Japanese Decorative Knotting (Mizuhiki)
Brian Grimley
decorative knotting (Mizuhiki). Knotting book authors only mentioned
Mizuhiki in passing - if they mentioned it at all.
It is thanks to the Iida Mizuhiki Association in Japan that I found the
information and resources to try this area of decorative knotting for
myself. If you would like to see my first beginner's attempts, please check
out: http://www.mmjp.or.jp/026/sample2_e.html
If you would like to see Mizuhiki masterpieces, check out the Iida Mizuhiki
Association's Art Gallery:
http://www.026.co.jp/mizuhiki/sitef/englishindex.html
If you would like to see the range of this art/craft, check out their
Online Catalogue: http://www.mmjp.or.jp/026/index_e.html
The knotting material (Mizuhiki), the design and the construction
techniques in Japanese decorative knotting are, to the best of my
knowledge, unique. This craft has given me hours of pleasure which I hope
others will be able to share.
Brian.
Carol Wang
> For years I had tried to find some detailed information on Japanese
> decorative knotting (Mizuhiki). Knotting book authors only mentioned
> Mizuhiki in passing - if they mentioned it at all.
Actually, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, "Japanese Decorative
Knotting" == "hanamusubi" ("hana" == flower, "musubi" == knot).
Mizuhiki is a variant which uses the special muzuhiki paper cords vs
string (or better yet, kumihimo! 8).
The knots are often the same, but then Japanese decorative knotting
tends not to use the more elaborate knots you will find in Korean
decorative knotting (maedup) or Chinese decorative knotting.
> It is thanks to the Iida Mizuhiki Association in Japan that I found the
> information and resources to try this area of decorative knotting for
> myself. If you would like to see my first beginner's attempts, please check
> out: http://www.mmjp.or.jp/026/sample2_e.html
>
> If you would like to see Mizuhiki masterpieces, check out the Iida Mizuhiki
> Association's Art Gallery:
> http://www.026.co.jp/mizuhiki/sitef/englishindex.html
>
> The knotting material (Mizuhiki), the design and the construction
> techniques in Japanese decorative knotting are, to the best of my
> knowledge, unique. This craft has given me hours of pleasure which I hope
> others will be able to share.
They are certainly beautiful, but nothing exists in a vacuum...
--
Carol Wang (wa...@skate.org) ArghC Consulting (http://www.arghc.com/)
http://www.chineseknotting.org/ The Chinese Knotting Home Page
http://www.skate.org/ Information for the Figure Skating Fan
Brian Grimley
First, may I say how much I have enjoyed visiting your site over the last
few years? It was from your site that I learned that Lydia Chen had written
two more volumes. Do you know a source for these? I enjoyed her first
publication so much that, about a year ago, I burnt the wires knowing I
would find a source over the internet. It turns out I was wrong.
In your comment, you say to me:
> Actually, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, "Japanese Decorative
> Knotting" == "hanamusubi" ("hana" == flower, "musubi" == knot).
> Mizuhiki is a variant which uses the special muzuhiki paper cords vs
> string (or better yet, kumihimo! 8).
I am very hesitant to translate the meaning of Japanese words. Ignorance is
such a disadvantage! However, I agree that the word Mizuhiki means both the
cords and also the art of tying the cords. It was information in English,
of that area of Japanese knotting, for which I searched with no success
until I found the Iida Mizuhiki Association's site.
In the root of the Iida Mizuhiki Association's website
http://www.026.co.jp/mizuhiki/englishindex.html
there is a link to "Japanese Culture and Traditional Art". Here, Hanamusubi
is defined as the types of knots "that can be untied and are used for
events that we desire to occur repeatedly". As opposed to Musubikiri which
is defined as the types of knots that "can not be untied so this style is
used for events that are not desired to occur again". The word Hanamusubi
was not in the Romaji --> English dictionaries I accessed over the net. So,
I simply can not confirm or deny that "Japanese Decorative Knotting" ==
"hanamusubi". I hope that some one who speaks Japanese reads this and
helps us out!
