Japanese wedding tradition - origami crane art

It's interesting:
"Today we have all gathered together to celebrate Paul’s success. We lads are greatly fond of Paul, and now that he is departing from our bachelor midst we must try to comfort ourselves with the thought that we are not losing a friend, but gaining a Linda. Looking at it like that, what a bargain we’ve got."

Origami is the traditional Japanese art of folding shapes and designs out of pieces of paper. One of the popular origami shapes is the Japanese crane. Brides sometimes attempt to fold one thousand paper cranes before their wedding day to bring good luck to their marriage. Friends and family members often help with the task.

1. History of Origami

   • Origami paper-folding has been practiced in Japan for hundreds of years, beginning with methods of folding paper around official messages. One of the earliest examples of origami as the term is now used had to do with wedding traditions. Bottles of rice wine were decorated with paper butterflies for wedding presents. Origami was originally referred to by other terms such as "orikata." The first book dedicated to folding 1,000 paper cranes is "Senbazuru Orikata," written in 1797.

   Lore of the Crane

   • The crane has an important role in Japanese legend and symbolism. Because cranes mate with one partner for a lifetime, they are seen as symbols of loyalty and a happy marriage. A 17th century artist named Sotatsu painted a 50-foot scroll showing a thousand cranes, and ever since the image of 1,000 cranes has been part of Japanese culture. The crane was also known as "the bird of happiness," and cranes were thought to be able to live for hundreds of years.

   Sembazuru

   • The task of folding a thousand origami paper cranes by hand is called "sembazuru." According to the lore of origami, anyone who successfully completes a sembazuru has earned the right to a single wish. The wish could be for healing or good luck, for example, but in the context of a wedding, the wish is for a long and happy marriage. The person undertaking a sembazuru is not traditionally expected to do it alone. Not only can friends and relatives assist, it is considered luckier if they do.

   Cranes and Japanese Weddings

   • The sembazuru is only one of the crane symbols often found in traditional Japanese weddings. Because cranes are monogamous birds, they are considered a symbol of a harmonious marriage. They are also associated with longevity and financial success, so the crane is a favored symbol for every aspect of a Japanese wedding. The bridal kimono may have crane imagery, and there are also crane decorations, crane ice sculptures and crane cakes.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: Japanese wedding, paper cranes, Because cranes, folding paper, good luck, happy marriage, hundreds years