Pactzo: A Millennium-Old "Pet-Loving Culture" Reborn Today
In the vastness of Chinese culture, pets are never simple companions. They are vessels of emotion and symbols of the profound connection between humans, nature, and life itself. Inspired by traditional pet culture, we created the Pet Bond Pact —— a heartfelt piece that blends the essence of Chinese heritage with modern design.
📜 Brand Origin
A thousand years ago, a “Cat Adoption Pact” recorded the deep bond and guardianship between humans and their pets. In the Song Dynasty, calligrapher Zhu Changwen documented this pact:
“今欲畜猫，得一猫，毛白而黄斑，性温驯可爱，因纳之。愿其入吾门，屏鼠安宅，永为家宠。”
"I wish to keep a cat—one with white fur and yellow spots, gentle and lovable. Therefore, I accept it. May it enter my home, guard against mice, and forever be a cherished companion."
These few words capture more than just the cat’s appearance and temperament—they embody a tender yet solemn ritual. The relationship between humans and animals is not about “ownership,” but about “guardianship.”
Our Pet Bond Pact draws inspiration from this tradition, blending Eastern metaphysics and the culture of The Classic of Mountains And Seas (Shan Hai Jing) to elevate pet companionship into a meaningful, ritualized emotional contract. It carries the warmth of culture and witnesses every memorable moment—first meeting, birthdays, anniversaries, and a lifetime of companionship.
🔮 The Pet Bond Pact
Every symbol and inscription on the Pact holds deep meaning. Curious? Let’s take a closer look.
💫 Four Fantastic Beasts
On the pact paper, four fantastic beasts from The Classic of Mountains And Seas guard each corner, symbolizing that every pact is protected by sacred guardians—repelling negative forces and blessing the bond with peace and well-being year after year.
⭐️Northeast Corner: Bai Ze
Bai Ze is a legendary beast once encountered by the Yellow Emperor near the East Sea. It can speak the human tongue and knows all the demons in the world, distinguishing good from evil to help people avoid misfortune. Resembling a lion with clear, knowing eyes, it represents wisdom and protection.
Meaning: Bai Ze helps the owner see through confusion and dispel unease, bringing clarity and calm—just as it once helped the emperor restore peace to the world, now it guards the pure bond between you and your pet.
⭐️Northwest Corner: Ying Long
Ying Long is a winged dragon deity said to have helped the Yellow Emperor defeat Chiyou, using wind and rain to quell chaos. Master of storms, it symbolizes power and justice.
Meaning: Ying Long embodies courage and steadfastness. Its presence forms a powerful shield, helping you face life’s hardships without fear. Whether in challenging times or emotional lows, Ying Long leads the way and protects your path.
⭐️Southeast Corner: Luan Bird
The Luan is a majestic, multicolored bird known as the king of all birds. With its beautiful plumage and melodious song, it represents peace, harmony, and good fortune. It only appears in lands ruled with virtue.
Meaning: The Luan symbolizes emotional healing and inner balance. Like a pet that not only stays by your side but also warms your heart, it blesses the pact with comfort, hope, and loving memories.
⭐️Southwest Corner: Qilin
The Qilin is an auspicious creature known for its gentle temperament and compassionate heart. It is a symbol of peace and prosperity, often seen as a herald of a golden age.
Meaning: Qilin represents lasting protection and benevolence. It watches over the deep love between humans and pet—unfading with time, unbroken by parting. It carries a promise: may you and your companion be safe, healthy, and forever connected in spirit.
🦇 Bat Motifs
At the center of the pact lies a subtle ring of bat motifs. Though not a divine beast from Shan Hai Jing, the bat holds deep symbolic meaning in traditional Chinese culture. In Chinese, the word for bat (蝠fú) is a homophone for “blessing” (福fú), making bats a symbol of widespread good fortune. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, bat imagery was commonly used in art and decorative objects to convey wishes for happiness and peace.
We incorporated this symbolism as a discreet, embossed pattern encircling the heart of the Pact. Much like the role pets play in our lives—quiet, constant, and full of love—the bats represent a silent blessing. Their presence offers a gentle wish of “blessings everywhere,” silently protecting the pet owner and honoring the emotional bond between human and companion.
🐾 Bronze Beast Motifs
At the top of the pact, symmetrical bronze beast motifs frame the design. Known as taotie patterns, these iconic motifs date back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, where they adorned ritual bronzeware used to communicate with the heavens and spirits. Combining features of various mythical creatures, the bronze beast motifs is characterized by its powerful symmetry and awe-inspiring presence—symbolizing mystery, protection, and sacred authority.
We placed this motif at the head of the Pact to infuse it with deeper spiritual meaning:
- It serves as a divine witness to the heartfelt vow between human and pet.
- It stands as a symbolic guardian of the emotional bond.
The presence of the bronze beast motifs transforms this pact from a symbol of love and responsibility into a sacred ritual object—imbued with reverence, ceremony, and a timeless sense of guardianship.
May the heavens bear witness; may this protection follow always.
✍️ Central Inscriptions
At the heart of the Pact, a ring of poetic text unfolds — a piece we created by blending ancient literary style with a modern sensibility.
The passage reads:
“一只灵宠归凡尘，本在西天诸佛前，三藏带归家长养，灵契山海结善缘。
A spirit creature descends to the mortal world, Once before the Buddhas of the Western Heavens. Brought home by the master to be raised with care, Its sacred bond sealed by fate and the myths of mountains and seas.
白泽衔芝添福慧，应龙布雨护康安，鸾鸟鸣春驱疾厄，麒麟踏云守宅垣。
Bai Ze brings wisdom and blessings, Ying Long calls the rain to guard health and peace, Luan Bird sings away illness and sorrow, Qilin steps through clouds to protect the home.
何须驱驰效神工？攀花逐月自悠然，戏蝶眠星皆天性，伴君岁岁尽欢颜。
No need for labor to earn love— Chasing flowers and moonlight is joy enough. Playing with butterflies, sleeping beneath stars— These are its true nature.
日月同辉增寿考，乾坤共契两相全。”
May each year together bring joy, With sun and moon shining long, and harmony sealed under heaven and earth.
This verse carries three layers of meaning:
1️⃣ Fated Encounter: The pet is like a celestial being, destined to cross your path—an encounter born of fortune and grace.
2️⃣ Divine Protection: The four mythical beasts each bestow a blessing—wisdom, health, peace, and reunion—offering sacred guardianship to the bond between human and pet.
3️⃣ Companionship: A pet is not meant to serve, but to live joyfully and freely. In their presence, we find comfort, and growth. Under the turning of sun and moon, you and your companion walk side by side, sharing time and love.
✍️ Vertical Inscriptions
Along the left and right sides of the Pact, two vertical inscriptions preserve ancient phrases from the original Cat Adoption Pact of the Song Dynasty.
左曰：“西王母证知北不游”
Left side: "Verified by the Queen Mother of the West—northward it shall not roam."
右曰：“东王公证见南不去”
Right side: "Witnessed by the King Father of the East—southward it shall not stray."
In ancient times, when adopting a cat, people would invoke the Queen Mother of the West and the King Father of the East as divine witnesses—praying that their beloved companion would remain safe and never wander far. These two deities represent the balance of Yin and Yang, guardians of the cosmic order—one symbolizing western Yin virtue, the other eastern Yang vitality.
By preserving this ancient invocation in our Pet Bond Pact, we honor a timeless desire: that the bond between human and pet remains unbroken. These sacred lines are printed on either side of the pact like a pair of watchful eyes—gazing quietly upon the center, and watching over the shared love between the two souls it connects.