"Chinese frogs" redirects here. For amphibians found in the country of China, see
Frogs of China.
A pankou (simplified Chinese: 盘扣; traditional Chinese: 盤扣; pinyin: pánkòu, also called huaniu (Chinese: 花纽; pinyin: Huāniǔ; lit. 'flower buttons') or panhuaniu (Chinese: 盘花纽) in China, or frog knots, frogs,[1]: 40 [2]: 253 Chinese frog closures and decorative toggles in English[3][4][5]) is a type of ornamental braiding closure made out of cord, consisting of a button (oftentimes a Chinese button knot for a traditional oriental style[6]: 76 ) and a loop; it is used to fasten garments without creating an overlap.[1]: 40 Its purpose is to act as a fastener as well as providing a decorative closure for the garment.[1]: 40 It is especially used on the cheongsam, where the frog represents the cultural essence of the dress.[7]
Quick Facts Type, Material ...
Pankou (Frog) |
Type | Fastening made of fabric |
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Material | Diverse, including silk |
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Place of origin | At least the Song dynasty (960–1279 AD), China |
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Quick Facts Pankou, Chinese name ...
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Frog fasteners are usual to garments of Asian design, such as a shirt or coat with a mandarin collar, which features frog fasteners at the shoulder and down the front of the garment. In the design of a garment, frogging is the use of braided, frog fasteners is a detail of the overall design of the garment.[2]: 253