Chinese temple bell
Object No. H7752
This bronze temple bell, which is 155cm tall, was made in China in 1438 during the Ming dynasty. Chinese inscriptions cast on the bell read 'Cast on an auspicious day of the second month in the third year of Emperor Zhengtong's reign of the Ming dynasty'. There are also four additional sections of inscriptions, from an ancient version of a Buddhist sutra, which explains that the most essential emotion of Buddhists should be patriotic. "Huang Tu Yong Gu" (The territory of the emperor will remain stable forever), "Di Dao Xia Chang" (The ideals of the ruler (emperor) will be lasting and flourishing), "Fa Lun Chang Zhuan" (The wheel of transmigration turns unceasingly), "Fo Ri Zeng Hui" (The shine of Buddha will be increasingly brilliant). In China, temple bells are used to announce the time of events during the course of the day. The sound of the bell is also believed to have been heard by the spiritual world. According to Buddhist tradition, the sound of the bell can gladden the heart of immortals, stop ghosts from their evil-doings and break open the gates of hell to bring relief to the suffering and the distressed there. Bells were suspended within covered towers and rung using a striking log attached horizontally to the temple superstructure with ropes. This bell emits a lingering solemn and melodious sound. Min-Jung Kim, Curator, 2015
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Summary
Object Statement
Temple bell, cast bronze, maker unknown, Tartar City, Peking, China, 1438 (Ming dynasty)
Physical Description
Large cast bronze bell, domed top, with double stapled handle on top for hanging. The bottom edge is scalloped. The handle is decorated with scrolling forms in heavy relief. The outside of the bell is broken up into panels by lines in relief. Five panels have Chinese characters within a rectangle surrounded by scrolling decoration and mounted on a pedestal shape.
DIMENSIONS
Height
1545 mm
Width
975 mm
Depth
970 mm
Weight
610 kg
PRODUCTION
Notes
Reference: http://foxuexinyin.blog.hexun.com/33247666_d.html http://zhihuatemple.com/Temple/Tourguide/ http://bjmsg.focus.cn/msgview/313/34767149.html http://www.oldbeijing.net/Article/Class1/Class33/6310.html http://www.oldbeijing.org/dispbbs.asp?boardid=42&Id=41240&authorid=20127 http://bg.dltour.gov.cn/xg/travel_newsinfo.asp?NewsID=16741
HISTORY
Notes
Found by NSW Naval contingent during the Boxer rebellion in 1900. It was half buried in a Buddhist Temple in Tartar City, Peking.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Transferred from Australian Museum, 1965
Acquisition Date
9 June 1965
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