Spring & Autumn Handmade Woven Pendant | Gourd | Imperial Sand for Warding Off Evil & Mitigating Tai Sui | Gift Box

**The woven cord is an original design, entirely handmade. If you like it, you can send a private message for a custom order.** The cord length is adjustable. The actual item is more exquisite and beautiful than the photos. **> Colors** All photos are taken in natural light. Colors may vary due to different equipment, weather conditions, and screen displays. Please be aware! **Cinnabar is a natural mineral. Even within the same category of cinnabar, different batches will exhibit natural color variations.** Purple-gold sand is dark red with a noticeable granular texture. Imperial sand is deeper than bright red, fine, and lustrous. Red sand is bright red and finer. **Cinnabar ornaments are made by molding cinnabar powder with amber powder, then meticulously hand-carved.** Due to the different craftsmanship for round beads and intricate carvings, round beads are typically highly polished for a glossy finish. Intricate carvings are lightly polished to preserve the clarity and detail of the patterns, usually resulting in a matte finish. **> Spring Plowing, Autumn Harvest** **In this world, anything that unfolds, anything poetic, anything beautiful, often happens naturally, much like the turning of the seasons.** **Learn to slow down, clear your mind, treat life with gentleness, and respect the power of time. Allow everything to grow naturally, like a tree, focused and fearless, developing clear growth rings.** **Our craftsmanship is just the same!!** **> Cinnabar** In the earliest written records, cinnabar was referred to by a single character, "丹" (dān). This character is a pictograph, depicting the act of digging a mine shaft and extracting minerals from within. Thus, the character "丹" is essentially the character "井" (jǐng, well) with a dot in the middle, signifying the extraction of something from a dug mine. This "something" was cinnabar. Because cinnabar is red, often a deep red, "朱" (zhū) also means red. Later, "丹砂" (dānshā, red sand) came to be called "朱砂" (zhūshā, cinnabar). "丹" and "朱" describe the color, while "砂" describes the shape, referring to irregular granular minerals. The color of cinnabar is exceptionally enduring. Chinese calligraphy and painting are known as "丹青" (dānqīng), where "丹" refers to cinnabar. It is an indispensable component of the "Eight Treasures Ink Pad," with cinnabar as its main ingredient. From a Feng Shui perspective, cinnabar is collected from minerals that have absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, gathering the positive energy of heaven and earth. Therefore, cinnabar possesses a powerful yang magnetic field. You may notice that jade feels cool to the touch, while cinnabar held in the hand feels warm. Since ancient times, cinnabar has been used in Taoist rituals for drawing talismans, consecrating objects, warding off evil, and suppressing malevolent energies. Cinnabar has always been regarded as a supreme item for attracting good fortune, transforming luck, suppressing negative influences, dispelling evil, inviting blessings, and accumulating wealth. It carries auspicious meanings of overwhelming good fortune, prosperity, and well-being. The "Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing" (Classic of Materia Medica) lists cinnabar as a superior herbal medicine, often used in treatments for its properties to calm the spirit, detoxify, and alleviate insomnia and excessive dreaming. Living in modern times, owning a piece or two of cinnabar art can also cultivate one's character, nourish the eyes, and soothe the heart. **> Identification** **All cinnabar products in our store are high-content cinnabar with a significant weight. You can use the following methods for identification:** >. Burning cinnabar will turn it black. (Please heat it through a barrier. It is generally not recommended to directly burn finished products as controlling the time and area is difficult. If it turns black after prolonged heating, it cannot be restored.) >. Real cinnabar can draw orangey-red lines on paper. (To avoid damaging the aesthetic of the finished product, please choose an inconspicuous area to draw the line, or use the complimentary bead for testing.) **> Care** 1. Avoid Corrosion Cinnabar is a mineral and does not dissolve in water. However, frequent contact with chemicals such as soap and shower gel can corrode cinnabar. 2. Avoid Contact with Metal Objects The mineral elements in cinnabar can absorb metal ions, causing irreversible dulling and blackening of the cinnabar. 3. Avoid High Temperatures The mercuric sulfide in cinnabar only releases at temperatures of 380 degrees Celsius. Therefore, as long as you avoid exposing cinnabar ornaments to high-temperature environments, you can wear them with confidence. 4. Avoid Collisions with Hard or Sharp Objects Cinnabar has high hardness but is brittle; handle with care to prevent drops. 5. How to Clean If you find your cinnabar is dirty, do not soak it in water, as this can alter its original luster! You can wipe it a few times with a slightly damp cotton cloth and let it air dry for a while. 6. Oiling for Maintenance Apply a layer of white tea oil or olive oil to the finished product, allowing the surface to absorb the oil, making it more translucent and lustrous. After applying oil, seal it in a brocade box, perhaps wrapping it in a layer of plastic wrap to prevent the oil from staining the brocade lining. 7. Frequent Handling Frequently handle the cinnabar ornaments worn on your person with your hands. This allows a very thin layer of oil to adhere to the surface, making it appear more antique and elegant over time. The actual item is more exquisite and beautiful than the photos.