Why is the bell of Zeng Houyi called the eighth wonder of the world?

599 views · Organized by 未知领地 on 2022-03-17

The Seven Wonders of the World is a conventional saying, but there is still disagreement on what the eighth wonder of the world is, but one thing is certain is that this must be in China, and more believe that the eighth wonder of the world is the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang in Xi'an , there is another saying that it is the chime of Zeng Houyi unearthed in Suizhou, Hubei in 1978. The great significance of this set of chimes is not only limited to its exquisite bronze casting skills and profound historical and cultural significance, but also its musical attainments that can change the history of world music.

Why is the bell of Zeng Houyi called the eighth wonder of the world?

As a traditional musical instrument in ancient my country, chimes began in the Xia Dynasty, developed to their peak in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and were still used in the Qin and Han Dynasties. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, with the decline of the central kingship, the phenomenon of arrogance gradually appeared in the local vassal states. The number of bells they cast became more and more, and the size of the bells became larger and larger. render.

Why is the bell of Zeng Houyi called the eighth wonder of the world?

Zeng Houyi's chime was buried deep underground for more than 2,400 years. It was discovered by accident in 1978. It could stand still. Even the wooden shelf on which the chime was hung was not rotted or rusted. It was a wonder of the world. This set of chimes is huge. It consists of 65 chimes, 64 of which can be pronounced. The other is a gift from the king of Chu to the owner of the chime, Zeng Houyi. It is full of inscriptions. The largest chime is 152 cm high and weighs 203 kg, the minimum height is only 20 cm, and the weight is 5 catties.

Why is the bell of Zeng Houyi called the eighth wonder of the world?


This set of chimes is undoubtedly for the use of the king of Zeng Hou Yi, and ordinary people cannot enjoy it. The instruments used to beat the chimes are also unique. The small bell is made by the maid with a T-shaped hammer to strike the pronunciation. There are also special musicians who use a huge wooden stick to beat the big chime. The total weight of this set of chimes reached 2.5 tons, and the total weight of the shelves exceeded 5 tons, which is rare in the world. What rewrites the history of world music in this set of chimes is that it was born more than 2,000 years earlier than the piano, and its range is so wide that it can almost be compared with the pianos born in modern times. The highest and lowest notes are only one octave less than that of the piano. Before this set of chimes was unearthed, many people believed that the seven-tone scale was passed down from Europe, and its unearthed directly enriched the history of music in my country. What's even more amazing is that each chime can make two sounds, the front sound and the side sound are different, one bell with two tones, shocking the world. With proper coordination and mastery of rhythm, this set of chimes can play the most complex music in the world.

Reference materials and contributors
曾侯乙编钟为何被称为世界第八大奇迹?

Involving musical instruments

The chime (pinyin: Zhōng) is a traditional Chinese percussion instrument that began in the Bronze Age. The bells are cast in bronze, and different bells are arranged according to size and hang on a huge bell stand. Chimes are often used in combination with chimes; the "gold" in "Sound of Gold and Stone" refers to chimes, and "stone" refers to chimes.

Guess you like

Organized by Fucui on 2022-10-10
In order to promote Chinese traditional culture, Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum recently launched an online lecture on the theme of the exhibition "A Bell Qin at First Sight - From Palace Ritual Music to Literati's Elegance", which has been highly praised by many zither lovers.
read >>
Organized by 孤勇者 on 2022-09-09
On September 9th, the exhibition "Gongqin at First Sight - From Court Rituals to Literati Yaxing" will be held at the China Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. Meet.
read >>
Organized by 愛 on 2022-07-11
Recently, the album "Chime Bells and Symphony - Ritual Music of Bells" published by Shanghai Music Publishing House was launched on the platform of "Learning to Strengthen the Country". The album has a total of 12 works, which combine traditional Chinese music material and Western symphonic music thinking.
read >>
Organized by 九曲 on 2022-06-23
Recently, Hubei Provincial Museum, together with Jianghan University and Wuhan Qintai Piano Museum, held a double intangible cultural heritage concert of "Carillon" at the Chime Bell Concert Hall in the South Main Building of Hubei Provincial Museum on World Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.
read >>
Organized by 一杯清酒 on 2022-05-23
Music is an important part of Chinese excellent traditional culture and the psychological basis for the formation of Chinese traditional concept of harmony. On May 18, it was officially launched in the temporary exhibition hall on the second floor of the North Hall of Hubei Provincial Museum.
read >>