In Japanese, Chinese, and Korean traditions, cranes stand for good fortune and longevity because of their fabled life span of a thousand years. Existing of fifteen species that inhabit five continents, the most majestic is the Japanese Crane, which stands almost five feet tall with a wingspan of more than six feet and a white body capped with its red crown. The Japanese refer to the crane as “the bird of happiness;” and the Chinese as “heavenly crane,” believing they were symbols of wisdom. The mighty wings of the crane were believed to be able to convey souls up to paradise and carry people to higher levels of spiritual enlightenment. Over time, the crane has also evolved as a favorite subject of the tradition of paper folding – origami. It is said that a thousand folded cranes, one for each year of its life, make a wish come true.
In Japanese, Chinese, and Korean traditions, cranes stand for good fortune and longevity because of their fabled life span of a thousand years. Existing of fifteen species that inhabit five continents, the most majestic is the Japanese Crane, which stands almost five feet tall with a wingspan of more than six feet and a white body capped with its red crown. The Japanese refer to the crane as “the bird of happiness;” and the Chinese as “heavenly crane,” believing they were symbols of wisdom. The mighty wings of the crane were believed to be able to convey souls up to paradise and carry people to higher levels of spiritual enlightenment. Over time, the crane has also evolved as a favorite subject of the tradition of paper folding – origami. It is said that a thousand folded cranes, one for each year of its life, make a wish come true.