The Jin Tiande Bronze Bell in Huai'an

The Jin Tiande Bronze Bell

The Jin Tiande Bronze Bell is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

The Jin Tiande Bronze Bell

The Jin Tiande Bronze Bell was cast in the year Xinwei of the Tiande era during the Jin Dynasty (1151). Originally a ritual instrument of Yangshan Temple in Pizhou, the reason it came to Huai'an remains unclear. The Jin Tiande Bronze Bell stands 1.98 meters tall, with a base diameter of 1.32 meters, a thickness of 8 centimeters, and weighs 1.75 tons. The body of the bell is cylindrical, and its knob features a design of two dragons connected together, adorned with scales and supported by four feet. The shoulder of the bell has nine nipples spaced evenly, while the waist features three concentric bands, visually dividing the midsection into upper and lower parts. The lip of the bell is shaped like an eight-petal lotus, and the mouth of the bell bears the incised characters “最响” (meaning “loudest”). The inscriptions on the bell “have clear and vigorous strokes, resembling those of Chu (Chu Suiliang) and Xue (Xue Ji), with all characters being broad and flat.” It is currently preserved in Shaohu Park in Huai'an.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangsu Province

· Four Great Bronze Bells of Jiangsu