The zhong (bell) carries interlocking-dragon-pattern bronze, and bronze was never just a material. It was the medium of ceremony, its weight and ring part of the rite itself.
A zhong (bell) of this kind was cast to be seen in low light, its relief doing the work that paint would do later. The interlocking-dragon-pattern bronze finish keeps the form readable across the centuries.
The Imperial court used bronze to make lineage visible. A zhong (bell) could carry an inscription or a pattern that named the family and the favour that elevated it.
The zhong (bell) is a document in metal. Sinocra keeps it in view with more from The Palace Museum, and the shop carries the craft forward.
Object details
| Name | Panchi pattern chime clock (蟠螭纹编钟) |
|---|---|
| Artefact no. | 新00131532 |
| Technique | Interlocking-dragon-pattern bronze (蟠螭纹) |
| Period | Imperial dynasty |
| Collection | The Palace Museum, Beijing |
| Source | Palace Museum Digital Collection (数字文物库) |
Image © The Palace Museum. View the original in the Palace Museum Digital Collection.