounts left au naturel from the machine translation. This will be cleaned up as we go through it, if we get there… Sorry!

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-40010-1-1.html
中国绳结艺术高级达标大纲
ZGJ Chinese rope knot art advanced standards
(49 knots (3 were in the THCA Intermediate) with 2 mirror knots and 2 inversions, 1 tassel, 4 projects + pick 2 of 6 more projects)

一．单结部分 (Single knot section)

长纽扣结 (Long button knot / double button knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39774-1-1.html

双藻井 (double algae wells / double plafond knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39773-1-1.html

单线藻井：在一个环套上，编藻井结。(Single-line caisson: In a ring, the algae well knot. / plafond with one working end, tied as separated offset mirror twins)
徒手编法(入字面) [freehand, counter clockwise]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=7798
针板编法(人字面) [pinned, clockwise]
http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39635-1-1.html

六瓣纽扣结 (Six button knot / hexagonal button knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-7256-1-1.html

横六瓣纽扣结:单线头运作，在环套上编。(Cross six button knot: single-thread operation, in the loop on the series. / hexagonal button knot with one working end, tied as separated ofset mirror twins)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-7585-1-1.html

锦囊结 (brocade bag knot / mat knot section):

单结起手 (Single knot / ocean plat)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39638-1-1.html

双钱起手 (Double money hands / prolong knot)
video: http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-38271-1-1.html

二. 盘长部分 (Long part of the plate / pan chang/mystic section)

四回叠翼盘长 (Four fold wingspan long / 4x4 stacked wing mystic)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39636-1-1.html

套色盘长 (Set color plate length / 3x3 pinwheel weave mystic (2 colour))

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39775-1-1.html

10-21. 特殊形状盘长(高升，双胞胎，三胞胎，三才，宝门，金钟，菱花，鱼结，共12个) 这个部分要求看实物图编结，不提供走线图。

10-21. Special Shape Tray Length (Ascendant, Twins, Triplets, Saints, Bauhinia, Admiralty, Rhombus, Fish knot, 12 in total). This part is required to see the physical map compilation, does not provide a route map.
10-21. shaped mystics (2 big steps knot, 2 big steps knot inverted, 2 merged 2x2 mystic, 2 stacked 4x4 mystic, 3 stacked 3x3 mystic, 2 small steps knot, 3 small steps knot, tall treasure door, golden bell, water chestnut blossom, stacked stone chime, fish)

This link is only available to members with junior or intermediate medals which are given to those who have passed the relevant test:
http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39776-1-1.html

回菱盘长 (Going back to the long plate / 6x6 hollow square mystic/hui ling)
水滴盘长 (drip tray long / teardrop mystic)
schematic: http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39643-1-1.html
减线盘长 (The length of the wire is reduced / pan chang knot with reduced cords [triaxial weave mystic])

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39713-1-1.html

移位盘长 (Shift plate length / type 1(a) shiftweave pan chang knot [2x2 shiftweave mystic, 90 deg, u1o1])

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39777-1-1.html

三. 团锦部分 (Brocade part / round brocade section)

十套团锦结(进四包四) [ten groups Jin knot (into four packs of four)/ decagonal (10o4) round brocade knot]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39662-1-1.html

十二套团锦结(进五包五) [Twelve sets of knot (into the five packs of five) / dodecagonal (12o5) round brocade knot]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39663-1-1.html

多套空心团锦(12套进二包二) [Multiple sets of Hollow Brocade ( 12 sets into two packs two) / dodecagonal (12o2) round brocade]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39701-1-1.html

套色团锦 (8套进三包三团锦套色) [29 sets of color brocade ( 8 sets of three packs into three groups Jinchu color) / octagonal (8o3) sidelined]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39632-1-1.html

团锦正蝴蝶 (groups are positive butterflies / octagonal (8o3) round brocade butterfly)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39664-1-1.html

团锦倒蝴蝶(都是八套进三包三) [group fell down butterflies (all eight sets of three packs of three) / octagonal (8o3) round brocade butterfly inverted]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39665-1-1.html
freehand video:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=9729

团锦共用套部分 (Brocade shared sets of parts / triaxial weave strip)
counterclockwise:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-7189-1-1.html
clockwise:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39703-1-1.html

四. 宝结部分 (bao knot section)

套色宝结二宝5套 (two toned 2x5 bao knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39633-1-1.html

