of 1,000
0 to go
Folding 1,000 origami cranes takes time, patience, discipline, dedication and understanding. These same qualities are vital for a marriage to last. This is why the symbolic meaning of hand-folding 1,000 cranes for a wedding is so powerful and significant.
According to Japanese lore, folding 1,000 Origami Cranes is truly a labor of love. Tradition holds that the bride who finishes this task, called 'sembazuru', before her wedding day will be richly rewarded with a good and happy marriage. Paying homage to the majestic crane, which mates for life and is said to live one thousand years, the bride ensures her own good fortune and an auspicious beginning to the marriage.
In Japanese, Chinese and Korean tradition, cranes stand for peace and long life. In Japan, the crane is known as 'the bird of happiness' and is often referred to as 'Honorable Lord Crane'. Folded white paper origami cranes are often placed at memorial parks to symbolize peace. As symbols of longevity, they are often shown in works of art with other symbols of long life such as pine trees, tortoises, stones and bamboo. The Japanese have traditionally given 1000 folded paper cranes in a rainbow of colors (known as 'senbazuru') to ill people to wish them a quick recovery.
Cranes are also associated with fidelity because they pair for life and are devoted to their partners in all seasons. Both male and female cranes work together to build their nest and care for their young. Additionally, cranes are associated with good fortune and prosperity so they are often painted with the sun, which is a symbol of social ambition. In Asia, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a wish come true.
Currently Courtney is on crane number 1000 of 1,000. Only 0 to go.
