Bell (bo zhong 鎛鐘),

late 5th century BCE

In the Eastern Zhou period, courts were entertained by sophisticated orchestras composed of string, woodwind, and percussion instruments. In the wealthiest kingdoms, these ensembles also included graduated sets of bronze bells tuned to the pentatonic scale— the five note scale from which melodies were composed. These clapperless bells were suspended on a rack and struck near their rims with a mallet.

The animal interlace decoration on the surface of this bell was produced by taking clay impressions from a ceramic pattern block. These impressions were then inserted into the surface of the mold prior to casting. The panels of interlace design located near the rim on both sides of the bell were executed using impressions from two roughly symmetrical pattern blocks set side by side.