Rake(耙):

In Chinese, it is pronounced as: pà，Written as:

A rake is an agricultural tool used for surface soil cultivation, typically not exceeding a depth of 15 centimeters.

Comprised of a wooden handle and a rake head fitted with iron teeth, blacksmiths and carpenters in the countryside can manufacture it. It is commonly used for breaking up and smoothing out soil, raking compost, collecting grass, and leveling vegetable gardens. When turning the soil, farmers hold one end of the wooden handle, lift the rake over their heads to swing it backward first, then forward. The iron teeth, driven by the swinging force, dig into the soil, and then the rake is pulled back to loosen the earth. Although many traditional agricultural tools have gradually disappeared with the invention and application of modern equipment, the iron rake remains an essential tool in farming households and is still in use today. Rakes have been part of Chinese agriculture for over 1500 years.

The Nine-Toothed Rake is the weapon used by the main character Zhu Bajie in the Ming dynasty novel “Journey to the West,” authored by Wu Cheng’en. Officially known as the “Top Treasure Gold-Quenching Rake,” it was personally forged by Taishang Laojun from Divine Weapon Iron, then encased by Six Ding and Six Jia, presented to the Jade Emperor, who eventually gifted it to Zhu Bajie as a ceremonial object.