In your comment you say:
> They are certainly beautiful, ...
If you are referring to my beginner's samples, thank you. If you are
referring to the works on the Iida Mizuhiki Association's site, I could not
agree with you more!
Part of my pleasure in knotting with Mizuhiki (paper cord) was the
incredible choice of colours and types of surface. For those who have not
worked with Mizuhiki, a picture is worth a thousand words:
http://www.mmjp.or.jp/026/material_e.html. I was also surprised at the
strength of the cords. When I wrapped a cord around around my hands to test
its strength, I was amazed I couldn't break this "paper cord".
Best wishes,
Brian.
Ps Carol: I remember you mentioning your interest in raw silk, fiber dye
and braiding Kumihimo. Have you created some samples you can put on your
site for us to see?
Yvonne
a decorative element in wrapping gifts or tied around envelopes which
contain money gifts. Kumihimo is the art of braiding. The strings are
colorful soft twines as opposed to stiff Mizuhiki cords. If you try to
break Mizuhiki cord in your hands you will surely cause serious injuries to
the skin and flesh.
To the best of my knowledge there is no such thing as Japanese Decorative
Knotting per se. There are similar arts called Mizuhiki, Kumihimo, and
Hanamusubi.
Lydia Chen is an authority in Chinese decorative knotting. Her 2nd and 3rd
books are written in Chinese only, but the diagrams and pictures can be
enjoyed without any knowledge of the Chinese language. Some of the diagrams
are easy to follow while others are not. There is a comprehensive list of
books on Chinese knotting at Carol Wang's website, www.chineseknotting.org.
I have a website of a gallery of decorative knots I tied, and a brief
history of Chinese knotting, as well as pictoral instructions. Like all
websites, it is always under construction.
Yvonne
www.knottingartist.com
Carol Wang
> First, may I say how much I have enjoyed visiting your site over the
> last few years? It was from your site that I learned that Lydia Chen
I'm glad that you find my site useful. 8)
> had written two more volumes. Do you know a source for these? I
> enjoyed her first publication so much that, about a year ago, I
> burnt the wires knowing I would find a source over the internet. It
> turns out I was wrong.
1) turns out I have an extra copy of Vol 3 that I bought for someone
that I sold an extra copy of Vol 2 to, but now their email is
defunct and I can't contact them to let them know that I have Vol 3
for them. Since I can't let them know, it might as well be up for
grabs... 8)
2) the US store that I purchased Vol 3 from is:
String Art, Inc
Monterey Park Plaza
954 E. Garvey Avenue
Monterey Park, CA 91755
Tel: (626) 572-0730
Fax: (626) 572-8093
3) if you live in a city large enough to have a chinatown with a
bookstore, you should be able to take the ISBN (i will go back and
see if i can figure out the ISBN to Vol 2) and publisher info to
them and they can special order it for you.
4) http://www.kingstone.com.tw/ is a Taiwan based bookstore with
online ordering. They _should_ have the book if anyone does.
However, I have not been able to find it (it doesn't help that I
can't read the instructions or the error messages, but... 8)
5) http://www.supbookstore.com/ is a bookstore with branches in the US
and Canada. They don't have an online catalog, but they do have
an online order form.
> I am very hesitant to translate the meaning of Japanese
> words. Ignorance is such a disadvantage! However, I agree that the
> word Mizuhiki means both the cords and also the art of tying the
> cords. It was information in English, of that area of Japanese
> knotting, for which I searched with no success until I found the
> Iida Mizuhiki Association's site.
