[Bell] This bell would have formed part of a larger graduated set, or chime, suspended on a frame. Bronze bells produce different tones depending on where one strikes them. A full chime had an extraordinary range.

Musicians used chimes to play ritual music at Chinese courts. Many ancient bells still produce sounds close to, if not identical with, those heard by the original audience, allowing us a glimpse into the elaborate beauty of ancient Chinese music and the exacting craftsmanship of the bell makers.

Courtesy of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler.

Bell (Zhong), China, 6th to 5th centuries B.C., Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-221 B.C.), bronze

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