Jin Mao Hou Censer · 金毛犼香爐
The work and its making
Jin Mao Hou Censer金毛犼香爐
In-stock dispatch
In-stock version: estimated dispatch within 20–30 days after ordering. Presentation boxes are still in production; transit time is additional.
Surface & glaze
Dehua white porcelain finished with an antique-style glaze.
The work and its making
First 10 personally made by Chen Liling
The first 10 Jin Mao Hou censers are personally made by Chen Liling: US$3,880 for electric-kiln firing or US$4,180 for Taiping Gong Kiln wood firing (a US$300 premium). These 10 pieces are excluded from early-bird pricing and discounts. They form part of the existing worldwide edition of 99, not an additional edition. Two electric-kiln pieces personally made by Chen Liling are in stock. Individual numbering is confirmed with each order.
Standard version: electric kiln US$2,880; Taiping Gong Kiln wood firing US$3,130 (a US$250 premium). All making and firing versions share the same edition of 99, including the retained no. 00.
Handmade variations
This product is handmade. Slight variations in dimensions and weight between individual pieces are normal. Listed measurements are sample reference values.
Numbered C01-99-01 to C01-99-98 on the base (no. 00 is retained by the house), each with a collector's certificate matching the base mark. Pre-orders are accepted; delivery follows inspection and batch scheduling.
The Jin Mao Hou (“golden-maned hou”) is a lion-like creature of Chinese mythology and the mount of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, in Ming literature and religious art. Chapter 71 of Journey to the West explicitly identifies it as her mount. XIANSU draws on this cultural image to express wishes for protection, peace, prosperity and good fortune.
The censer
XIANSU's censer takes the Jin Mao Hou as its form, in Dehua white porcelain — the famed blanc de Chine. It is cast from an original model by Chen Liling, Fujian Provincial Master of Arts and Crafts, produced under her supervision and hand-finished. As incense burns, smoke rises slowly from the beast's mouth, like a quiet call skyward. The ancients believed rising incense carried their thoughts to heaven; we offer it as a way to return time to yourself.
Limited edition of 99
Each censer bears a unique hand-inscribed number on its base (C01-99-00 through C01-99-98) with the XIANSU seal and the Chen Liling studio seal, and comes with a certificate of collection matching the base number exactly. No. 00 is permanently retained in the brand archive; the public edition begins at No. 01.
Making and delivery
Choose electric-kiln or Taiping Gong Kiln wood firing. Mold-cast and finished by hand, with each piece individually inspected. Both firing methods share one global edition of 99, including the retained no. 00; there is no separate edition of 99 for each method. Production and delivery are arranged in batches; dispatch timing is confirmed according to the completion status of the ordered piece.
Dimensions
7.6 × 3.6 × 5.3 in · 19.2 × 9.1 × 13.4 cm — length × width × height, measured by hand at the widest points. Each piece is hand-finished, so measurements vary slightly.
The living censer
White porcelain remembers every fire — the richer the resin and the finer the wood, the deeper the patina. This is not a stain; it is a patina.
Use with the supplied pad
Place the supplied fire-resistant pad inside the censer before use, then position the incense securely on it. Allow the incense, pad and censer to cool completely before handling.
Care
Allow the piece to cool fully. Remove ash with a soft brush or cloth. Where suitable for the glazed finish, clean incense-oil residue with a little mild dish soap and a soft cloth, rinse and dry promptly; do not soak. Avoid impact, abrasive cleaners and thermal shock. Burn incense on a stable, heat-resistant surface with ventilation, and never leave it unattended.
Note
Each piece is hand-finished; slight variations in form and glaze are the mark of the maker's hand.
Weight
Approximate piece weight: 750.7 g, excluding outer packaging.
Further reading: the mount of Guanyin
In chapter 71 of Journey to the West (Ming dynasty; Chinese text), Guanyin identifies the creature known as Sai Taisui as her golden-haired hou and takes it back with her. This is a direct literary source for its identity as her mount.
The Henan Museum’s Thousand-Buddha Hall stele (1534; Chinese commentary) depicts Manjushri on a lion, Samantabhadra on an elephant and Guanyin on a golden-haired hou, providing a surviving historical example of the image.
Pre-order
Payment: 100% at checkout. Made-to-order purchases are paid in full when you place the order; this is not a deposit. Production and dispatch follow the lead time stated for the selected version. If we cannot dispatch within the stated time, we will contact you with a revised date and the choice to accept the delay or cancel the unshipped order for a full refund.
This release accepts up to 20 reservations in the electric-kiln made-to-order version of this model. Order availability represents reservation capacity, separate from the in-stock pieces shown beside the purchase button. Electric-kiln porcelain production generally takes 20–30 days after payment, excluding transit; special kiln schedules are confirmed separately. See our Shipping & Delivery and Returns & Refunds policies.
Limited edition: 99 pieces globally across all versions; this release allocation does not increase the edition size. Limited-edition pieces are final sale except as stated in our Returns & Refunds Policy.
Taiping Gong Kiln wood-fired editions are available by inquiry only. Electric-kiln editions accept paid made-to-order purchases.
Shaping the mane
A closer look at the making of Jin Mao Hou