The Red Thread of Fate: A Legend About Default Love

Of all the myths and legends that exist, one of the most romantic and magical is the one that talks about a red thread of fate, connecting fated people to love each other.

We tell you what this is about beautiful legend about destiny, what is its origin and what does the red thread symbolize for many people.

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The red son and destiny in love

The legend of the red son is a myth of Asian origin, existing in both Chinese and Japanese mythology, in which there is talk of the existence of a red thread of destiny that unites people from birth.

The myth tells that each person is born with an invisible red thread, tied by the gods when one arrives in the world, which is unbreakable and which always accompanies the person. In Chinese mythology this red thread is tied to the ankle, but in the Japanese version the thread remains attached to the little finger.

This red thread of destiny that accompanies us, is tied to a person at the other end. The myth tells that we are destined to meet this person, with whom we are united since we are born and that would come to be something similar to our soul mate, according to the myths Westerners.

The two people united by the red thread are destined to be lovers or live an important story, regardless of the distance or circumstances that separate them. According to this legend, everything is predestined and the red thread that binds us to our soul mate she is getting shorter and shorter.

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The legend of the red thread

Although the myth has spread throughout Asia, the original legend of the red string of fate comes from China, where it is also known as “the red thread of marriage”, since the person in charge of placing this thread is the lunar god of marriages, Yuè Lǎo.

However there are many variations of the same legend. In some they speak of a young man and a mysterious sage, in others of an emperor and a witch, but all of them tell the same story, in which destiny and predetermined love play an important role.

The tale of the emperor and the old woman

According to one of the most widespread legends about the red thread of destiny, there was a young emperor who wanted to find a wife and form a marriage. He came to the ears of him that a mysterious old woman was a connoisseur of destinies she and she could see each person's red thread, as well as know where each thread ended. The boy, eager to know who would be her future wife, ordered to bring this mysterious old woman to be able to know her fate.

The old woman arrived at the palace and the emperor ordered her to follow the red thread of fate tied to her finger, which of her would lead him to her predestined person, her soul mate. The woman began to follow the thread, accompanied by the emperor who couldn't wait to find out who was on the other side. After a long journey, they ended up in a market, in front of a peasant woman with a girl in her arms.

The old woman told the emperor that her red thread of fate ended there and that this was his future wife. The emperor believed he was being mocked by the old woman, since both the peasant and the girl were dirty and ragged. Outraged and furious, he pushed the peasant, causing both she and the girl in his arms to fall to the ground. Due to the fall, the little girl made a deep wound on her forehead that left a mark.

Many years later, the emperor he continued without a wife and was accumulating rejections of marriage proposals. One day his court recommended that he take the hand of the daughter of a very important general, to which the emperor ended up accepting and a marriage was arranged.

When the wedding day arrived, she unveiled her bride and saw that she was extremely beautiful. However she this she also had a strange scar on her forehead. For the future wife of the emperor was none other than the girl who was in the market in the arms of the peasant that day the old woman led him to the end of his red thread.

The red thread of destiny

Thus, both this legend and the other stories that have been transmitted about the red thread tell us about a destiny already written and predetermined. The two people bound by this red thread are destined to end up meeting at some point, sooner or later, no matter what circumstances stand in their way.

According to this belief, the universe is made up of threads that bind us together and guide our lives towards a certain direction. Nothing happens by accident and the events we experience are the work of fate. This idea so deeply rooted in oriental customs serves as a pretext to reinforce the culture of the arranged marriages, so widespread in countries like China or Japan, where this mythical legend.

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