True. There is one book that I've found on Mizuhiki that is in
English (it is quite basic). I'll try to scan the cover and get the
info online this weekend. Also, I have managed to find 2 Japanese
Mizuhiki books at Kinokuniya in SF when I was visiting
(http://www.kinokuniya.com/). Unfortunately, the instructions are
more for flower and tree versus magnificent dragons, but you take what
you can get... 8) 8)
> In the root of the Iida Mizuhiki Association's website
> http://www.026.co.jp/mizuhiki/englishindex.html
> there is a link to "Japanese Culture and Traditional Art". Here, Hanamusubi
> is defined as the types of knots "that can be untied and are used for
> events that we desire to occur repeatedly". As opposed to Musubikiri which
> is defined as the types of knots that "can not be untied so this style is
> used for events that are not desired to occur again". The word Hanamusubi
> was not in the Romaji --> English dictionaries I accessed over the net. So,
> I simply can not confirm or deny that "Japanese Decorative Knotting" ==
> "hanamusubi". I hope that some one who speaks Japanese reads this and
> helps us out!
Well, I have 2 books on the topic (both called Hanamusubi). One is
bilingual and I honestly don't remember what language the other is in.
I will do some research to see what they have to say about the terms.
> If you are referring to my beginner's samples, thank you. If you are
> referring to the works on the Iida Mizuhiki Association's site, I
> could not agree with you more!
Both are lovely. 8)
> Part of my pleasure in knotting with Mizuhiki (paper cord) was the
> incredible choice of colours and types of surface. For those who
> have not worked with Mizuhiki, a picture is worth a thousand words:
> http://www.mmjp.or.jp/026/material_e.html. I was also surprised at
> the strength of the cords. When I wrapped a cord around around my
> hands to test its strength, I was amazed I couldn't break this
> "paper cord".
I'm getting some free time in September and I hope to bulk up my site
with more knots as well as a materials section. There are a vast
array of things that we can knot with... 8)
> Ps Carol: I remember you mentioning your interest in raw silk, fiber
> dye and braiding Kumihimo. Have you created some samples you can put
> on your site for us to see?
Not personally (yet!), but if you go to the Braid Society web page
(http://www.braidsociety.org/links.html) there's a vast array of
examples to see.
Brian Grimley
meaning of terms used in the Japanese knotting arts, it suddenly became
obvious to me whom to ask for clarification. So, I e-mailed Carol's and my
posting to the Iida Mizuhiki Association and asked for help. They kindly
sent me the following reply:
Dear Mr. Brian Grimley,
This is my comment to your email. I hope that would be helpful for both you
and Ms. Carol Wang.
Your explanation is quite right. Mizuhiki means both the cords and also the
art of tying the cords. Literally, Mizuhiki means the cords, and if we
translate exactly, Mizuhiki decorations shall be Mizuhiki "Zaiku" in
Japanese (Obviously, Zaiku means decorations or ornaments in English). But
we usually abbreviate the word, and simply use Mizuhiki for the
decorations.
"Japanese Decorative Knotting" is not a synonym of the word Mizuhiki. It is
a definition of the action of knotting..and does not refer to any
particular
art or craft. This is sure that Mizuhiki Knotting is one of "Japanese
Decorative Knotting" arts. And most provably, "Japanese Decorative
Knotting"
is used to translate some other Japanese traditional arts, such as
"Mawashi"
(The belt for Sumo wrestler) or "Mage" (the hair knot for ancient Japanese
"Samurai"). I am afraid that I cannot say that "Japanese Decorative
Knotting" always means Mizuhiki, but I can say Mizuhiki is one of "Japanese
Decorative Knotting" arts.
For "Hanamusubi" ("hana" == flower, "musubi" == knot), Ms. Carol Wang's
translation is correct. It is one of Mizuhiki Knotting styles.
"Hanamusubi",
among others, is very basic, common. And you already explain perfectly its
usages and rules.
I hope this mail would be helpful. If you have any other question, please
feel free to contact me.
Sincerely Yours,
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IIDA MIZUHIKI ASSOCIATION
C/O Jiba Sangyo Center
3338-8 Beppu, Kamisato
Iida City, Nagano, Japan
Post-code: 395-0003
Email: serin...@sakura.email.ne.jp
www: http://026.co.jp/mizuhiki/englishindex.html
*****************************************