Hu Tablet

Hu tablets, commonly referred to as audience tablets, (baohu) precious tablet were narrow carved and sometimes curved wood strips held by high Chinese court officials that became a sign of their official status. During the Han dynasty, they were required for formal dress worn as girdle pendants, and during the Tang they were ivory tablets used as a scepter and writing surface for memoranda in formal presentations to higher court officials to take notes of the emperor’s instructions held at chest level as they bowed to him. They continued to be a sign of high rank until the end of the Ming dynasty, but the tradition of symbolically portraying officials with hu tablets persisted through the Qing dynasty. In Taoism they were based on the ones at court but were religious objects held by priests used for ritual audiences with Taoist deities during ceremonies and rituals. On home altars Taoism priest images held them with both hands in front of them often with a cloth over the hands symbolizing they were in the presence of a Taoist deity.