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Guardian Series · S925 sterling silver
Cangyan · The Flame Guardian
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$98 Duties and shipping to the US included
The horned roof cat of Heqing, chased by hand in solid sterling silver and antiqued so every fang and whisker shows. 32 × 30 mm, 11.9 g: big enough to read as a face, light enough to forget you have it on. Ships with two cords.
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Ships in 7–12 days from Kunming, tracked. US duties prepaid, nothing to pay at the door.
Arrived damaged? Send a photo within 7 days, we resend free.
Pendant 32 × 30 × 5.7 mm · 11.9 g · S925 sterling, stamped · nickel-free · cords 70 cm, knot to adjust
Six hundred years on the roof ridge
Since the Ming dynasty a clay cat has sat on the ridge above the front door of Yunnan houses. It is called a cat, but it is a tiger: the 王 mark on its forehead is the tiger’s, and the mouth is wide open not to roar but to swallow whatever bad luck is heading for the house. The belly is hollow from mouth to tail, so misfortune passes through and fortune stays. It looks out, not in. The things a builder could not fix were handed to it.
Cangyan is the Heqing type, the one that grows a horn. We did not copy the clay; we translated it. A silversmith chased the face by hand, cast it in sterling, darkened the whole piece and then polished the high points back, so the relief reads from across a room and the hollows stay dark.
What comes in the box
- The pendant, stamped S925 inside the bail
- Two cords: black waxed cotton for every day, brown suede for weekends
- A meaning card: the open mouth, the horn, the orb, the stare
- A silver polishing cloth and a velvet pouch
- White gift box, ready to hand over
Is it real silver?
Yes. S925 sterling, stamped inside the bail, with a hand-applied antique finish. It is nickel-free. Sterling darkens slowly with wear; the cloth in the box brings the high points back in a minute.
Why does mine look slightly different from the photo?
Because each one is chased and finished by hand, in small batches. Depth of the antiquing and tiny marks in the relief vary from piece to piece. That is the point of buying one made by a person.
How do I look after it?
Wipe it with a soft cloth before and after wearing. Take it off for swimming, showers, sport and perfume. Store it in the pouch, sealed, when you are not wearing it.
How should I wear or place it?
On the roof a Wamao always faces outward, toward whatever is coming. Wear the pendant the same way, face out, at the sternum. If you hang it at home instead, put it near the door or by your desk, looking toward the room’s entrance.
How is it different from a Maneki-neko?
The Japanese beckoning cat raises a paw to call customers and money into a shop. The Wamao guards a home: it faces outward from the roof and eats what should not come in. One invites, one protects.
Shipping, duties and returns
Tracked shipping from Kunming, 7–12 days to the US. Duties are included. If it arrives damaged, send a photo within 7 days and we resend free. Change of mind: return within 30 days with the box, cords and cloth, buyer pays postage.
