Taoist cuff bracelet - Hei Bei Wu Chang - 925 silver

Taoist cuff bracelet - Hei Bei Wu Chang - 925 silver

This rare and exceptional Taoist cuff bracelet, a true collector's item, is composed of:
925 silver hallmarked according to international standards
Copper

Dimensions of this unique, handcrafted Taoist cuff bracelet:
22cm long by 30mm wide
Weight 85 grams
Large size.

WHO ARE THE HEI BEI WU CHANG?

In Chinese mythology, the Hei Bai Wu Chang are gods of death, fortune, protection and impermanence.

They are subordinates of King Yànwáng (燕王), the ruler of Hell, and are responsible for escorting souls to the afterlife.

The white guard is named Xie Bi An, and the black guard is called Fan Wu Jiu. Wúcháng (无常) translates into English as impermanence. Bai Wu Chang (白无常) means white impermanence and Hei Wu Chang (黑无常) means black impermanence.

Whether in traditional paintings, effigies or modern art, the two wu chang are always shown shoulder to shoulder, skinny and macabre, in exactly the same robes but reversed in color from each other. Hei dressed in black and Bai in white.
Sometimes the details of their robes complemented each other perfectly, white highlights on Hei's robes and black ones on Bai's. They also wear mitres, spells inscribed on the front of the headdress.

Bai Wu Chang is depicted with an extraordinary long tongue sticking out of his mouth.

According to folk legend, the Hei Bai Wu Chang were once two very close friends, Xie Bi An and Fan Wu She. Xie was tall, pale and thin and Fan was short, dark and stocky.

One day, the friends were walking by the river, when it started to rain, Fan invited Xie to stay under the bridge and stay out of the rain while he went home to get an umbrella.
On the way back to Xie, the rain became heavier and heavier, lightning flashed and thunder roared, turning the rain into a huge storm. But Fan continued, determined to keep his word.

The river flooded furiously, sweeping away Fan's small figure and drowning him in its waves. After the storm, Xie saw his friend's corpse and was heartbroken, wishing that he would die instead. He could no longer bear his grief and hung himself from a beam of the bridge.

When the souls of Fan and Xie traveled to the underworld, the lord of that realm, Yànwáng, was greatly moved upon hearing their story.
He renamed them Fan Hei Wu Chang, and Xie Bai Wu Chang and From then on, they were assigned to assist Qing Xi Cheng Huang, the city god, in looking after the peace and harmony of the mortal world, their task being to catch wandering souls in order to bring them to justice in the underworld.
Xie Bi An and Fan Wu Jiu are not Netherworld Beings or Hell Guards. They are considered deities of the mortal world, able to walk among us day and night.

Throughout the ages, folklore has shaped the image of Hei Bai Wu Chang in popular culture by accentuating the features of the once-living individuals, adjusting their height to give them the stature befitting the fearsome conductors of damned souls, thus symbolizing the perfect harmony between them and the perpetual reunion of these two companions.

Hei Wu Chang is often depicted wearing chains and handcuffs, attributes that have gradually replaced the cane in some contemporary versions. The bewitched inscription on his hat, 天下太平 (Peace under Heaven), testifies to his skill in hunting down lost souls.
His frightening appearance is meant to intimidate anyone who comes face to face with him.

Bai Wu Chang is depicted with a smile, his long tongue hanging out, recalling his tragic death by strangulation, carrying the umbrella that Hei had fetched for him before he drowned.

TRADITIONAL FUNCTION FOR WEARING THIS TAOIST CUFF BRACELET:
The Taoist Hei Bei Wu Chang cuff bracelet goes beyond its simple aesthetic function to traditionally offer deep spiritual protection and energetic harmony.

According to Taoist tradition, Hei Bai Wu Chang embody the forces of impermanence and transition, making them powerful guardians for those who wear them.

Their presence symbolizes protection against negative energies and spiritual guidance towards the path of balance and inner peace.

Wearing this bracelet could also influence the surrounding feng shui, harmonizing energies and repelling harmful influences .

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