This is a hand carved hollow wooden instrument from Vietnam. It it in the traditional Dragon form, the shape is somewhat bulbous with a Dragon carving, finished in varnish. Several blocks of varying sizes are often used together to give a variety of pitches.

The temple block is a percussion instrument originating in China, Japan and Korea where it has a part in religious ceremonies. Its sound is similar to that of the wood block, although temple blocks have a darker, more "hollow" timbre.

In western music, their use can be traced back to early jazzdrummers, and they are not uncommon in modern orchestral music.