The fish is a Buddhist symbol of watchfulness, reflecting a belief that the fish never sleeps. This state of wakeful awareness is reinforced by the hollow sound of the muyu, a fish-shaped slit drum used to accompany Buddhist chant. Laid flat and struck on the red circle with a mallet in measured beats, this version, from Yunnan Province, is a less abstract rendering than most temple instruments. The muyu may also be found in vocal and instrumental ensembles of Guangzhou
