The Taoist order tokens 道教令牌

Most of the Taoist Lingpai (order tokens) are made of wood or metal, in the shape of a rectangular prism, with patterns and characters carved or cast on all six sides. The Ming Dynasty's Shangqing Lingbao Jidu Dacheng Jinshu (Great Golden Book of Supreme Numinous Treasures for Universal Salvation) contains illustrations and texts of the Wulei Haoling Pai (Five Thunders Command Token). The front of the token in the illustration is carved with a coiled dragon around a sword blade, and the back has thunder command talismans, with a note: "The right token is made of jujube wood struck by lightning, five inches and five fen long, two inches and four fen wide, and five fen thick. It should be made according to the model on an auspicious day, with the names of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions engraved around its four sides, and stored in a brocade bag."

During rituals, Taoists often strike the token heavily on the altar to represent celestial deities or Celestial Masters, issuing orders to summon wind and rain, call forth gods and dispatch generals, either to descend to the ritual altar, escort the souls of the deceased, or exorcise evil spirits and subdue demons.