In the west, there were shoulder yokes made in roughly a long oval form, with a deep notch for the neck, and carved shoulder pads. Example: http://www.objectle

In the west, there were shoulder yokes made in roughly a long oval form, with a deep notch for the neck, and carved shoulder pads. Example: http://www.objectlessons.org/work-and-innovation-victorians/shoulder-yoke-victorian-original/s64/a1014/ http://www.objectlessons.org/work-and-innovation-victorians/... The difference is the availability of wood. You would need a truly epic bamboo bole to make anything like that, but one ordinary plank would suffice over here.