Legend of the red thread of destiny

Love is a universal feeling. By antonomasia it is considered to be an essential element to be able to lead a life with total fulfillment. People live and depend on experiencing this feeling in its various forms. It is not only about being in love, even love is also the one that arises in a friendship, between blood brothers and especially the one that a mother or father professed for their children.

However, sometimes people wonder how it is generated or why it unites certain people. It could be a coincidence or also a design of destiny. But even some consider that it is a fact that has already been written since before our birth, people could be connected by an invisible force .

In different cultures they will flex on this issue. For this reason, several stories or legends arise that formulate different theories that describe their origin. One of the most popular is the one known as “The Legend of the Red Thread of Destiny.” Considering that there are several versions of this same story, we describe and analyze each of them below.

Where are you from?

This legend is usually related to oriental culture, specifically Chinese and Japanese culture . Approximately millions of years of existence are counted, it is practically difficult to identify with precision when this history was created or written.

It is popularly said that this legend refers to the ulnar or ulnar artery , which connects the little finger with the heart. However, it must also be taken into account that other versions point to the reference of the ring finger, traditionally used to wear the wedding ring whose meaning is similar. In both cases, a strong symbolism is observed where love will endure forever as well as being the source of life.

The truth is that in Japanese mythology love is one of the most important elements, which is why it is venerated and also deepens in relation to this issue through the reflection of legends similar to this one. Culturally it has a great wealth due to the fact that there are several legends where the central theme is love.

The expansion of this legend to other cultures can easily be seen in the symbolism of intertwining the little fingers of two people. This union can symbolize spiritual and emotional connection , but it can also symbolize shared interest and romantic union. It is even an act used to support or give more emotion to a promise.

There are different versions of this same story, these are integrated both in Chinese mythology and also in Japanese mythology. They present some variations that, however, do not modify the essence and message of said history. The most widespread premise describes a magical cord a red thread which joins two souls that belong to each other.

What is it about? 

Considering the different versions that exist to date of this same story, the initial premise must be analyzed. Basically it is a legend which describes the existence of a magic cord or invisible red thread, this is a connector that keeps two people or souls tied . This union remains constant despite the passage of time and distance.

It also includes the affirmation that this invisible thread unites people from birth and will accompany them for the rest of their mortal lives. However, some versions also support the possibility that even after death this union persists. 

Said thread may be tangled to a greater or lesser extent depending on the circumstances that both individuals must live through. Eventually both will have to meet again , said thread decides the future as well as when the encounters that they should experience will occur.

The red thread represents eternal and deep love , it is the symbolic representation of a universal feeling. It is not only about the love that a loving couple can profess, it also refers to a mother’s love for her children, friendship and brotherhood. Some may interpret it as a version of chance or fate.

What is your most accepted version of the legend of the red thread of destiny?

The most accepted and widespread version of this legend describes an emperor who decides to seek the help of a very powerful witch. She lived in one of the provinces of her kingdom and is said to possess the ability to observe the red thread of destiny . Consequently, the emperor demands to speak with her to guide him and find the other end of his own thread.

Once this meeting happens, the witch is ordered to find the other end of the thread in order to find the future wife of the emperor . He agrees to help and begins to follow the thread that will be tied to the little finger. The search leads her to a humble area where there is a market, there was a poor peasant woman with a baby in her arms. In the presence of the emperor, the witch points out that the thread ends there.

His reaction was to order the poor peasant to stand up, the emperor observes her but is not satisfied with this result. He expresses his discontent and rages, believing that he has been deceived by the witch , consequently in his outburst of fury he pushes the peasant who was still carrying the baby in her arms.

After falling to the ground, the baby has a large wound on her forehead . Later the guards by order of the emperor arrest the witch, the punishment she receives is beheading. After this incident, the emperor had no further contact with the peasant and the baby, it would take many years for the emperor to finally really understand what had happened.

When it was time to marry the emperor came to the aid of the court, the recommendation he received was to marry the daughter of a high-ranking General . Affects this proposal and prepares for the wedding day, during this event is when he would meet for the first time who would become his wife.

On the wedding day for the first time he observes his future wife in the distance, she walks inside the temple wearing a long and beautiful dress with a veil. Because your face is completely covered, you will not be able to observe it closely until you get closer. Once they are face to face she allows him to lift the veil, once he has done this he realizes that the beautiful face of his wife has a large scar on her forehead .

According to this version , love is not the product of chance . In that incident where he pushed a mother with her baby in her arms, the emperor had not realized that the witch was referring to the little girl and not the mother. However, the unique scar on his forehead that was caused by it, would serve as a sign to realize the mistake he had made in the beginning.

Other versions and sources 

Another popular version of this same story begins by relating the existence of an old man who lives on the moon . This person will be in charge of looking for soul mates every night, they are predestined to join in life during their stay on earth. Once he finds two of them, he proceeds to join them by means of a red thread so that they do not get lost, it will help them to meet at some point in their lives.

There is also another variation in which the red thread can be found around the little finger or at the ankle. This is tied from the moment of birth, the gods are in charge of selecting and uniting those people who are destined to meet at a specific time. Specifically, the Chinese version makes mention of the Moon God , this is the ruler of marriages and is the architect of these unions.

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Alexa Clark specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She has experience in listening and welcoming in Individual Therapy and Couples Therapy. It meets demands such as generalized anxiety, professional, love and family conflicts, stress, depression, sexual dysfunction, grief, and adolescents from 15 years of age. Over the years, She felt the need to conduct the psychotherapy sessions with subtlety since She understands that the psychologist acts as a facilitator of self-understanding and self-acceptance, valuing each person's respect, uniqueness, and acceptance.

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