Mokugyo | Sutra Drum | Wooden Fish

A wooden fish, also known as a Chinese temple block or wooden bell, is a wooden percussion instrument that originated from East Asia. In Japan it is called a Mokugyo. In Korea it is named a Moktak. The wooden fish is used by monks and lay people. It is often used during rituals usually involving the recitation of sutras, mantras, or other Buddhist texts. The wooden fish is mainly used by Buddhist disciples in China, Japan, Korea, and other East Asian countries use it in religious ceremonies. In most Zen/Ch'an Buddhist traditions, the wooden fish serves to keep the rhythm during sutra chanting. In Pure Land Buddhism, it is used when chanting the name of Amitabha.