Bianzhong

China was the first country to create and utilize musical chimes, with the bianzhong, or chime bells, being a notable example of these instruments. The bianzhong is a large ancient percussion instrument that originated during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) and flourished in the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.) and the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.) as well as Qin (221-206 B.C.) and Han (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) dynasties, representing China's traditional ceremonial music culture. The bianzhong were played during occasions such as military expeditions, festivals, court audiences for nobility, and sacrificial ceremonies.

Crafted from bronze, the bianzhong features exquisite patterns on the body of the bells. Bronze bells of various sizes are arranged in order of pitch on a large bell frame and are struck by musicians using T-shaped wooden mallets and rods to create different pitches. The bianzhong is typically accompanied by the bianqing, a percussion instrument made of polished stone. They are primarily played during solemn ritual ceremonies at imperial altars. During the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 B.C.), the bianzhong were commonly arranged in sets of three, and later in the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, they were increasingly grouped in sets of nine or 13. The smaller bells produce high-pitched tones and softer sounds, while larger bells produce deeper and louder notes. The size and shape of the bells determine the specific sounds they produce.

One of the most remarkable bianzhong was unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng (c. 433 B.C.) in the Warring States period. It consists of 65 bells and has a tonal range of five octaves. In the middle area of the tonal range, it can play all twelve half tones. Compared to a modern piano, it only lacks one octave at the lowest and highest ends and can play almost all modern music. The 3,000+ characters inscribed on the bianzhong bells of the Marquis Yi of Zeng constitute the earliest known text on music theory in the world history. It preserves musical lore from 2,400 years ago through sound and text, representing the highest achievements in the pre-Qin period of ancient China in ritual music and bronze casting technology.

The bianzhong demonstrates the advanced level of ancient Chinese music culture. Its sound quality, pitch accuracy, and timbre match those of contemporary ethnic percussion instruments and Western percussion instruments. In 1957, as China's first man-made satellite was launched into space, the song "The East is Red" was broadcast, played by the first bronze bianzhong unearthed in Xinyang of Henan Province. The music transcended time and space, echoing throughout the vast universe, and bringing the sound of China to the world.

編鐘

中國是世界上最早制造和使用樂鐘的國家。編鐘作為中國古代大型打擊樂器，最早出現于商朝，盛于春秋戰國直至秦漢，集中體現了中國傳統禮樂文化。每逢征戰、宴享、朝聘、祭祀，都要演奏編鐘。

編鐘用青銅鑄成，鐘身有精美圖案，大小不同的銅鐘按照音調高低依序排列，懸掛在一個巨大的鐘架上，用丁字形的木錘和長形的棒分別敲打銅鐘，能發出不同的樂音。編鐘一般與編磬（一種石頭磨制而成的樂器）配合使用，多運用于莊嚴肅穆的廟堂宮廷雅樂場合。西周時期，編鐘多由大小3枚銅鐘組合起來。春秋戰國時期，編鐘數目逐漸增至9枚或13枚一組。編鐘的發聲原理是鐘體小則音調高、音量小，鐘體大則音調低、音量大，因而其鑄造尺寸和形狀一定程度上決定了編鐘的發音。

戰國時代曾侯乙墓（約前433）出土的編鐘最引人注目，它由65個鐘組成，總音域橫跨五個八度，中心音域十二個半音齊全。與現代鋼琴相比，它僅在最低、最高音處各少一個八度，幾乎能夠演奏現代所有樂曲。曾侯乙編鐘上三千多字的銘文是世界文明史上最早的有聲音樂理論文獻，以聲音和文字互相印證的方式，保存了2400年前的音樂記憶，代表了中國先秦禮樂文明與青銅器鑄造技術的最高成就。

編鐘作為一種古老的打擊樂器，展現了中國古代音樂文化的先進水平，其在音質、音準、音色方面不遜于當代民族打擊樂器和西洋打擊樂器。1957年，由河南信陽出土的最早的青銅編鐘演奏的《東方紅》樂曲，隨著中國第一顆人造衛星發射升空，在浩瀚宇宙中發出了穿越時空的中國聲音。