套色宝结三宝3套 (two toned 3x3 bao knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39639-1-1.html

套色宝结四宝4套 (two toned 4x4 bao knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39704-1-1.html

复翼叠翼宝结二宝4套 (stacked wing 2x4 bao knot)
叠翼二宝:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39715-1-1.html
复翼叠翼宝结三宝3套 (stacked wing 3x3 bao knot)
叠翼三宝:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39711-1-1.html
复翼叠翼宝结四宝2套 (stacked wing 4x2 bao knot)
叠翼四宝:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39705-1-1.html

五. 花股结部分 (Flower knot section / flower hoop/turkshead section) (** based on the A/B notation and a quick scan of some references, I’m picking a line from the right hand side of the disk and counting [O]vers and [U]nders leftwards, stopping when I get to the middle. THIS COULD STILL BE WRONG, caveat lector! But, even though I’m sort of watching the Olympics (Go Team Canada!!) at the same time, the correlation with the A/B notation leaves me fairly comfortable that I understand what is going on and have it right.)

五股四花(BABA型) [5L4B uouo]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39640-1-1.html

五股六花(BABA型) [5L6B uouo]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39637-1-1.html

五股六花(ABAA型)，[5L6B ouoo]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39641-1-1.html

七股八花 (ABBAAA型) [7L8B o1u2o3]

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39642-1-1.html

六. 吉祥变化部分 (Auspicious change part / Good Luck Knot section)

复翼吉祥 (Avalon auspicious (Google Translate)/ good luck knot with compound outer loops (Chen)/good luck knot with inset ears (me))

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39646-1-1.html

灵芝 (Ganoderma lucidum (GT) / Lingzhi knot (Chen) / good luck knot with flowery inset ears (me))

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39634-1-1.html

七. 锁结部分 (Locking part / lock knot section)

锁结 (lock knot / hexagonal (6) lock knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39727-1-1.html

锁结变化 4-1攀缘 (lock changes 4-1 climbing / hexagonal (4v1) lock knot)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39729-1-1.html

锁结变化: 叠翼六瓣锁结 (lock changes: Stack wing six lock / hexagonal (6e2) lock knot with overlapping ears)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39728-1-1.html

八. 斜卷部分 (Oblique volume / macramé section)

小金鱼 (Small goldfish)

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-39700-1-1.html

九. 流苏部分 (Tassel section)

挑字流苏 (Pick the word tassels / pickup weave tassel necks)
可以跟图片一样的十字，也可以做任何挑字流苏。
Can be the same picture as the cross, you can also do any pick word tassels.

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-34580-1-1.html

十. 冰花部分 (Ice flower part / ice flower knot section)

连体冰花 (Siamese ice flower)
在高级阶段，要求学会看简图编连体冰花，先根据胡波老师的3*3 复翼连体冰花教程，学习如何看简图，编连体冰花,这个只作为学习练习用，不必填报。
In the advanced stage, asked to learn simplified figure series Siamese ice flower, first according to Hu Bo teacher’s 3 * 3 reef conjoined Binghua tutorial, learn how to read the sketch, make Siamese Binghua, this only as a learning exercise, do not have to fill in.

http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-7467-1-1.html

等会看简图编连体冰花了，再以下面的4*2冰花磬结简图为主结体，编一冰花挂饰(可以是仿的，也可以此为主要结体，进行变化),这个挂饰要求填报。要求是完整挂饰，包括流苏。上下付结，抓耳，配件等都可以自己搭配变化。

Etc. will see simplified figure series Siamese ice, and then to the following 4 * 2 ice flower stone chime knot simple figure-based knot, compiled an ice hanging Decoration (can be imitation, but also can be the main knot, to make changes), the ornaments require filing. The requirement is Complete ornaments, including tassels. Up and down to pay, ear, accessories, etc. can change with their own.

