Shang

The shang (Tibetan: gchang) is a flat ritual upturned handbell

Handbell

A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle — traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic — and moves the wrist to make the hinged clapper inside the bell strike...

 employed by Bön

Bön

Bön is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recently recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual school of Tibet, along with the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug schools of Buddhism, despite the long historical competition of...

po and Asian shamans. The sizes of the shang range from approximately 3 to 20 inches in diameter. It is traditionally held to have originated in Zhangzhung

Zhang Zhung culture

Zhang Zhung, Shang Shung, or Tibetan Pinyin Xang Xung, was an ancient culture of western and northwestern Tibet, which pre-dates the culture of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet. Zhang Zhung culture is associated with the Bön religion, which in turn, has influenced the philosophies and practices of Tibetan...

 and is symbolically similar to the tantric dril-bhu. Shang are traditionally consecrated

Consecration

Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups.A synonym for consecration is to...

 and made of sophisticated metallic alloy

Alloy

An alloy is a partial or complete solid solution of one or more elements in a metallic matrix. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may be homogeneous in distribution depending on thermal history...

. The Bönpo or shaman may use this instrument as a tool to 'caste' or 'throw' thought

Thoughtform

A thoughtform is a manifestation of mental energy, also known as a 'tulpa' in Tibetan mysticism. The thoughtform is also one of the expressed means of Samyama...

s.

The shang (Tibetan: gchang) is a flat ritual upturned handbell

Handbell

A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle — traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic — and moves the wrist to make the hinged clapper inside the bell strike...

 employed by Bön

Bön

Bön is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recently recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual school of Tibet, along with the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug schools of Buddhism, despite the long historical competition of...

po and Asian shamans. The sizes of the shang range from approximately 3 to 20 inches in diameter. It is traditionally held to have originated in Zhangzhung

Zhang Zhung culture

Zhang Zhung, Shang Shung, or Tibetan Pinyin Xang Xung, was an ancient culture of western and northwestern Tibet, which pre-dates the culture of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet. Zhang Zhung culture is associated with the Bön religion, which in turn, has influenced the philosophies and practices of Tibetan...

 and is symbolically similar to the tantric dril-bhu. Shang are traditionally consecrated

Consecration

Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups.A synonym for consecration is to...

 and made of sophisticated metallic alloy

Alloy

An alloy is a partial or complete solid solution of one or more elements in a metallic matrix. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may be homogeneous in distribution depending on thermal history...

. The Bönpo or shaman may use this instrument as a tool to 'caste' or 'throw' thought

Thoughtform

A thoughtform is a manifestation of mental energy, also known as a 'tulpa' in Tibetan mysticism. The thoughtform is also one of the expressed means of Samyama...

s. The shang may also be used to receive information from the æther.

The shang is often used in rites in conjunction with the phurba

Phurba

The kīla is a three-sided peg, stake, knife, or nail like ritual implement traditionally associated with Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Bön, and Indian Vedic traditions. The kīla is associated with the meditational deity The kīla (Sanskrit; Tib. Phurba, pronunciation between pur-ba and fur-pu, alt....

and namkha

Namkha

Namkha is a Tibetan word meaning "sky", "space", "aether"," heaven" Namkha (Tibetan: nam mkha ) is a Tibetan word meaning "sky", "space", "aether"," heaven" Namkha (Tibetan: nam mkha ) is a Tibetan word meaning "sky", "space", "aether"," heaven" (also known as De; (Tibetan mdos ) is a form of...

. The shang consists of three principal parts: the flat bell part proper; the gankyil which is the centre piece that holds the knocker; and the knocker or striker proper, which is often made of animal horn.