{"product_id":"damfool-bio-a-bioe-extrait-de-parfum","title":"Damfool Bio á Bioé (Ask of Ancestor) Elixir de Parfum","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThis is the *jiao*—a ritual every Fujian kid grows up knowing, like tying shoelaces or dodging rain.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTop: \u003c\/strong\u003eAlmond, Lemon, Hay\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMiddle: \u003c\/strong\u003ePatchouli, Incense, Redwood\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBase:\u003c\/strong\u003e Benzoin, Cypress, Juniper\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s two smooth, crescent-shaped wooden blocks—carved from camphor wood, some say, though most just call them “the cups.” You cup them in both hands, close your eyes, whisper your wish straight to the gods (no filter, no polite small talk), then toss them down like dice.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne flat side = yin. One rounded side = yang. If you get one of each? That’s a “sheng jiao”—“holy throw.”  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe god’s nod. Yes. Done.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe do it twice a year, Qingming and Winter Solstice, same altar, same setup: whole chicken, steamed fish, braised pork belly, sticky rice cakes, candied kumquats, three cups of tea, three cups of rice wine, and yes, even a bowl of noodles (gods love longevity, apparently). And right in the center? Those two little wooden cups, waiting.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight the incense. Kneel. Press your forehead to the cool floorboards. Let the smoke rise slow, thick, fragrant and carry your wish up, up, up... Then? You wait. Not too long. Just long enough for the smoke to curl, for your breath to settle. Then—you throw.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’d brought thick gold paper and fat red incense sticks, offered them to the ancestors and household deities in the *gongma* hall. Held the cups tight, whispered my heart out—then tossed. *Clack.* Both landed flat-side up.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Xiao jiao.* A “laugh throw.” Translation: *Nah. Try again.*  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn old man with a cane and one leg shorter than the other shuffled over, squinted at the cups, then nodded toward the gold paper stack. “Two more layers,” he said, voice raspy but kind. “Then it’ll be *hao shi*.”  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(That’s Minnan for “it’ll get done” – not magic, just momentum.)  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo I added them—folded, stacked, lit the corners and knelt again. Hands pressed together. Breath held. Tossed.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Clack.*  \u003cbr\u003eOne flat. One round.  \u003cbr\u003e*Sheng jiao.*  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe god didn’t shout. Didn’t flash lightning. Just... nodded. Quietly. Like He’d been waiting all along.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Damfool samples are approximately 1mL in partially-filled vials.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Damfool","offers":[{"title":"30mL","offer_id":45433562923065,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Sample","offer_id":45433562955833,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0628\/1324\/1401\/files\/2026-01-31_082939_820-scaled_85db1849-9230-4425-ba18-ef9bfb264f18.jpg?v=1771648897","url":"https:\/\/stele.nyc\/products\/damfool-bio-a-bioe-extrait-de-parfum","provider":"Stéle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}