有轴套色冰花 (Sleeve color ice cream / two toned ice flower knot with rails)
用两种颜色的线，编下面的挂饰:中间主体结跟下图一样，上下付结可以改变。要求是完整挂饰，包括流苏。
With two color lines, the following ornaments: the middle of the main knot with the following figure, up and down to pay to change. The request is complete with ornaments, including tassels.

schematic:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-34326-1-1.html
with string:http://bbs.zhongguojie.org/thread-36170-1-1.html

Of the 6 following options, pick 2
十一. 看实物图片，编组合结(52.53):看以下六个组合结实物图片，任意选择其中两款，编出来。
Look at the real picture, knot knot (52.53) : See the following combination of six strong picture, choose any two of them, compiled out.
六个选择题制作提示说明和要求在本贴4楼
Six multiple-choice questions produced instructions and instructions on the 4th floor

花股结和有轴冰花组合 (flower knot and a combination of axis ice crystal / flower hoop faced hexagonal (6) good luck knot with a ring of ice flower knots)
三宝, 四宝组合:(这个要求提供正反两张照片) [Sambo , Si Bao combination : (this request provides two positive and negative photos) / 4 (3x6 bao knots with square cloverleaf corners) into 4x4 bao knot with ring knots at the points (take picture of front and back)]
六瓣锁4-1攀缘和盘长结组合 (six-lock 4-1 climbing and long plate combination / hexagonal (4v1) lock knot mystic combo)
盘长回菱和团锦组合 (plate long back to Link and Mission Kam combination / hollow mystic square with inscribed square cloverleaf)
二宝和移位盘长，滚边(上滚)团锦组合，(这个要求提供正反两张照片) [Treasure and shift plate length, piping (roll) Mission Kam combination (this request provides two positive and negative photos) / 2x5 bao knots on the corners of a 3x3 shiftweave mystic with a sidelined central octagonal round brocade knot]
单线藻井和套色团锦组合 (single-line caisson and Taochun Kam combination / two tone sidelined octagonal (8) round brocade ringed by (one working end) plafond knots. </ol> See the last section for more details on the construction of these 6 projects 十二. 发挥部分(54，55) [Play part (54 , 55)]
从初级，中级，高级的内容中选择，自己任意编制两个小组合，也可以加以变化。 (不要仿制，加点自己的创意)
Choose from beginner, intermediate, or advanced content, or create two small portfolios of your own, or change it. (Do not copy, add your own ideas)
标题: 高级达标考核选择题制作提示说明
Title: Advanced Standard Assessment Multiple Choice Production Tips
1. 花股结,吉祥结和有轴冰花组合:
  Flower hoop knot, auspicious knot and a combination of axis ice crystals 制作说明:该作品是由冰花结和花股结组合的作品。
  Production Description: The work is composed of ice knot and flower hoop knot combination of works. 作品的用线量5号线，花股结1.7~1.8米，冰花结3.2~3.3米。成品直径约10CM，花芯直径约 5CM。
  works with the amount of line 5 line, flower knot 1.7 to 1.8 meters, ice knot 3.2 to 3.3 meters. Finished diameter of about 10CM, core diameter of about 5CM. 主要编结过程 (the main knotting process)
  1. 编花股结。取5号线1.7米编ABAA型五股六花的花股结(即从外顺时针向中心走线挑压挑挑，从中心向外走线压压挑压。把中心抽紧并把6个耳翼平均向外拉长成放射状。
    knotted knot Take line 5 1.7 meters ABAA type five strands of six flower knot (that is, from the center clockwise pick pick pick from the center outbound line pressure pick the center tighten and put 6 Ear wings lengthen outward radially.
  2. 做花股结吉祥变化。压二层，第一层顺时针压二，第二层逆时针压二。(也可第一层逆压，第二层顺压)
    do flower knot auspicious changes. Pressure two, the first layer clockwise pressure two, the second layer counterclockwise pressure two. (Also the first layer of pressure, the second layer of pressure)
  3. 做好花股结吉祥变化后翻到正面，把耳翼两侧分成一对一对(耳翼的左右侧分别与相邻的耳翼的一侧配成一对)。
    Make the flower knot auspicious changes turned to the front, the ears flanked by a pair of one pair (left and right sides of the ear wing, respectively, adjacent to the side of the ear flanked pair).
  4. 编冰花。挂饰是取5号线3.2米平均对折主线编。冰花组合的方法是一个四耳冰花间隔一个有轴冰花，主线编从中间分左右各有一个交叉点，轴冰花是以第3) 点中花股结每一对耳翼线为轴的。
    Code ice flowers. Strap is taken on the 5th line 3.2 meters average fold the main line. The method of ice flower combination is a four-ear ice flower separated by a shaft ice, the main line from the middle of each have a cross point, the axis of ice is 3 ) points in the flower knot every pair of ear wing axis.
  5. 整形的方法。整个结的走线完成后，先把冰花结的线抽好，再整花股结的线。花股结的快捷调线方法是拿结的反面，把外圈的耳翼的线一对一对的抽到吉祥结的位置，再翻到正面，把吉祥结的多余的线抽到花芯的耳翼位置，稍稍整理作品就完成了。这一条的先决条件是，第1)点中的“把6个耳翼平均向外拉长成放射状”，注意平均二字。
