Qing Imperial Palace Yuqing Palace: Hand Drum

CHINA, Beijing; Qing dynasty

Originally kept in the Yuqing Palace of the Imperial Palace in Beijing, the resonator of this hand drum is fashioned from jade, and the drum heads consist of a taut green fabric decorated with a pattern of dragons and clouds. The concave section is decorated with a gold band embedded with jade, attached to which is a ring with yellow labels, a small white ball, a plaque with beads, and five-color brocade ribbons with little bells at the ends.
A circular box, in which the drum could be stored, includes an inscription on the lid written in Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan referring to the date of creation.