Existing comment:
Mix and Match
Marquis Yi of Zeng amassed an impressive collection of sixty-four bells before he died around 433 BCE. One final bell was added as a memorial gift from King Hui of Chu after Yi's death. Three types of bells -- niu, yong, and bo -- form this amazing set, by far the largest in the world.
Niu Bells
Nineteen small bells are arranged in three groups at the top of the stand. They produce the highestnotes. Each hangs from a niu, or loop. Archaeologists have found sets of six to ten niu bells buried together, suggesting the size of sets varied.
Yong Bells
Most of Marquis Yi's bells are of the yong type. Each one of the forty-five bells is suspended from a ring attached to the side of its vertical shaft (yong). Look at the matched set of six yong bells to your left to see how the rings are secured.
Bo Bells
The third type is the large memorial bell given by King Hui of Chu. A bo bell has a flat bottom and hangs by a loop. Produced in different sizes, bo bells are frequently quite large to generate deep bass notes |