Yong bell

When this bell was made, around 500 BCE, Chinese bells had already evolved over 800 years. They were sophisticated musical instruments. This bell is called a yong, the quintessential bell type found in high-ranking late Zhou tombs. Unlike the bo type, seen elsewhere in this exhibition, it has an arch-shaped bottom, straight sides, cylindrical bosses, and a columnar shank (yong) with a loop suspension device that causes the bell to tilt toward the player rather than remain straight up and down. This permitted greater accuracy in striking than with vertically suspended bells—an important feature, since yong bells can emit two notes depending on whether they are struck in the center or midway to the side. The symmetrical group of bosses on each bell probably served to diminish the nonharmonic overtones emitted by the upper part of the bell, thereby emphasizing the fundamental notes.