China’s traditional handicrafts boast a long and splendid history, representing the treasures of the Chinese nation’s culture and art. For thousands of years, traditional handicraft products have been a significant industry characteristic of the Chinese nation. However, with the continuous development of technology and societal progress, machine production has gradually replaced traditional handicrafts, and the art pieces created by hand are increasingly being substituted by technological products.
The impact of modernization has caused traditional crafts to quietly fade from our lives. One of China’s top ten traditional handicrafts, hand-knotting, has not been spared. What is hand-knotting? Traditional Chinese knots and hand-knotted carpets are woven through this technique. Today, let’s talk about hand-knotted carpets. In China, when it comes to hand-knotted carpets, many people might be unfamiliar, as most households do not have carpets. The only association with carpets might be the doormat in front of every household or the welcome mats laid in hotel lobbies and corridors. However, these are all machine-woven carpets, not hand-knotted ones. True hand-knotted carpets are actually quite rare. Although mechanization has gradually replaced traditional handicrafts, the enthusiasm for traditional handicrafts is increasing. This is because people are no longer merely pursuing basic sustenance but are gradually improving their quality of life. The same applies to hand-knotted carpets; why are more and more people favoring them? Hand-knotted carpets possess craftsmanship and artistic value that ordinary machine-woven or gun-tufted carpets cannot match. They are traditional export products of our country, known as the ‘soft gold,’ with rich pattern content and strong three-dimensionality. Flowers and landscapes resemble relief sculptures, offering high practical, collectible, and aesthetic value. Hand-knotted carpets are woven knot by knot by weavers, with each carpet imbued with the weaver’s emotions, something that cold machine-made carpets cannot compare to. Hand-knotted carpets have a natural, bright color and a rich three-dimensional effect. The pattern lines are soft, smooth, and clear, making them comfortable to look at and increasingly appealing over time. The patterns on the back of the carpet are also clearly visible. Hand-knotted carpets use materials such as silk or wool, and the knots are naturally formed into carpets, environmentally friendly and odorless. In contrast, machine-woven carpets use glue to fix the back of the carpet, resulting in a pungent chemical smell that is detrimental to health. Hand-knotted carpets can be considered a commodity, but I would rather say they are a piece of home art.