zhong (bells)
- Scope note
- Chinese clapperless bells, usually of bronze; includes bells used as percussion instruments in ancient China, such as those famously produced during the late Zhou dynasty (ca. 600-255 BCE). The term also denotes the religious bells used daily in Buddhist temples. Made of clay in Neolithic times, the zhong was crafted in bronze during the Shang dynasty (ca. 1600-1066 BCE). In performance the early zhong was either held by hand or placed on a base with its mouth upward and struck with a mallet.
- Date of creation: 18-Nov-2024
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024