Great Bell Temple ( Dazhongsi )

Like the Chinese knots the bell is considered as an auspicious article in the Chinese tradition. On the grand ceremonies, people usually ring the bells 108 times to begin the celebration. It is said that there are 12 months, 24 solar terms and 72 hou (5 days a hou) on the Chinese lunar calendar, 108 in all and according to Buddhism, people have 108 worries which will be removed by the bell. The bell-ringing on the eve of the Chinese Spring Festival would captivate many people as its echo carries around the vicinity, whether you were close by or just heard it via the TV broadcast. Here, in the Great Bell Temple (Dazhong Si), you could take a very close look at the grandness of this very significant great bell.

The Great Bell Temple, located in the Haidian District of Beijing, was built in the year 1733 of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and initially bestowed with the name 'Juesheng Si'. 10 years later during the reign of another emperor, a great bell was moved into the temple, hence the name. Since then, it was often chosen by the emperors to pray for rain and blessings for the people

The temple displays a number of many large buildings, such as the Mountain Gate, the Bell and Drum Tower, the Scripture Collection Pavilion, the Great Bell Tower and other halls. Among these, the Great Bell Tower is the main part, which is a circular shape on the top and square below according to the Chinese saying that 'the sky is circular and the earth is square'.

The Great Bell
The Great Bell is hanging in the Great Bell Tower. Made in 1403, the first year of Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the bell was one of the three projects that he commanded after reestablishing Beijing as the capital. Another two were the famous Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven.

The bell weighs 46.5 tons (102, 514.95 pound), with a height of 6.94 m. (22.77 feet). It is inscribed with Buddhist Mantras all around both the inside and outside of the body, over 227,000 characters in all. Skillfully designed, it sounds crisp and sweet by ringing lightly, while it sends a deep and resounding tone from a forcible strike which can be carried 15 kilometers (9.32 miles) away. For these excellent and unique characteristics, it is called 'the King of Ancient Bells' by the people.

Then how was this heavy bell hung on the top of the building? After the bell was made, they waited until the winter came. Then they dug a well every 500 meters (1,640.42 feet) and ditches along the entire way to bring the water on the ground, which was able to turn into the ice soon. So they pushed the bell along the surface to the icy earth piles in the temple. Finally they started to construct the Bell Tower and hung the bell from the top. When the spring came the following year, the ice was dissolved and they began to remove the mounds of earth.

The Ancient Bell Museum
The Ancient Bell Museum that was built in 1985, displays hundreds of cultural artifacts, including many valuable bells made in ancient China and other foreign countries. You easily gain the impression that you are walking into a kingdom of bells when you see them all. Here, you also have the chance to appreciate both the Chinese and foreign music and songs played by the famous chime bell of Marquis Yi of Zeng. (Zeng is a small country in the Warring States, 476 BC-221 BC), which can also be found at the Hubei Provincial Museum. The bells were delivered in three layers, 65 pieces in all and made from bronze.

Additionally, if you would like to own a bell yourself, you can ask the authorized designers to either replicate or make one for you to mark an occasion, like wedding or other happy events.