Telling the Time,Chinese Style.docVIP

PAGE  PAGE 3 Telling the Time,Chinese Style 　　WHAT do a tiger， rat， dog， ox， and pig have in common with a bell and a drum？ I have to admit that a few months ago I would have had absolutely no idea. But I’m somewhat the wiser now. 　　I am at a historical bell museum located in Haidian District of Beijing. 　　Bells are considered auspicious according to Chinese tradition. During major ceremonies they are often rung 108 times. This is because the Chinese lunar calendar comprises 12 months， 24 solar terms and 72 hou （five-day period）， the sum of which is 108. According to certain Buddhists， the pealing of a bell also dispels 108 common mortal worries. 　　The museum， set up in 1985， houses over 800 bells， made of bronze， iron and jade. Exhibits come from all over the world. The oldest ones were cast more than 1，000 years ago. 　　The Dazhong （Big Bell） Temple in the western section of Beijing’s North Third Ring Road， built in 1733， is where emperors officiated at rituals to pray for rain. It is the only one of its kind in China. 　　One of the most beautiful bells on display is the Qianlong Court Bell from the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong， who ruled from 1736-1795. As its name suggests， the bell was made for the imperial court. It is decorated with 22 flying dragon motifs， but bears no inscriptions. 　　Furthest away from the main entrance is the building most visitors come to see ?C the Big Bell Tower. Circular at the top and square beneath， its design accords with the Chinese saying “heaven is spherical and the earth is square.” 　　Cast in 1403， the first year of the reign of Emperor Yongle， the bell within this tower was one of the three major projects commanded by the ruler after re-establishing Beijing as the capital. The other two were the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. The Great Bell of Yongle weighs 46.5 tons and is 6.75 meters high. It is struck at the beginning of each Chinese New Year and on other major celebrations. According to the Chinese