    plastic method. After the alignment of the entire knot is completed, the first line of the ice knot pumped well, then the whole flower knot line. The knot knot is the opposite of the knot knot, the pair of outer ears of the ear line of a pair of pumped to the location of the auspicious knot, and then turned to the front, the extra lucky knot line drawn to the flower core The location of the ear, a little finishing work is completed. The prerequisite for this article is that in point 1 ), "stretch the six ear wings radially outwards", taking note of the average of two words. </ol>
  6. 三宝, 四宝组合 (Sambo , Sambo combination / combination of triangular and square bao knots) 制作说明:五号线7米
    Production instructions: 5 line number 7 meters 结型:四方型，上下左右各一个三宝6套，三宝上边的两个挂角是三耳酢浆草结。
    中间四宝4 套，有耳翼与三宝相连。上下左右三宝与四宝之间各嵌四个五瓣花箍环。
    Configuration: 4 fold symmetry; top, bottom, left ,right are 3x6 bao with square (4) cloverleaf knots in the outer corners. 4x4 bao in the middle, shares ears with the outer baos. 5B3L flower hoop rings cover the joins between inner and outer bao. 要求:酢浆草结，三宝，四宝结面一致。结型对称。提供正反两张图片。
    Requirements: square cloverleaf, triangular bao, square bao. Junction symmetry. Record pictures of both the front and the back.
  7. 六瓣锁4-1攀缘和盘长结组合 (compound hexagonal lock (4v1) and mystic) 制作说明:该组合结上面一个双联结然后是一个人字面六瓣锁4-1攀缘结，用六瓣锁4-1攀缘结的两个耳和出线两边各编一个盘长，要求都是人字面的。然后编一个双联结、有配件加一个配件，无配件编5个金刚结，然后编一个双联结，再编并行的2个六瓣锁4-1攀缘结、一个双联结，最后用线头做两个八字结结尾。
    Description: The combination of knot above a double joint and then a literal six-lock 4-1 climbing knot, with the six-lock 4-1 climbing knot two ears and the outlet on each side of a braided length, the requirements are all people Literally. And then compiled a double link, with accessories plus an accessory, no accessories compiled 5 diamond knot, and then compiled a double link, and then compiled in parallel two 6 lock 4-1 climbing knot, a double link, and finally the first two A character ending.
  8. 盘长回菱和团锦组合，(plate long back to Link and Mission Kam combo) 制作说明:团锦共用套盘长回菱，10耳进二包二空心团锦，中间是酢浆草结。下面的小结六耳实心团锦耳翼双钱勾连。6号线，3米主线，副线1.5米.
    Description: Assassin share a set of long disk back to the diamond ring, 10 ears into the second package two Hollow Brocade, the middle is Oxalis knot. The following summary of six ears solid group Jin ears wing double money hook even. Line 6 , 3 m main line, 1.5 m secondary line .
  9. 二宝和移位盘长回菱，滚边(上滚)团锦组合
    2 bao and the shift plate long back to the diamond, piping (roll) Mission Kam combination 用线量:六号线4米。
    With the amount of line: Line 6 4 meters. 制作说明 (Production instructions):
    结型:四方型，中间八耳团锦盘长变体，单面团锦上滚边。四角二宝五套，之间以双钱结勾耳翼。上下两个双联结收线。团锦中间暗缝一粒珠子。
    Knot type: square, the middle eight earrings Jinpan long variant, single dough Jinjinbianbi. Corolla five sets of five, between the double money knot hook ear wing. Up and down two double-link received. Brocade middle dark seam a bead. 要求:宝结，团锦结，盘长结的结面一致。四个双钱结结面左右相对称。团锦单面上滚边不能透到反面。提供正反两张图片。
    Requirements: Po knot, regiment knot, plate knot consistent knot. Four double money knot relative symmetry. Brocade single-sided can not penetrate the opposite side. Provide positive and negative two pictures.
  10. 单线藻井和套色团锦组合 (single-line algae and Taochun Kam combo) 制作说明:先用套色线(米色)编一个八耳进三包三团锦结(也可以做进二包二)(松一点)，再用蓝色线跟米色线，做套色团锦，每个套的出线，结合进线编一个从上而下的单线藻井结。
    Production instructions: first with the color line (beige) series of eight ears into three bags of three knot (you can also do into two packs two) (loose a little) And then the blue line with the beige line, do color sets brocade, each set of qualifying, combined with the line into a line from top to bottom of the single-line caisson. 要求藻井和团锦的结面一致。
    Requires caisson and Mission Kam consistent knot. 用线量估计约2.8米，0.8米，都是单线头运作，事先不剪断也是可以的，到最后调完线再剪断)。
    Estimated with the line of about 2.8 meters, 0.8 meters, are single-threaded operation, without cutting in advance is also possible, to the end of the transfer line and then cut off). </ol>
```
Test Item Concordance
TA01 = -- (1x5 long mystic)
TA02 = -- (3x5 treasure door)
TA03 = -- (3x5 curved line)
TA04 = ZA17
TA05 = -- triangular mystic/pectoral knot
TA06 = -- 2x2 unit mystic triangle
TA07 = --
TA08 = --
TA09 = --
TA10 = --
TA11 = ZI13a
TA12 = TA11 inverted
TA13 = ZA19
TA14 = ZA15
TA15 = ZA16
TA16 = ZA18
TA17 = ZA10
TA18 = ZA11
TA19 = --
TA20 = --
TA21 = --
TA22 = --
TA23 = --
TA24 = --
TA25 = ZA20
TA26 = ZA14
TA27 = --
TA28 = ZA12
TA29 = --
TA30 = ZA13
TA31 = ZI14
TA32 = ZI08
TA33 = --
TA34 = --
TA35 = --
TA36 = --
TA37 = --
TA38 = ZI14
TAA01 = --
TAA02 = ZIA05
```

