what are they holding???

Question

many times I see in pictures and even in art,
that followers of Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, Cao Dai
are holding something on thier hands. even artworks depicting deities are holding something. I think it might be a fan that is folded, a paper scroll that is flat, book like, but I have no idea, anyone??

Answer 1

The pieces I can think of right now, they're holding nothing-just a hand position symbolizing they're at peace. But if you're talking about actually seeing something drawn in their hands, it's probably there to represent any book or scroll to mean they read, or are knowledgable.