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Bells of Ancient China and Beyond

Thousands of years ago, Chinese musicians worked with foundry technicians to cast matched sets of bronze bells of different sizes to produce a range of tones. They developed oval-shaped bells that, depending on where they were struck, produced two distinct pitches with an intentional interval between them. Here you will find bells in the collections of the National Museum of Asian Art.


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Bell (yong zhong)

Miniature bell

Yoke rattle

Ritual bell (dotaku)

Bell (bo) with birds and dragons; from a set of four

Column in miniature; tapering cylindrical with a lotus bell capital. Broken

One of a pair of bells (bo) with felines and dragons; probably from a set of four

Hollow shaft bell (nao) with spirals

Bell (yong) with masks, birds, and dragons; from a set

Bell (bo) with felines and dragons; probably from a set of four

Bell (bo) with dragons; probably from a set of four

One of a pair of bells (bo) with felines and dragons; probably from a set of four

One of a set of bells (bo) with felines and dragons

Shaft bell (yong) with spirals and dragons; from a set

Bell in the form of a fish

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Miniature bell and ornament

Hollow shaft bell (nao) with masks (taotie) and dragons

Clapper bell (ling) with flange

Suspension bell with masks (taotie) and birds

Bell (bo) with mask (taotie), birds, and tigers

Altar bell with carved wooden handle

Bell (yong zhong)

Bell (bo) with birds

Incense container in shape of bell amulet

Bell (yong) with dragons from a set of six graduated bells (bianzhong), along with S1987.5-.9

Bell (yong) with dragons from a set of six graduated bells (bianzhong), along with S1987.4 .6 & .8-.9

Hollow shaft bell (nao) with masks (taotie) from a set

Evening Bell at the Temple Kotokuji, from the series Eight Views from Five Tales of Warriors (Bidan musha hakkei) 光徳寺の晩鐘

Hollow shaft bell (nao) with taotie masks from a set

Funerary replica (mingqi) of a bell


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