Translating Lydia Chen’s Chinese Knotting Book One Knot List

2010-01-12T00:00:00-08:00

The easiest way for me to enter Chinese text is by typing English text and getting something to translate it for me. Generally speaking this does 60% of the job. Then there are the characters that are more difficult to translate, so I need to enter them directly. For this task I like to write the characters into a system that does Chinese handwriting recognition. For this job I used the free iTranslate iPhone app and the nciku dictionary. I used the iTranslate app, mostly because I was out, but it had the added advantage of quickly swapping the Chinese and English back and forth from the translate/translated windows for refinement of the desired characters. Also, unlike the other translation apps on my phone, iTranslate allowed me to get the data out (via email in this case). Apparently iTranslate is “powered by Google” and indeed once I got home I also used Google Translate with largely the same results although there is no handwriting recognition involved there.

nciku is far and away the better word and phrase translator, plus it has more data entry methods (handwriting, pinyin). In Google’s favour is it’s ability to deal with greater volume (sentences, paragraphs, whole web pages).

So, sometimes after I’ve input the characters, I’ll retranslate the Chinese back to English to see what comes out. Sometimes it’s something that makes sense (auspicious vs good luck), sometimes it’s the word you expect except that you don’t get that when translating in the other direction (button vs Buttons), and sometimes it’s just wacky (pan chang vs plate length).

The extra added difficulty to this project is that I was translating the Chinese from the handwritten (fast script with a paintbrush) Chinese in the English version of the book. The Chinese editions of Chinese Knotting 2 and Chinese Knotting 3 have the text nicely typeset on the top of the page in addition to the pretty, but difficult to read, script and that’s most likely the case with the first volume as well.

