Treasure Canons · TC4

Bronze Bells, Jade Chimes

Chime bells, stone chimes, zithers and dancing figures: the music of ritual still echoing in objects

63treasures

11dynasties

19institutions

This canon collects treasures of music, dance and performance: sets of bronze bells and stone chimes, zithers, pipa and other old instruments, figurines of musicians and dancers, and theatre costume. The phrase bronze sound and jade echo comes from Mencius as an image of perfect ritual music, the very sound these objects once made.

Representative treasures

63 treasures
Tang dynasty · Gold & Silver VesselsSilver Flask with Dancing Horse Holding a CupThe horse that danced for the emperor's birthdayShaanxi History MuseumTE10014Southern Tang (Five Dynasties) · Figure PaintingGu Hongzhong, The Night Revels of Han XizaiA night party seen through a court painter's eyesPalace MuseumTE10032Western Han dynasty · GarmentsPlain Gauze Unlined RobeA Han robe as light as mistHunan MuseumTE10048Ming dynasty, Wanli reign · Crowns & HeadwearNine-dragon nine-phoenix crown of Empress XiaoduanThe ceremonial crown of a Wanli empressNational Museum of ChinaTE10049Eastern Han dynasty · Tomb FiguresStoryteller Beating a DrumAn Eastern Han storyteller, laughing for nearly two thousand yearsNational Museum of ChinaTE10050Tang dynasty · Tomb FiguresSancai Camel Carrying Musicians from the Tomb of Xianyu TinghaiA Tang band on camelbackNational Museum of ChinaTE10052Southern dynasties · Pictorial Stones & BricksBrick Mural of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and Rong QiqiThe Wei-Jin spirit of freedom, built in brickNanjing MuseumTE10056Early Warring States period · Musical InstrumentsBianzhong Bells of Marquis Yi of ZengA bronze orchestra from over 2,400 years agoHubei Provincial MuseumTE10062Neolithic, Jiahu (Peiligang) culture · Musical InstrumentsJiahu Bone FluteAmong the oldest playable instruments knownHenan MuseumTE10063Warring States period · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGilt Silver Belt Hook Inlaid with Jade and GlassA belt hook of gold, jade and glassNational Museum of ChinaTE10106Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsJade Jue Earring with Human and Animal FiguresTaiwan's prehistoric figure-and-beast earringNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10120Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsTrumpet-shaped Jade RingA prehistoric trumpet-shaped jade ringNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10121

Jades

10 treasures
Warring States period · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGilt Silver Belt Hook Inlaid with Jade and GlassA belt hook of gold, jade and glassNational Museum of ChinaTE10106Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsJade Jue Earring with Human and Animal FiguresTaiwan's prehistoric figure-and-beast earringNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10120Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsTrumpet-shaped Jade RingA prehistoric trumpet-shaped jade ringNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10121Western Zhou dynasty · Jade OrnamentsJade Pectoral Set of the Wife of a Marquis of JinThe jade adornment of a Jin marquiseShanxi MuseumTE10123Early Warring States period · Jade OrnamentsMulti-section Jade Pendant with Linked Rings of Marquis Yi of ZengFive pieces of jade, sixteen linked sectionsHubei Provincial MuseumTE10124Shang dynasty · Jade OrnamentsJade Human Head OrnamentA human face carved in jade over three thousand years agoInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10125Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsJade TubesWhere Taiwan's jade tradition beginsNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10126Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsFrog-shaped Jade Ornament of the Huagangshan CultureA jade frog from prehistoric eastern TaiwanNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10127Western Han dynasty (Nanyue kingdom) · Jade OrnamentsOpenwork Double-ring Jade Pendant with Dragon and PhoenixThe Nanyue king's dragon-and-phoenix jadeNanyue King MuseumTE10128Neolithic · Jade OrnamentsBell-shaped Jade Bead StringA string of jade bells from the Beinan cultureNational Museum of PrehistoryTE10129

