White Copper Leizu Talisman Reversible Pendant

Leizu in full is the Heavenly Worthy of Universal Transformation of the Sound of Thunder of the Nine Heavens, the deity who presides over thunder ritual in Daoism. The taboo name is a separate matter: a god's title taken apart, deformed and stacked into a form ordinary people cannot read is called a hui. In Daoist circles these names are not shown lightly, there are rules for writing them, and wearing one is another use again. In a Daoist temple Leizu sits at the center with the thunder ministry ranged on either side, an imposing arrangement; shrunk to a plaque, all that survives is a symbol.

The flipping mechanism is an axle running through the body of the plaque, and the plaque turns on it. The lugs above and below the axle have to be true; off a little and the turn is stiff. This structure costs more work than a single-faced plaque, since both faces have to be made and the patterns have to correspond, so that when it turns you cannot see at a glance that the thickness is uneven. The ends of the axle should be rounded so they do not scratch where they show. The two faces usually differ: characters on one and a pattern on the other, or relief on one and incision on the other.

In antiqued white copper the strokes of the taboo name sit down in the hollows, black and deep, while the raised ground stays bright. A taboo name is not meant to be read in the first place, and the strokes are dense, so they merge easily in casting; merged in metal they become a smear. You do not need to read it. Whether each line stands on its own is something the eye takes in at a glance. The color sits down in the channels, and when the plaque turns, light runs along the raised lines.

Worn at the chest, the turn is a movement of the hand: you flick it when you are idle and the face goes over and comes back. The axle is a moving part and dust is its enemy, since dust makes it stiff. Do not oil it; oil attracts dust. Wipe the two ends of the axle with a dry cloth instead. Take the piece off to shower, because water gets into the axle gap and leaves a rust line in time. An axle too tight will not turn, and one too loose lets the plaque turn by itself, flipping over after two steps. The tension is something you can only judge by hand.

The subject is specialized, so think about whether the person you are giving it to will take it before you buy. Someone who practices the tradition knows what it is; someone who does not sees a decorated plaque, and there is no conflict in that. Put a slip of paper in the box giving the name and where it comes from. That saves a long explanation and avoids getting it wrong. Do not use an elaborate box for the packaging; something plain suits this kind of object better.