Ruyi (scepter)

Ruyi
Pair of ruyi at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Chinese name
Chinese如意
Literal meaningas desired
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinrúyì
Wade–Gilesju2-i4
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationyùh yi
Jyutpingjyu4 ji3
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinesenyo 'iH
Old Chinese
Baxter–Sagart (2014)na-s ʔək-s
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetnhư ý
Chữ Hán如意
Korean name
Hangul여의
Hanja如意
Transcriptions
Revised Romanizationyeo ui
McCune–Reischaueryŏ ŭi
Japanese name
Kanji如意
Hiraganaにょい
Transcriptions
Revised Hepburnnyoi

A ruyi (Chinese: 如意; pinyin: Rúyì; lit. 'as desired', ' as [you] wish') is a Chinese curved decorative object that serves as either a ceremonial scepter in Chinese Buddhism or a talisman symbolizing power and good fortune in Chinese folklore. The "ruyi" image frequently appears as a motif in Asian art.

A traditional ruyi has a long S-shaped handle and a head fashioned like a fist, cloud, or lingzhi mushroom. Ruyi are constructed from diverse materials. For example, the Palace Museum in Beijing has nearly 3,000 ruyi variously made of gold, silver, iron, bamboo, wood, ivory, coral, rhinoceros horn, lacquer, crystal, jade, and precious gems.