ticketsMember | Make a donation

Bell (niuzhong)

early 5th century BCE
Not on view
Sets of bells were an important aspect of Zhou bronze production. They were used in musical accompaniment for ritual ceremonies and for less solemn occasions.
Ancient clapperless bells, which were sounded with mallets, are members of the zhong family. A yongzhong, recognized by its highly raised rims, is a type of bell found in great sets of graduated chimes known as bianzhong. Although it has a slightly raised rim, this bell is suspended from a ring rather than a long handle, making it a cross between the yongzhong and the bo types. Each face of the bell has three rows of bosses in the form of coiled serpents further divided by trapezoidal panels with faint dragon motifs. The elegant decoration and advanced acoustical properties of Zhou-dynasty bells illustrate the extraordinary technical sophistication of metallurgy in China during this period.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 東周 青銅紐鐘
  • Title: Bell (niuzhong)
  • Period: Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BCE)
  • Date: early 5th century BCE
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: H. 15 in. (38.3 cm); W. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm); D. 7 in. (17.8 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Charlotte C. and John C. Weber Collection, Gift of Charlotte C. and John C. Weber through the Live Oak Foundation, 1988
  • Object Number: 1988.20.7
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Bell (niuzhong), Bronze, China
Bell (niuzhong)
China
5th century BCE
Bell (Chunyu) , Bronze, China

Bell (Chunyu)

China
3rd–2nd century BCE
Bell (Yongzhong), Bronze, China
Bell (Yongzhong)
China
5th–3rd century BCE
Reclining tiger, Bronze, China
Reclining tiger
China
4th–3rd century BCE
Rectangular wine container (fangyi), Bronze, China
Rectangular wine container (fangyi)
China
mid-10th century BCE

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.