English Name	Written Chinese	Pinyin	Translation Notes
double coin knot	雙錢	shuāng qián	double money vs double coin (雙幣)
double connection knot	雙聯	shuāng lián	retranslates as Double
sauvastika knot	卍字	wàn zì	swastika word
cross knot	十字	shí zì	ten word
cloverleaf knot	酢漿草	zuòjiāngcǎo	oxalis corniculata retranslates as shamrock vs clover (三葉草)
good luck knot	吉祥	jí xiáng	auspicious
button knot	鈕扣	niǔ kòu	retranslates as Buttons vs button(按鈕)
pan chang knot	盤長	pán cháng	retranslates as plate length
round brocade knot	團錦	tuán jǐn	retranslates (iTranslate) as mission jin
plafond knot	藻井	zǎo jǐng	surprising straightforward bilateral translation
flat knot	平結	píng jié
ju i knot	如意	rúyì	retranslates as "be satisfied"
brocade ball knot	繡球	xiù qiú	embroidery ball (remove the flower (花) in the middle)
longevity knot	壽	shòu	longevity (長壽)
double happiness knot	雙喜	shuāng xǐ
dragon knot	龍	dragon	lóng
dragonfly knot	蜻蜓	qīng tíng	dragonfly (蝴蝶昆蟲)
butterfly knot	蝴蝶	hú dié	google gives the oddest translation to “butterfly”: 輕便鐵路蝴蝶站
long pan chang	長盤長	cháng pán cháng
stone chime knot	磬	qìng	stone chime (石磬), even by itself (磬) is stone chime
double diamond knot	方勝	fāng shèng	方=square retranslates (iTranslate) as Fang sheng 勝=win, defeat, be better than, superb 形 = shape
crane knot	仙鶴	xiān hè	crane (鶴) retranslated by nciku as a mythological immortal bird
phoenix knot	鳳	fèng	phoenix (鳳凰)
fish knot	鯉魚	lǐyú	fish = 魚 the written Chinese is “carp”
ten accord knot	十全	shí quán	nciku retranslates as perfect

Chinese knotting videos: int301

2009-08-07T00:00:00-07:00

I’ve discovered the youTube channel of a 60 year old person (int301) in Taiwan which consists entirely of Chinese knotting instructions. The videos are silent, so the only language issue is the titles of the videos themselves. That’s where I can help a bit. 8) The following translations are not formal with canonical knot names, they’re just off the cuff notes I took for myself when I was looking at the videos

Looking at the full title of a video, the first one looks like this:
五福結影片中國結一線生機提供

This part is duplicated, more or less in the title of almost all of the videos: 中國結一線生機提供

Chinese Knot: 中國結
This part, I believe, means “video” more or less. Perhaps “instructional video”, but I have put no effort into an actual translation: 一線生機提供

五福結 interlocked double coin medallion
雙錢結 double coin
五股六花 circular mat (five:五, unit/ply/portion/section:股, six:六, flower:花)
六股五花 circular mat (6 unit 5 flower)
十字結 cross knot
綬帶結 double loop cross
吉祥結 good luck knot
鈕扣結 button knot
琵琶結 pipa knot
雙線長扣 double (long) button knot
單線長鈕扣 inline double (long) button knot
萬字結 sauvastika
藻井結 plafond
蛇結 snake knot
金鋼結 interlaced snake knot
雙連結 double connection knot
項鍊伸縮 fisherman’s bend sliding clasp
酢醬草結 cloverleaf knots

Chinese, Japanese and Korean Blogs

2009-07-15T00:00:00-07:00

Feeling unequal to the task of dealing with my massive backlog of links that I need to post at the time, I decided to fiddle with the blog itself. I put in a blogroll on the side, and a Google gadget to translate the page for people who would like a translation (I didn’t read the source code before I included it, bad, Carol!, I wonder if the readers need enough English to read the “Google Translate” part… 8). I’m going to try it to see if it will translate all the non-English bits that are in this post into English. 8)

In any case, I was noticing that after the first few, the postings some of the blogs (while the content might be nice) were posted to very infrequently, at least of late (I should talk, eh?).

But, these topics, I would hope, are ones that could be covered in China/Taiwan, Korea, and Japan with probably greater skill, enthusiasm and local appreciation (not to mention other fun places like Singapore and the like).

My current automated searches were not turning up things that are not written in English, so could I, could I….?

I took Google’s blog search (http://blogsearch.google.com/) and changed the .com with .cn (http://blogsearch.google.cn/) which gives you Google’s blog search in China. Then, of course, I needed to search for 中国结 versus Chinese knotting. Jackpot!

The first star is dbpurple, a graphic designer that often posts lovely Chinese knots, often with process photos and how-to information. The images have watermarks from different sites, so I don’t know if dbpurple is reposting or just storing images on different image servers. More to come as I slowly process them.

