Wooden fish

A wooden fish, also known as a muyu, moktak, mogeo, mokugyo, Chinese temple block, or wooden bell is a type of woodblock that originated from China that is used as a percussion instrument by monks and lay people in the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism. They are used in Buddhist ceremonies in China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and other Asian countries. They may be referred to as a Chinese block, Korean block or, rarely, as a skull.

Wooden fish often used in rituals usually involving the recitation of sutras, mantras, or other Buddhist texts. In Chan, Seon, Zen and Thiền Buddhism, the wooden fish serve to maintain rhythm during chanting. In Pure Land Buddhism, they are used when chanting the name of Amitabha such as during the nianfo/nembutsu.