The sounding whip traces back to the Tang and Five Dynasties and descends from an older Zhou practice of clear…
The sounding whip traces back to the Tang and Five Dynasties and descends from an older Zhou practice of clearing the way with a whip. Two palace attendants bore it; its scabbard was wrapped in red silk and dipped in wax so that a strike on the ground produced a sharp, attention‑commanding crack. It punctuated imperial processions, marked the close of great sacrifices, and was used in audiences and banquets to call for silence and restore order.