Bell

Bell

Bell Dark bronze cast bell with green patina. Diamond shaped mouth 2.5" stem with a triangular loop at center top. Handles on sides have dragons with their tails up and hind legs attached to stem. Probably made with the cire perdue (lost wax) method. The raised designs have an inscription of T'ao T'ieh on both sides and thunder symbols on top and bottom. Eight trigrams (pa kua) on all sides: (1) west northwest east southeast (2) southeast south northwest north. The middle of the bell is worn by use and some inscriptions are not visible; rust on one side of dragon's tail. Eight trigrams (pa kua) were mystic symbols that were the basis of a very ancient system of divination and philosophy. They appear as decorative motifs in almost all crafts media from about the 14th C. The bell produces 2 different notes depending upon whether it is struck at the rim or near the center. Called Po used in eastern Chou and Warring States period where it was hung on a wooden frame holding 16 bells. Became entertainment and not purely ritual in the feudal courts.

1994.031.017