In ancient China, the sign held by officials when attending court was called "Hu Ban," also known as "Shou Ban," "Yu Ban," or "Chao Ban." It was a tool used by ancient Chinese subjects when facing the emperor.
In ancient times, when Chinese civil and military officials met the emperor, they held the Hu Ban in both hands to record the emperor's orders or intentions. They could also write down what they wanted to report to the emperor on the Hu Ban to prevent forgetting.
Officials of the fifth rank or higher held ivory Hu Ban, while officials of the sixth rank or lower held Hu Ban made of bamboo or wood. In the Ming Dynasty, it was stipulated that officials of the fifth rank or higher should hold ivory Hu Ban, while officials of the fifth rank or lower did not hold Hu Ban. Since the Qing Dynasty in China, the use of Hu Ban has been discontinued and abandoned.
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