S925 Silver Pixiu Three-hole Bead DIY Charm

In folk belief the pixiu takes in and lets nothing out. Tradition says it feeds on gold and silver and does not excrete, which is why shopkeepers like one on the counter. The story is late but widely told, and many accept it. Pixiu come with and without horns: one horn is tianlu, two is bixie, though some make no distinction and call them all pixiu, and small pieces generally do not bother. A display pixiu usually faces the door; worn on the body, facing outward is enough, and there is no fixed rule.

A three-hole bead has one hole in and two out; it sits at the end of a bracelet and is also called a Buddha head. The cord comes in from the main beads, splits into two strands going out, and the knot hides inside, so the end of the strand closes cleanly. A small tower bead usually goes below it, point down, to finish the end neatly. Tower and three-hole bead should match in colour; one dark and one light breaks the line. The place is at the top, not the middle: fit it the other way and the strand is top-heavy. The tower points down, in the same direction as the Buddha head.

When a pixiu is made into a three-hole bead, the body is the passage and the head stays outside. So the beast's head has to be straight and the hole drilled dead centre; off a little and the whole strand sits crooked. The inside of the hole must be smooth for a thick cord to pass, and burrs inside will cut it. The two exits should be symmetrical in angle; if they are not, the strand twists. If there is a rim of burring inside, roll a fine sanding stick through it twice.

For a bracelet, choose dark main beads so the white of the pixiu holds its own. It can also be worn alone as a pendant with a ring added. A three-hole bead is heavier than an ordinary bead and drags at the wrist, so leave a little slack in the cord. A slender wrist does better with a smaller piece, which cannot carry a large one. Threading elastic through a three-hole bead needs a needle; forcing it will fray the mouth of the hole.

The pixiu's mouth and nostrils run through, so dust gets in. Brush from the mouth outward with a soft brush, not inward from outside. Silver darkens between the teeth first, and that black need not be cleaned; clean it and the beast's face goes flat. A three-hole bead is rubbed by the cord every day, and a groove at the mouth is only a matter of time; when it deepens, change the cord. Being heavier than the beads, a silver three-hole bead slides towards the back of the hand, so tie the knot tight. Blow the cord fibres out of the hole before it goes in the bag.