The art of folding paper stars has increased in popularity over the past year due to it being featured in several popular dramas and the craft being shown on various social media platforms.
Origami is a paper folding craft that originated in Japan. Originally known as oritaka, the word is derived from two other Japanese words: ori meaning “folding” and kami meaning “paper.”
During the early stages of origami, paper was more expensive and thus the craft was limited to the privileged class for religious and formal ceremonies.
In 1603, origami became more widespread in Japan due to the low costs of washi paper.
Origami paper stars are generally given as gifts to loved ones to symbolize good luck, love, and support. They also signify admiration and love for the recipient of the stars.
The tale of paper stars begins with a story of a little girl in Japan named Hoshi. Hoshi loved stargazing and admiring the stars in the night sky. While stargazing, she wondered how stars could shine so brightly in the sky.
One night, she saw the stars falling in a meteor shower and was saddened that the stars had fallen.
Because she wanted to keep the stars from falling, she had begun to fold paper stars for every star she saw fall out of the sky. That night, she had folded over a hundred paper stars.
The next day, there were only a few stars in the sky, so in a hurry, she ran to each home in the village and gathered more children to help her fold paper stars. They ended up making about two thousand stars, placing their stars in their own jars.
After folding so many stars, Hoshi and the children saw that the night sky was filled with stars the following day.
Origami paper stars were then given the title “lucky stars,” as the children believed for each star that was folded, a falling star was saved.
The Japanese folktale would soon spread throughout Asia and to other continents, making its mark in different cultures.
Paper stars have increased in popularity due to their presence in films and social media, such as the Chinese drama “Hidden Love” in which Sang Zhi, the main character, writes about her secret love in the paper stars she makes.
They are becoming more common gifts and oftentimes, people will write wishes on the inside of the paper before folding it.
Lucky stars symbolize love and grant good luck to those who receive a jar of them.
Tracy Nguyen
