Wooden Command Arrow Plaque
Authorities used wooden plaques such as this one to issue commands in Yunnan and other frontier regions. Because many ethnic minorities could not read Chinese characters, these commands were conveyed through recognizable markings on the plaques and by the individuals who delivered them. The inscription “Surveyor Committee Member Tao dispatched by the Central Government,” engraved on this tablet, refers to Tao Yun-kui, who acquired the artifact for the IHP collection. According to Tao’s own explanation, the single notch at the top indicates that the central government was sending one individual, Tao himself, while the eight small notches at the bottom indicate that local authorities were to send eight individuals to accompany him on the survey. However, since notches could carry multiple interpretations, it was also necessary for the community members delivering the plague to convey the instructions orally. In urgent cases, a chicken feather or piece of charcoal would be attached to the tablet to express urgency.
- Item No.
- E00137
