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A ''hossu'' (払子, Chinese: ''Fuzi'', 拂子; Sanskrit: ''vālavyajana'') is a short staff of
A ''hossu'' (払子, Chinese: ''Fuzi'', 拂子; Sanskrit: ''vālavyajana'') is a short staff of wood
Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...
or bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
with bundled hair (of a cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are called co ...
, horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
, or yak) or hemp
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...
wielded by a Zen Buddhist
Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
priest. Often described as a " fly-whisk" or "fly shooer", the stick is believed to protect the wielder from desire
Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of affa ...
and also works as a way of ridding areas of flies without killing them. The ''hossu'' is regarded as symbolic of a Zen teacher's authority to teach and transmit Buddha Dharma to others, and is frequently passed from one teacher to the next.
See also
* , wooden wands used in Ainu rituals * *Ruyi (scepter)
A ''ruyi'' () is a Chinese curved decorative object that serves as either a ceremonial scepter in Chinese Buddhism or a talisman symbolizing power and good fortune in Chinese folklore. The "ruyi" image frequently appears as a motif in Asian art ...
*
*
*
*
* Gohei
, , or are wooden wands, decorated with two (zigzagging paper streamers) used in Shinto rituals. It may be considered an Ōnusa with only two Shide.
The streamers are usually white, although they can also be gold, silver, jade, or a mixture of ...
References
Zen {{zen-stub