White Copper Heavenly Master Totem Pendant

The Heavenly Master on this plaque stands upright, crowned, a sword in one hand, the folds of his robe pressed down to bare essentials. His face is no bigger than a fingernail, the features set with two or three cuts, and much is left blank between brow and eye. From a distance it reads as a mass of energy; up close it resolves into an old man. The background is left flat, lifting the figure off the ground, and a narrow border runs the rim so the plaque does not look thin. The four corners are rounded off, so it will not catch on clothing.

In Daoism the title of Heavenly Master is specific. It belongs to the line of Zhang Daoling, who is said to have founded his teaching on Mount Heming in Sichuan; later disciples carried the name, and Dragon Tiger Mountain became the ancestral seat of that branch. In folk use the Heavenly Master is a guardian figure, painted, sculpted and cut into plaques to be carried on the body. What people want from him is the idea of keeping things in check. This is not the same as the temple image that receives incense and offerings.

The depth of a relief is a matter of judgement. Press it too deep and the face collapses; press it too shallow and side light smears everything together. On this piece the modelling stays in the middle range, the folds of the robe shallowest, the sword and crown heaviest, so the eye settles on the head without being told to. After casting there is a pass of hand finishing: the casting seams are cut away and burrs in the corners are rounded. That stage takes the most labour, and machine-pressed pieces often skip it, which is why their edges feel like a thin blade.

The difference between the pendant on its own and the necklace is the chain. If you already own a chain and want to ring the changes, take the pendant alone. If you would rather not assemble anything, take the necklace and wear it straight out of the box. The chain is fine, and the pendant hangs a little below the collarbone, which holds its own over a crew neck or a shirt. The hole at the top is not large, so the clasp has to open to pass through it. Check the clasp type before ordering rather than discovering at home that it will not fit and having to buy another chain.

White copper worn against the skin shows its true nature in summer. The salt in sweat stays on the surface and a mist forms within a day or two. It looks like dirt, but it is the copper oxidising. Press a soft cloth along the lines of the carving rather than rubbing in circles, and put the piece away when you are done. Take it off before showering; what is in shower gel will make the colour mottle. The back, the side against the skin, darkens slowly while the front stays bright, and over time that gives the piece depth. It is not a fault. Old pieces have all come along the same road.