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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)

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

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

Hollow shaft bell (nao) with spirals

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

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

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

Buddhist ritual bell

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

Clapper bell (ling) with flange

Bell (bo) with birds

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

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

Collar bell with masks (taotie)

Clapper bell (ling) with masks (taotie)

The bell of Hachiman

Altar bell

Signaling bell (zheng)

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

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