Hu (ritual baton)

A () is a flat scepter originating from China, where they were originally used as narrow tablets for recording notes and orders. They were historically used by officials throughout East Asia, including Japan, Korea, Ryukyu, and Vietnam. They are known as in Japan, and are worn as part of the ceremonial outfit. They continue to be used in daoist and shinto ritual contexts in some parts of East Asia. The use of the originated in ancient China, where the Classic of Rites required a to have a length of two six , and its mid part a width of three (笏長二尺六寸,中宽三寸). Originally, the was held by officials in court to record significant orders and instructions by the emperors. From the Jin dynasty onwards, following the increased proliferation of paper, the became a ceremonial instrument. In China, it was customary to hold the with the broad end down and the narrow end up. The was originally used at court for the taking of notes and was usually made of bamboo. Officials could record speaking notes on the tablet ahead of the audience, and record the emperor's instructions during the audience. Likewise, the emperor could use one for notes during ceremonies. The eventually became a ritual implement; it also became customary for officials to shield their mouths with their when speaking to the emperor. A can be made of different material according to the holder's rank: sovereigns used jade (similar to, but not the same as, the ceremonial jade sceptre, ()), nobles used ivory, and court officials used bamboo. A is often seen in portraits of Chinese mandarins, but is now mostly used by daoist priests (). The Buddhist deity King Yama, judge of the underworld, is often depicted bearing a . During the Tang dynasty, court etiquette required officials to wear the in their belts when riding horses. The chancellor was provided with a rack, which was carried into the palace. After an audience, the could be left on the rack. Lesser officials had bags, which were held by their attendants.