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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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Ritual bell (dotaku)

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

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Incense container in shape of bell amulet

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

Benkei And Bell

Great Bell Of Chion-In-Temple

Bell Tower At Night

The bell of Hachiman

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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