Ceramics

5 treasures
Tang dynasty · Tomb FiguresSancai Camel Carrying Musicians from the Tomb of Xianyu TinghaiA Tang band on camelbackNational Museum of ChinaTE10052Neolithic, Majiayao culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Basin with DancersDancers holding hands five thousand years agoNational Museum of ChinaTE10156Tang dynasty · Tomb FiguresSancai Camel with Musicians from Zhongbao VillageA Tang band on a camel's backShaanxi History MuseumTE10644Qing dynasty · Musical InstrumentsQianlong Yixing Guqin with Teadust Glaze, Inscribed Xiushen LixingA qin fired in a kilnNational Palace MuseumTE10684Tang dynasty · Musical InstrumentsLushan Ware Waist Drum with Blue Splashes on Black GlazeBlue clouds on black satinPalace MuseumTE10687

Brushwork

23 treasures
Southern Tang (Five Dynasties) · Figure PaintingGu Hongzhong, The Night Revels of Han XizaiA night party seen through a court painter's eyesPalace MuseumTE10032Southern Song or later · Figure PaintingBeauties on an OutingDu Fu's beauties ride outNational Palace MuseumTE10273Yuan dynasty · Figure PaintingAlbum of Half-length Portraits of Yuan EmpressesYuan empresses in their tall headdressesNational Palace MuseumTE10279Southern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingBanquet by Lantern LightA Southern Song court party by lamplightNational Palace MuseumTE10286Tang dynasty · Figure PaintingZhou Fang, Court Ladies Waving FansLoneliness behind silk and fansPalace MuseumTE10290Late Tang · Figure PaintingPalace ConcertA tea party in the Tang inner palaceNational Palace MuseumTE10291Northern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingSeated Portrait of the Empress of Emperor Renzong of SongA Northern Song empress in her phoenix crownNational Palace MuseumTE10301Song dynasty · Figure PaintingAlbum of Half-length Portraits of Song EmpressesTwelve Song empressesNational Palace MuseumTE10303Southern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingSeated Portrait of Emperor Lizong of SongThe likeness of the longest-reigning Southern Song emperorNational Palace MuseumTE10320Song dynasty · Figure PaintingSu Hanchen, Children Playing in an Autumn CourtyardTwo children lost in play in an autumn gardenNational Palace MuseumTE10321Northern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingSeated Portrait of Emperor Yingzong of SongA court likeness of Emperor YingzongNational Palace MuseumTE10322Southern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingSeated Portrait of the Empress of Emperor Gaozong of SongThe court likeness of Gaozong's empressNational Palace MuseumTE1032711 more · open Brushwork

Furniture

6 treasures
Early Warring States period · Painted LacquerDuck-shaped Lacquer Box with Music and Dance ScenesMusic and dance on a lacquer duckHubei Provincial MuseumTE10608Early Western Han · Painted LacquerRectangular Lacquer Toilet Box with Truncated-Pyramid Lid and Raised Painted DecorationA Han noble's dressing box in raised lacquerHunan MuseumTE10613Neolithic, Dawenkou culture · Ivory, Horn & Bone CarvingIvory Comb of the Dawenkou CultureA Neolithic comb carved from ivoryNational Museum of ChinaTE10618Eastern Wu (Three Kingdoms) · GarmentsLacquered Wooden Clogs from the Tomb of Zhu RanA clog from the tomb of Zhu RanZhu Ran Family Cemetery Museum, Ma'anshanTE10638Warring States period · Musical InstrumentsDrum on Tiger Bases with Bird FramePhoenixes on tigers holding up a drumHubei Provincial MuseumTE10685Tang dynasty, 8th century · Musical InstrumentsFive-stringed Pipa of Red Sandalwood with Mother-of-pearl InlayThe only five-string pipa of the TangShōsōin (Imperial Household Agency)TE10686

