Why is the wooden fish in the temple called wooden fish?

The name of "Muyu" was first seen in the book "Xiuqing Rules" written by Zen Master Huaihai, a monk in the Tang Dynasty: "Muyu is said to wake up day and night and strike it with carved wood, so it is confusing."

Accordingly, wooden fish should be created by Buddhist monks to warn them not to forget to practice day and night.

It used to be said that the predecessor of Muyu was a simple wooden block called Mokpo, and later it was carved into the image of a fish, called Muyu.

Xiu Qing Rules was written by Zen master Baizhang Huaihai (720 ~ 8 14) when Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty arrived in Xianzong.

"Wooden fish, according to legend, fish often wake up day and night, and the carved wooden statue hits it, so it is confusing."

This means that Buddhist monks wake people up by tapping wooden fish. They should not be tired, lazy and groggy.

Extended data wooden fish shape:

The wooden fish is in the shape of a ball fish, with a hollow abdomen, an opening in the middle of the head, a tail curl, an inclined back (tapping part), a triangular side and an oval bottom; Olive-headed wooden pestle

Wooden fish vary in size and spacing. Large wooden fish used in temples, the front diameter is about 40 cm, and the largest is over 85 cm.

The round diameter of the small wooden fish is only 4 cm, and it is only used in the Buddhist ceremony of "going around the lotus" (around the Buddhist temple). There are five kinds of medium-sized wooden fish in common use, with a circular diameter of 7- 16 cm.

Baidu encyclopedia-Muyu