# Thunder fret

雷文 raimon

![Thunder fret](https://www.furoshiki.com/swatches/raimon.svg)

A square-spiral meander for thunder. Thunder brings rain for crops, so it stands for protection and prosperity; Chinese in origin, often used as a border.

Ancient China (Shang and Zhou bronzes)

The square spiral grew out of Shang-dynasty pictographs for clouds and thunder and decorates Shang and Zhou ritual bronzes, standing for rain and abundance. It continued on Chinese ceramics and textiles and came to Japan as a Chinese ornament, used on textiles, architecture and as a border. In modern Japan it is best known as the band around ramen bowls, a nod to the dish's Chinese roots.

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Source: https://www.furoshiki.com/patterns/raimon/