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Marquis Yi of Zeng

Early Warring States ruler of Zeng whose tomb, excavated at Leigudun in Suizhou in 1978, yielded a set of sixty-five bronze bells and a full ensemble of ritual instruments.

Also known as Zeng Hou Yi

Marquis Yi of Zeng was an early Warring States ruler of the Ji-surnamed state of Zeng. Unknown to transmitted pre-Qin texts, he became known through the 1978 excavation of his tomb at Leigudun in Suizhou, Hubei, which held more than fifteen thousand objects, among them a set of sixty-five bronze bells whose bells, frame and fittings carry over 3,700 characters of inscription and span five octaves, together with chime stones and other instruments. A bo bell made for him by King Hui of Chu in the king's 56th year (433 BCE) gives the earliest possible burial date. Skeletal study puts his age at death at about 42 to 45.

Life and times

  1. UnknownBornZhoudied c. 433 BCE or somewhat later
  2. 1978The Bells of Marquis YiLegacyIn 1978 a set of 65 bells came from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng at Leigudun, Suizhou, Hubei, hung in three tiers and eight groups on an L-shaped bronze-and-wood frame; the bells, their fittings and the frame carry 3,755 inscribed characters that give each bell's scale-degree names.
  3. UnknownDied