Red thread of fate

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The red thread (Chinese: 紅線; pinyin: hóngxiàn) is a motif, derived from Chinese folklore, that symbolizes the belief that certain people will meet and are connected by fate. The Taoist deity in charge of "the red thread" is Yuexia Laoren (Old Man under the Moon), who is in charge of marriages. While Yuexia Laoren remains an important deity in Taoism, the legend of his red thread of fate has been appropriated by cultures outside of China, often losing its religious context and association with him. In the original Chinese myth, the thread is tied around both parties' ankles, while in Japanese culture it is bound from a male's thumb to a female's little finger. In modern times, though, it is common across both these cultures to depict the thread being tied around the fingers, often the little finger.

Read on Wikipedia · Image PulauKakatua19, CC BY-SA 4.0