Showing results
Hide images
Zhiyuan Jimao Bell (Bronze bo bell)
The top loop (niu) is broken. The centre panel (zheng) of the body has some cracks. Made of Bronze. This bell was crudely cast. It has yellowish-green colour on the surface. The shape and structure were modelled on instruments of the Pre-qin Period. The body of the bell is shaped like a combined pair of tiles. The framing lines around the studs, the areas (zhuan) between the studs, the centre panel (zheng) and the gu are all cast in low relief. The bottom rim (yu) is flat and the two xuan points are straight and at slanted angles. There are 36 spiral studs on the surface of the body. The areas (zhuan) between the studs, the gu and other areas are decorated with cloud patterns.
- Date:
Zhiyuan period, 5th year ([this year concords with]1339) - Maker:
- Collection:
Hunan Museum - Inventory number:
Loading... - Place of production:
Hengzhou Road during Yuan dynasty (Zhihengyang, i.e. regions such as Hengyang and Hengnan in modern times) - Hornbostel-Sachs classification:111.242.121 (Individual) suspended bells struck from the outside
- Culture:
- Period:
- Materials:Bronze
- Specific materials/techniques:
- Decorative elements:
- Inscriptions:There are inscriptions on both sides of the top loop (niu) on the upper surface (wu). One of them makes reference to a book in Confucius Temple explaining the construction, composition and nature of music notation.|The other inscription relates to the date when this bell was made.
- Hornbostel-Sachs category:111.242.121 (Individual) suspended bells struck from the outside
- Repository:Hunan Museum
- Measurements:Height (broken): 20.9cm, mid-body length: 20.9cm, weight: 2.8kg, distance between the two xian points: 18.6cm, height of each stud: 0.28cm, horizontal diameter of the wu: 15.1cm, length of the xian: 20.9cm, distance between the two sides of the centre of the gu: 14.5cm, vertical diameter of the wu: 12.0cm, thickness of the middle of the gu: 0.5cm, thickness of the sides of the gu: 0.7cm