Meanwhile, I’ve set up automatic searches for:

くみひも(kumihimo)
中国結び (Chinese knotting in Japanese)
中国结 (Chinese knotting, simplified, Mainland China)
中國結 (Chinese knotting, traditional, Taiwan and elsewhere)
仕覆結 (tea bag knots, in Japanese)
水引 (mizuhiki in Japanese)
花結び (flower knot in Japanese)
매듭(knot in Korean) </ul> Stay tuned for updates (really, there will be updates! 8)

Link Dump 2009.03.28

2009-03-28T00:00:00-07:00

How to
An Instructable for how to condition and dye hemp rope. Better (?) they list a rope source that I had not heard of before. It’s interesting that there’s a disclaimer at the beginning about using your rope safely, but nothing in the dyeing part that once you use your nice big pot for dyeing your rope, you should never use it for food again.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Condition_and_Dye_Your_Own_Hemp_Rope/ (via)

Frayed Knot has an index of how to/tutorials to which a variety of knot tyers have contributed.
,http://www.frayedknotarts.com/tutor1.html>

Events
On March 29, 2009 at a blood drive in Malasia at the Tzu Chi Miri Liaison office, they are also doing a number of craft activities and demos including teaching Chinese knots.
http://snowswallow-theordinary.blogspot.com/2009/03/blood-donation-activity-29032009.html

March 16, 2009 Boy Scout Troop 150 of Staten Island, NY met for a knot tying competition.
http://www.silive.com/local/advance/index.ssf?/base/local/1237203911324670.xml&coll=1

Fashion
For a haute couture kinda guy, Kenneth King is surprisingly crafty and accessible as a media persona. With Chinese knots in his new book, Cool Couture: Construction Secrets for Runway Style (Singer Studio), I’m sold (but then I’m a soft touch for books in general and books mentioning knots in specific). (via)

Speaking of pretty things to wear, coming soon is a new micromacrame book: Micro-Macrame: 30 Beaded Designs for Jewelry Using Crystals and Cords

An opinion on ties and “proper attire” in modern times.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view.bg?articleid=1160179&srvc=home&position=rated

A pictoral guide to chosing the knot for your tie.
http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/18/just-the-tips-how-to-choose-a-tie-knot/

Current Indian fashion has the girls in ties and the boys in scarves.
http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4318337.cms

Picture of a Jennifer Behr knot headband and an Avant Garde knot brass cuff on a fashionista.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20267503,00.html

Blogs
Casey Muronaka explores Chinese knotting and kumihimo in Los Angeles.
http://cassymuronaka.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/all-knotted-up/

IWOM has been talking about Chinese knot name translations with her cadre of knotters. Looks like they’re going with calm knot for crown sinnet (turtle head) and plum blossom for ocean plat (turtle back)
http://iwom.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/knot-translations/

Another candidate for the name plum blossom knot.
http://oronemoredream.blogspot.com/2009/03/plum-blossom-chinese-knot.html

Double checking, in Chinese Knotting 3 Lydia gives the English name as the sublimely poetic Odd Number Round Compound Double Coin Knot.

Stormdrane has a nice example of the knot I think of when I’m thinking turtle back or ocean plat (except that he calls it an ocean plait). Loren Damewood has an extended ocean plat. If you minimize it does it go pentagonal? Something to analyze at length in the future…

Speaking of Stormdrane, he’s made a very nice dreamcatcher style keychain.
http://stormdrane.blogspot.com/2009/03/dreamcatcher-fob.html

Knots Indeed (Rita Bartholomew) is keeping a decorative netting blog.
http://knotsindeed.blogspot.com/2009/03/diamond-netting-not-diamond-mesh.html

Speaking of decorative netting, have a gander at Sandra Norrbin’s sculptures which include knotless netted works as well as other pieces that include cordage as a major component.
http://www.artnews.org/sandranorrbin (via)

Make Magazine, for their Make Kids blog, posts a short round up of knot links.
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/03/animated_knots.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

Knot head, Rick (skyout), shares the link to a custom whip-making site. There are some very interesting knots and braids associated with whips, but my local bookstore people usually look at me a bit funny when I special order those books. 8)
http://www.midwestwhips.com/Knots.html

Articles
Apparently, it was a slow news day and the Toronto Star wrote about shoelace tying. Specifically about Ian Fieggen’s online shoelace extravaganza.
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/608034

Things to do
A Disney-led trip to China includes “learning to tie fortune knots at the home of a skilled artisan in China”. Wonder which ones are “fortune knots”?
http://www.mouseearvacations.com/web/disney/adventures/2009/china/?ID=ITIN (via).

