Originating as primal talismans to ward off misfortune, red cords later merged with jade, agate, and bone beads in ceremonial artifacts. In Buddhism, they symbolize “binding karmic ties”—The Medicine Buddha Sutra describes them as tools to dissolve karmic obstacles. Tang-era temples hung red threads for blessings, a practice enduring today. Han Chinese weddings feature a “red thread binding” ritual, signifying predestined unions, which inspired the tradition of women wearing red cords for luck.