Qing Imperial Palace Mental Cultivation Hall: Hand Drum

CHINA, Beijing; Ming dynasty

The hand drum is an instrument commonly used in Tibetan Buddhist rituals. This particular drum was used by the Second, Third, and Fifth Dalai Lamas during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The hand drum consists of two conical resonators made of bone and joined in the middle. The drum heads are made of leather and painted with beautiful floral and dragon patterns, which have peeled off over time. Around the concave waist, there is a fine strap inlaid with turquoise, to which small rings with beaters are attached. A five-layer miniature banner decorated with pearls and tassels is tied to a turquoise ball fastened to the drum. The hand drum was originally kept in a round box, in which there are inscriptions in Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan recording its history and other details.