Origami

   

  The Chinese invented paper almost 2000 years ago. Origami, the art of paper folding, is just as old. It is quiet possible that the art developed from the ancient custom of making paper houses, furniture,vehicles, and servants, as well as paper money, as part of Chinese funeral rites. These colored paper symbols are still burned at Buddhist funerals so the dead person can live in earthly comfort in the next world.
     In the 7th century A.D paper folding was brought to Japan. The Japanese depeloved many of China's art and crafts into their own form of expression. They found new methods of folding paper into pretty forms and imagines and made origami a highly creative art.
     From a few simple folds the Japanese make things of great beauty and realism. Some are used as religious symbols to decorate the temples. Others are good-luck symbols, such as tortoise and lobster, which are used as ornaments fastened to gifts.

     It was Japanese magicians who introduced some of the magical charms of paper folding to the western world. They were so expert that in quick movement they could make a bird or an insect to surprised and delight the audience. In recent years origami has become the universal world for the art paper folding.