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When my niece was five, she visited Cabela's, a chain of sporting goods retailers known for their in-store taxidermy decor. She gazed at the animals in wonder and exclaimed, "Look at all the origami!"
The art of paper folding is generally credited to Japan, but it actually developed simultaneously in China, where it is called zhezhi and was used ceremonially during funerals. Paper replicas of the gold nuggets used as currency were burned in memory of the dead, and folded models of objects that were important to the deceased were buried in the tomb.
Origami (or shall I say zhezhi?) plays a small role in my Asian novel, Song of the Mountain. It is just one of many distinctive cultural details I include in this prehistory fantasy to create a world that would one day evolve into historical China. The book, the first in a trilogy, is free everywhere. Download it today and join orphaned Song as he searches for his personal history and discovers danger, legends, and the important role he must play.
Song was a semi-finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review book awards, was reader-nominated for the 2013 Cybils Award, and was awarded a Readers’ Favorite 5 Star Seal.
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