Hidden in the mountains of Yunnan is a quiet kind of magic: the Tile Cat, known in Mandarin as Wamao. Traditionally, Wamao are clay roof ridge guardian beasts, once perched along the rooftops of Dali in northwest Yunnan. For generations, the Bai people, the region’s predominant ethnic community, have believed these fierce looking cats to be auspicious protectors that bless a household with enduring safeguard and welcome wealth.

This is the Flying Tile Cat, a modern, minimalist tribute to that living Intangible Cultural Heritage. Small in size yet brimming with reassurance, it is made to watch over the home, keep peace close, and invite fortune in, while carrying a bright wish for those who dare to rise: career soaring, goals reached, and success landing safely on the other shore. It holds its edge in silence, then leaps toward the sky, wise, bold, and always improving.

Each piece is entirely handmade. The artisan kneads the clay, shapes the form, paints it in a calm blue and white Qinghua palette, then fires it. Every step carries the warmth of time and the breath of the maker. No two are ever the same, so what you receive is not a replica but a one of one companion of good fortune.