In Memoriam
This has not been a good couple of weeks for knot tyers. Knot artisans, teachers and guild members: Bud Brewer and Garry Sessions both passed away on March 17, 2009.
http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=1323.0

Also, sculptor Shinkichi Tajiri who created the friendship knot in San Francisco Japantown as well as one in Bruyeres, France, also passed away recently.
http://www.rafu.com/en/2009/0328/comm.html

I was going to backdate this to my usual Sunday (22^nd) link dump, but I’ve crashed my browser once this span with too many links, so I really need to clear it out. Also, artificially chopping it in half seems to be a waste of effort. Between being sick (and the kids being sick) and the World Figure Skating Championships getting in the way, I’m very far behind my goals, but I’ll backfill with something knotty. That’s the plan in any case. 8)

Books mentioned in this post:

Good Luck Variations 6: Corner Cross Twist Split

2009-01-27T00:00:00-08:00

小耳翼疊壓吉祥結B型 little ear wing fold pressure lucky/auspicious knot B type/build/model

Sounds like I’m describing an Olympic diving move, eh? 8) Someday I’ll get around to scanning the how-to steps, but until then descriptions will have to suffice. The corner split variation’s corner loops were extended then crowned and split the opposite loop. The “Corner Cross Twist Split” (ccts) also extends the corner loops, but “twists” them back to the other side of their side loop, then crowns the side loops, and like the inset ear splits the loop on the other side. As with the corner split variation, the front and back don’t match.

Good Luck Variations 5: Corner Split

2009-01-26T00:00:00-08:00

Happy moo year! It’s the year of the Earth Ox (a couple of years ago, we had to explain to our Chinese teacher why it was not the year of the “cow” or for that matter “sheep” (vs “goat”), “bunny” (vs “rabbit” or “hare”), “mouse” (vs “rat”), or “chicken” (vs “rooster”). 8)

Next up, what I’m calling the corner split variation on the good luck knot. A first glance says that Ms. Chen has, in Chinese, named it something about little ear, blah, blah, variation A. A less casual and more labour intensive translation attempt follows. Here’s the original and a word for character translation (note that a character by character translation misses a lot of nuances, but it’s the best I can do).

小耳翼疊壓吉祥結A型 little ear wing fold pressure lucky/auspicious knot A type/build/model

In any case, I am confident that the little ear wing refers to what I’m calling the corner ears. So, this variation does the first crowning step for the good luck knot, then extends what would be the corner ears and crowns those instead then splitting the loop directly opposite. This is an asymmetrical move and as you might expect, the back (see right) doesn’t match the front.

Edit: when first posted 2 days ago, I named this knot the corner cross variation. I had tied and scanned this bunch of good luck variations years ago and was doing a quick matching of knot to name and method. Today while tying some new knots (and matching old front and back scans together, since they were before I got systematic about the naming) I realized that I’d made a mistake. There was an extra splitting move in this knot. I could probably have left the name as is, but it’s this lack of precision that caused the trouble in the first place, right? So, I’m fixing things…

Good Luck Variations 3: Inset Ears

2009-01-24T00:00:00-08:00

I have this vague recollection that Lydia Chen hadn’t really named the variants in her Chinese Knotting 3 book, they were more like “variant A” and “variant B”. Whether numbered or named with poetry, I just wanted to see what she was naming things and check if it was different in the English version, but where was my book? Not on the shelf where it’s supposed to be with one and two. Not in the bedroom where I might have piled it upon unpacking from the last trip. Not in the living room, not here, not there, still not here, etc. I must have wasted most of a day looking without success.

I take the Chinese version which is right where it belongs and look at the characters. I do pattern matching and determine that it’s named “complex character 1, complex character2, Good Luck Knot”. Now I’ve got Chinese-English dictionaries, I could have gone to look it up, but when you have a hammer… So I decide to look it up online. A check of my bookmarks and a little Googling brings me back to nciku an online Chinese-English dictionary with a little widget that allows you to write the character you want to look up with your mouse. I had found it before, but somehow lost (?) the bookmark. It’s so much easier just write the character than it is to count strokes, hunt for radical, pattern match, pattern match, hope you counted the number of strokes correctly, pattern match. I write the characters and get a translation: complex ears. sigh

複翼吉祥結 complex wing lucky knot

Okay, so I can’t find my English copy. I could always check when I’m at the bookstore… except that there are no copies in the GRVD in the big chain. sigh

The inset ears variant of the good luck knot starts out the same as the basic, but instead of just folding over, take the arm through the loop at the other side. Unlike some of the later variants, this one is symmetric front and back like a good Chinese knot.