yongzhong

Chinese bell

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

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The yongzhong was a type of clapperless bronze bell produced in ancient China, primarily during the late Zhou dynasty (c. 600–255 BCE). These bells were used as percussion instruments. Early versions were made of clay and later bronze, sometimes held or struck with a mallet. Suspended yongzhong bells typically featured a straight handle and a lug at the top, allowing them to be hung slantwise on a wooden frame. Sets of graduated yongzhong, known as bianzhong, were arranged by size and pitch on frames and struck with mallets. The most notable discovery is a set of 64 bells from the tomb of Zenghouyi, dating to about 433 BCE.1

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2 Britannica Sources

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…a wooden frame, are called yongzhong; those having a ring that allows for vertical suspension are called niuzhong. The earliest known yongzhong dates to the 10th century bc, and the earliest niuzhong to the 8th century bc. At the time, the shape of both the yongzhong and the niuzhong was…
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…a wooden frame, are called yongzhong; those having a ring that allows for vertical suspension are called niuzhong. The earliest known yongzhong dates to the 10th century bc, and the earliest niuzhong to the 8th century bc. At the time, the shape of both the yongzhong and the niuzhong was…
Read More