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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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Miniature bell

Ritual bell (dotaku)

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

Altar bell with carved wooden handle

Incense container in shape of bell amulet

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

Bell

Bell

Bell

Bell

Benkei And Bell

Collar bell with masks (taotie)

Clapper bell (ling) with masks (taotie)

Great Bell Of Chion-In-Temple

Cizhou ware bell

Bell Tower At Night

Altar bell

The bell of Hachiman

Altar bell

Miniature bell

Mirror with Six Bells

Pendant or bell clapper

Morning bell at Mount Jing

Print from a Hana kurabe (set 3): Bronze bell, gong, and cherry petals


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