Tie a Pan Chang/Mystic Knot With a Paper Template

Of the basic Chinese knotting knots, the Pan Chang Knot (also known as the mystic knot or the endless knot) is the most complex, but perhaps the most famous. Here we will show you how to make and use a paper template to guarantee pan chang knot tying success for complete beginners.

1. paper
2. pen
3. hole punch
4. 1m (1yd) string

You will need a 8cm or 3" square scrap of paper (approximately). Here I've stuck two sticky notes together for better contrast and clarity. You can easily just mark the back with "back". Precision is not needed. You will be creating an inner set of holes snug up against a square guide and an outer set of holes.

I could just say: make what you see, but here's how I think of it:

1. draw a square in the middle of your paper, approximately a third of the total width and height.
2. starting with inner hole 7, punch a hole above the square and aligned with the left edge
3. moving to inner 4, punch a hole below the square and one hole's space to the right of 7
4. back up to inner 8, punch a hole above the square and one hole's space to the right of 4
5. back down to inner 3, punch a hole below the square and one hole's space to the right of 8
6. rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat for inner holes 5, 2, 6, 1
7. outer hole 4 is directly across the square from inner 4, but above inner 7 and 8. Create a full set of outer holes.
8. label the holes as shown, front (purple) and back (blue).

My outer holes are double punched because the shoelace cords that I use need more space than a single hole, but most round cord will not need the extra space.

You will be using approximately 1m (1yd) of cord. Until you get to the weaving pass, it's possible go back to front by feel, but that's up to you.

1. up through outer 1, down through inner 1
2. flip template, down through outer 1, above the cord already there
3. flip template, up through outer 2, down through inner 2
4. flip template, down through outer 2, above the cord already there

1. up through outer 3, down through inner 3
2. flip template, down through outer 3 to the right of the cord already there
3. flip template, up through outer 4, down through inner 4
4. flip template, down through outer 4 to the right of the cord already there

1. up through outer 5, down through inner 5
2. flip template, down through outer 5, below the cord already there
3. flip template, up through outer 6, down through inner 6
4. flip template, down through outer 6, below the cord already there

1. up through outer 7
2. under 1, over 6, under 2, over 5
3. down through inner 7, flip template
4. over 6, under 2, over 5, under 1
5. down through outer 7 to the left of cord already there
6. flip template, up though outer 8
7. under 1, over 6, under 2, over 5
8. down through inner 8, flip template
9. over 6, under 2, over 5, under 1

You could go back through outer 8, but you're already done tying so ....

Check that all holes have been used and the weave looks regular on both sides.

If something has gone wrong, you can reverse back to the problem and try again. We will be destroying the template in the next step.

You can tighten the knot on the template if you want, but it will be more difficult to get all the paper out. Carefully tear the template from hole to hole and remove all the paper. Of course, if you can't see it when it's all tightened and you don't care, you can just leave some parts of the paper inside.

Remove cord slack, tighten the knot and even up the ears.

Being more deliberate, you could enclose a secret message, lucky coin, or other hidden (small and flat!) treasure inside the knot.