Maske
- Tibet [Land/Region]; Hemis [Kloster]
- Hermann von Schlagintweit (Collector)
- ca . 1840 - 1855
The so-called audience tablet (hu) was originally a flat ritual tablet used for taking notes and signalled bureaucratic rank at the Chinese imperial court. The highest-ranking officials – i.e. those belonging to the first five of nine ranks – were allowed to use tablets made of ivory. When an official spoke he would hold the tablet in front of his mouth as a token of respect for the emperor.