Chunyu and Yong Bells

Warring States Period
Three Gorges Museum, Chongqing

Both of these objects are suspended, clapperless bells. The chunyu, left, was originally used for military signals. It is suspended from a tiger loop, which is the traditional loop for this type of bell. The bell's characteristic shape, as seen here, features a swollen top above a tapering, elongated base.

The yong bell, right, was much more widely used. Sets of bells, graduated in size, were suspended from horizontal beams; these bell sets could reproduce a full diatonic scale and were played in both ritual and secular music. See the index entry on music for more examples.