Textiles

7 treasures
Western Han dynasty · GarmentsPlain Gauze Unlined RobeA Han robe as light as mistHunan MuseumTE10048Ming dynasty, Wanli reign · Crowns & HeadwearNine-dragon nine-phoenix crown of Empress XiaoduanThe ceremonial crown of a Wanli empressNational Museum of ChinaTE10049Mid-to-late Warring States period · EmbroideryGauze garment embroidered with dragon, phoenix and tigerA Chu phoenix taking on a dragon and a tigerJingzhou MuseumTE10637Eastern Wu (Three Kingdoms) · GarmentsLacquered Wooden Clogs from the Tomb of Zhu RanA clog from the tomb of Zhu RanZhu Ran Family Cemetery Museum, Ma'anshanTE10638Northern Song dynasty · GarmentsBrocade Robe with Eagle RoundelsA Song brocade robe kept by the desertPalace MuseumTE10639Han dynasty · GarmentsRed Wool Robe with Paired Figures, Animals and TreesThe red wool robe of YingpanXinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10640Ming dynasty, Wanli reign · Crowns & HeadwearThree-dragon two-phoenix crown of Empress XiaojingAn empress's crown of three dragons and two phoenixesPalace MuseumTE10641

Sculpture

5 treasures
Eastern Han dynasty · Tomb FiguresStoryteller Beating a DrumAn Eastern Han storyteller, laughing for nearly two thousand yearsNational Museum of ChinaTE10050Tang dynasty · Tomb FiguresSancai Camel Carrying Musicians from the Tomb of Xianyu TinghaiA Tang band on camelbackNational Museum of ChinaTE10052Southern dynasties · Pictorial Stones & BricksBrick Mural of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and Rong QiqiThe Wei-Jin spirit of freedom, built in brickNanjing MuseumTE10056Tang dynasty · Tomb FiguresSancai Camel with Musicians from Zhongbao VillageA Tang band on a camel's backShaanxi History MuseumTE10644Late Shang · Tomb & Monumental StoneStone BirdA Shang bird from a chime-stone standInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10667

Implements

11 treasures
Early Warring States period · Musical InstrumentsBianzhong Bells of Marquis Yi of ZengA bronze orchestra from over 2,400 years agoHubei Provincial MuseumTE10062Neolithic, Jiahu (Peiligang) culture · Musical InstrumentsJiahu Bone FluteAmong the oldest playable instruments knownHenan MuseumTE10063Tang dynasty · Musical InstrumentsJiuxiao Huanpei QinA qin that rings like jade in the high heavensPalace MuseumTE10679Tang dynasty, 756 · Musical InstrumentsDasheng Yiyin QinThe sound the sages left behindPalace MuseumTE10680Late Western Zhou · Musical InstrumentsZongzhou BellA bell cast by a Zhou king himselfNational Palace MuseumTE10681Late Western Zhou · Musical InstrumentsBells of Marquis Su of JinA set of bells divided between two museumsShanghai MuseumTE10682Tang, 2nd year of Jingyun (711) · Musical InstrumentsJingyun BellEmperor Ruizong's six-ton bellXi'an Beilin MuseumTE10683Qing dynasty · Musical InstrumentsQianlong Yixing Guqin with Teadust Glaze, Inscribed Xiushen LixingA qin fired in a kilnNational Palace MuseumTE10684Warring States period · Musical InstrumentsDrum on Tiger Bases with Bird FramePhoenixes on tigers holding up a drumHubei Provincial MuseumTE10685Tang dynasty, 8th century · Musical InstrumentsFive-stringed Pipa of Red Sandalwood with Mother-of-pearl InlayThe only five-string pipa of the TangShōsōin (Imperial Household Agency)TE10686Tang dynasty · Musical InstrumentsLushan Ware Waist Drum with Blue Splashes on Black GlazeBlue clouds on black satinPalace MuseumTE10687

Types by dynasty

Where this canon's treasures fall by type and dynasty; click an ink dot to open that dynasty at that type.

Bronze Bells, Jade Chimes · Types by dynasty
ShangZhouHanThree KingdomsNorthern and SouthernTangFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsSongYuanMingQing
Metalwork2
Jades5
Ceramics4
Brushwork23
Books2
Furniture5
Textiles7
Sculpture5
Implements10
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