Ru
EnE. Shatko
Historical paths of the formation and development of the bell tradition in China
The historical paths of the formation and development of the Chinese bell tradition as a unique organological phenomenon are elucidated in the article; the characteristic features and semantic aspect of ancient national idiophones are identified. Based on the study of iconographic and literary sources, imperial dynastic chronicles, and ethnographic materials, the specificity of the bell tradition and the process of formation of the appropriate instrumental aggregate in China are considered. The role and significance of the bell in the traditional system of musical thinking is comprehended.
The historical periods of bells in China are highlighted, from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the Warring States period and the modern stage of revival of the tradition. A composite description is given of individual ancient Chinese idiophones: tongueless bells of the nao type, bronze bells of the danao and zhong types, and the orchestral instrument bianzhong.
Particular attention is paid to the spiritual, religious, and aesthetic aspects of bell ringing, its connection to ritual practice, court music, and the philosophical and ethical system of Confucianism. The archaic functions of bells as sacred objects, symbols of power and harmony in the universe, as well as their priority place in the musical and acoustic system of ancient China are analyzed.
The significance of 20th-century archaeological discoveries, which made it possible to reconstruct ancient instrumental practices and reveal the continuity between ancient and modern forms of bell ringing, is examined. The conclusion is made that the Chinese bell tradition is not only part of China's material and spiritual culture, but also a unique phenomenon of world musical heritage that has influenced the formation of basic sound-creative principles in the cultures of the Ancient East.
Key words
campanology, musical archaeology, Chinese bell tradition in China, ancient idiophones, Chinese bronze handbells, sets of bells.
For citation
Shatko E. Historical paths of the formation and development of the bell tradition in China. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2025. No. 3. Pp. 136–143.
