1 . Can knots be a form of art?     1    . A Chinese knot is a knot that is tied and woven from a single length of rope to be a variety of shapes and varying complexity. Knot weavers can use a variety of colors, but they usually weave deep red ones.     2    .

History of Chinese knots

People may have originally made them to record information and convey messages before people started to write. One-hundred-thousand-year-old tools that were probably used to tie and untie knots have been discovered, and there is a reference to knots in ancient literature.     3    . It is known that they were used to symbolize and express thoughts and feelings in the Tang Dynasty era (618—907).

Ancient and modern use of artistic knots

Even today, Chinese knots are rich in symbolic meaning.     4    . For example, in ancient times and even now, lovers may give a knot as a sign of their love. The ‘true love knot’ and the ‘double happiness knot’ are given or used at weddings to express common love and growing old together in reality. Knots represent love and marriage in Chinese culture. So a knot given to a marriage partner or a couple means all these things and having children as well.

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Along with being symbolic gifts or messages, knots are still used if they wear traditional Chinese clothing or as good luck charms (护身符). They are a means of fastening traditional instead of clothes buttons. Now, silk is most widely used to make these clothing knots. They are used as jewelry such as even rings, earrings and necklaces. They are sold as handicraft novelty items too.

2 . Strangest ways to be polite in Japan

What may be considered polite in one country could be rude in another, or the other way around.    1     The following are several strangest ways to be polite in Japan.

While in Japan, make no sounds on some occasions, particularly when it comes to public transportation. Anyone who has been to Japan before has experienced the near-silent trains, sometimes filled with hundreds of people not making a sound.

    2     They value how other people feel just as much if not more than themselves. So disturbing others by making unnecessary noises is not acceptable.

Meanwhile, be careful not to pour your own drinks when you’re out eating with friends, or you might be thought to be selfish.“But wait,” you might say, “ what do I do if my glass is empty and I want a drink ?     3    ”

No need to worry, friend! Just fill up some other people’s glasses that are getting a little low.     4    

Another Japanese strange way to be polite is when you want to express gratitude, you don’ t use the word for “ thank you ”, but instead you use the word for “sorry ”. In situations like when someone does you a favor, or even often when they give you a gift, saying “sorry” in English would just seem awkward.     5