Spring & Autumn Handcrafts | Original Macrame | Auspicious Cloud Gourd with Adjustable Cord | Imperial Sand for Warding Off Evil and Mitigating Tai Sui

**Original Design, Entirely Handmade. (Custom Order)** **Each bead, a keepsake; each thought, a wish.** Vermilion red is the essence of millennia of culture, a balm for the soul, a guiding light, a small temple connecting heaven and earth. **Evil spirits keep their distance, a steady heart achieves all, good fortune arrives naturally.** Raw Imperial Sand Gourd 20mm*32mm + 2 x High-Glaze Turquoise 6mm The braided cord is adjustable to any length. The actual item is even more exquisite and beautiful than the photos. (All photos are taken in natural light. Colors may vary depending on equipment, weather, and screen display. Please be aware!) **> Types** Water-Ground Sand, Imperial Sand, Purple Gold Sand, and Crystal Sand are all high-purity cinnabar. Their **primary differences lie in color, texture, hardness, and production methods.** **「Water-Ground Sand」** **True Chinese red, with a slight orange hue. The surface has a warm, matte luster that becomes brighter with wear, developing a patina.** The production method involves repeatedly grinding fine cinnabar particles into a paste, mixing with water, allowing it to settle, and collecting the upper "turbid liquid." This is then left to settle again (the water-grinding purification method). The bottom cinnabar mud is air-dried and then pressed using ancient techniques. Even on a cross-section, uniform, fine mineral flecks can be seen. **「Imperial Sand」** **The color is a brighter, more vibrant red, and it is harder.** The production method involves purifying natural raw cinnabar through multiple stages including **crushing/grinding/magnetic separation/water-grinding/high polishing**, followed by ancient pressing techniques. Imperial Sand has almost no visible mineral flecks on the surface, but has them internally. The surface is treated with **high polishing** to achieve a metallic sheen, especially under sunlight, enhancing its metallic quality. **「Purple Gold Sand」** **The color is a purplish-red, and its hardness is slightly lower than Imperial Sand.** The production method involves multiple stages of **crushing/grinding/screening** from natural raw cinnabar, but **without water-grinding purification**. Therefore, the surface is not as fine and has scattered small mineral flecks, giving a "starry sky" effect. **「Crystal Sand」** **The color is purplish-red and translucent.** Large particles of cinnabar are directly chipped from the cinnabar ore. Visible crystal grains are clear on the surface, and under light, each piece is transparent, emitting a fluorescent red glow. **> Spring Plowing, Autumn Harvest** **In this world, all unfolding, all poetic, all beautiful things often happen naturally, just like the turning of the seasons.** **Learn to slow down, clear your mind, treat life with gentleness, revere the power of time, and let everything grow naturally, like a tree, focused and fearless, growing clear growth rings.** **Our craftsmanship is just the same!!** **> Cinnabar** The earliest written records refer to cinnabar with a single character, "丹" (dān). "丹" is an ideogram. Ancient miners would dig shafts, and extract minerals from within the shaft. Thus, the character "丹" is essentially the character "井" (jǐng, well) with a dot in the middle, signifying something extracted from a mine. This something is cinnabar. Because cinnabar is red, often a deep red, "朱" (zhū) also means red. Later, "丹砂" (dānshā) became known as "朱砂" (zhūshā). "丹" and "朱" describe the color, and "砂" describes the shape, referring to irregular granular minerals. The color of cinnabar is permanent. Chinese calligraphy and painting are known as "丹青" (dānqīng), where "丹" refers to cinnabar. An indispensable component of pigments, "八宝印泥" (bābǎo yìnní, eight-treasure ink pad), also has cinnabar as its main ingredient. From a Feng Shui perspective, cinnabar is collected from minerals that gather the essence of the sun and moon, absorbing the positive energy of heaven and earth. Therefore, cinnabar possesses a powerful yang magnetic field. We can observe that jade feels cool to the touch, while cinnabar feels warm. Since ancient times, cinnabar has been used in Taoist rituals for drawing talismans, consecrating objects, warding off evil, and suppressing negative influences. Cinnabar has always been regarded as a supreme item for enhancing luck, transforming misfortune, suppressing malevolent forces, driving away evil spirits, attracting blessings, and accumulating wealth. It carries auspicious meanings of great fortune, wealth, and well-being. The "Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing" (Classic of Materia Medica) lists cinnabar as a superior herb, often used in medicinal treatments for calming the spirit, detoxification, and alleviating insomnia and excessive dreaming. Living in modern times, owning one or two cinnabar artifacts can also help cultivate one's character, soothe the eyes, and calm the heart. **> Authentication** **All cinnabar products in our store are high-purity cinnabar with a significant weight. You can use the following methods for authentication:** >. Burning cinnabar will turn it black. (Please heat it indirectly. It is generally not recommended to burn the finished product directly, as controlling the time and area is difficult. If it turns black after prolonged heating, it cannot be restored.) >. True cinnabar can draw an orangey-red line on paper. (To avoid damaging the appearance 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 jewelry to high-temperature environments, you can wear it with confidence. 4. Avoid Collisions with Hard or Sharp Objects. Cinnabar has high hardness but is brittle; be careful to prevent drops. 5. How to Clean If you find the cinnabar is dirty, do not soak it in water, as this will 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 lustrous and bright. If you apply oil and then seal it in a brocade box, you can wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap to prevent the oil from staining the brocade lining. 7. Frequent Handling Frequently handle the cinnabar jewelry worn on your body with your hands, allowing a very thin layer of oil to adhere to the surface. Over time, it will appear more ancient and elegant. The actual item is even more exquisite and beautiful than the photos.