Great Oriental Bells of Asia
and the Pacific Rim

Here are listed 25 existing and former Oriental-profile great bells of Asia and the Pacific Rim, in descending order by weight.  The format of each entry is explained in a key at the bottom of this page.

A companion page lists Western-profile great bells in the same region.

Bells in italics no longer exist.

• "Bell of Dhammazedi", pitch?, ~180,000 vis, maker?, February 1484
• formerly in Shwe Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon;
  now lost at the bottom of the river.
• Cast by order of King Dhammazedi, 9th of the Mon kings of Burma.
  Stolen from the pagoda in 1608; sank in the river when the raft which was carrying it broke apart; may be recoverable.
  1 vis = 1.65 kg (approximately), giving a total weight of 297 metric tonnes.
• Links:
  > Illustrated page about the world's three largest bells (this is #1); note that one of the weights given there (600 US tons) is incorrect.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

2.   Osaka, Japan - ~251,000 or 310,000 lbs

• un-named, pitch not recorded, ~114000 kg, maker unknown, 1902 or 1903
• Shi-tenno-ji Temple
  Osaka, Japan
• Oriental profile; melted down in 1942 for its metal.
• Links:
  > Photo from russianbells.com
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

3.   Pingdingshan City, China - 254,000 lbs

• "Lucky Bell", pitch unknown, 127 US tons, Tianrui Group, 2000
• Fodushan Scenic Area
  Pingdingshan City, Hunan Province, China
• Oriental profile; height 318 inches (8.108m), diameter 201 inches (5.118m);
  now the heaviest working bell in the world.
• Links:
  > Description and photo from russianbells.com
  > Stock photo, with description
  > A travel page has a detailed description of the bell, but no photo.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the miscellaneous bellfoundries.

• "name"?, pitch?, 55555 peik-thar, anonymous, 1790
• Mingum sull'Irravaddy / Mingoon / Mingun (near Mandalay)
• Western profile but without soundbow, and therefore listed both here and on the companion page.
  About 366 cm high and 495 cm diameter.
  1 peik-thar (approximately 1 vis) = 1.63 kg, giving an equivalent weight of 90.554 metric tonnes.
  Was the largest soundable bell in the world.
• Links:
  > Illustrated page about the world's three largest bells (this was #2), from russianbells.com
  > Ray's Bell Page #1 has a photo of this bell.
  > Photo blog article (in French) with several photos of this bell.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

5.   Kyongju, South Korea - ~159,000 lbs

• "Emilee" (or "Emille"), D#, ~72000 kg, maker unknown, 771
• National Museum
  Kyongju, South Korea
• Oriental profile, about 280 cm high and 227 cm in diameter;
  was formerly in the temple of Pondok in this city.
  Was once ranked as the third-heaviest soundable bell in the world.
• Links:
  > A page on Asian Bells includes a photo of this bell.
  > Photo from russianbells.com
  > John Ketteringham's recording of this bell
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

6.   Beijing (Peking), China - ~123,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 56000 kg, Yao Kuang-Hsiao (or Ya Kuang-Hsia), 1404
• The Bell Tower (Zhong Lou)
  at north end of Dianmenwai street
• Oriental profile with slight flare in 8-scalloped rim;
  height about 500 cm (plus nearly 200 cm for its suspension loop), diameter about 450 cm;
  the only survivor of 5 to 9 great bells made in 1402-1423 by the same founder.
  Also estimated at 63 tonnes.
• Links:
  > About the bell .
  > Photo of the Bell Tower
  > Photo of the bell in the Bell Tower
  > History and photos of the Drum and Bell Towers
  > Photo of the base of the bell
  > Photo of The Bell Tower and The Drum Tower
  > Tour guide page, with extensive descriptions and exterior photos of the towers (but none of the bell)
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the miscellaneous bellfoundries.

7.   Beijing (Peking), China - ~102,500 lbs

• "Yong Le", pitch?, 46.5 tonnes, anonymous, c.1420
• Da Zhong Si (Great Bell Temple) Museum
• Diameter 330 cm
  Named for the emporer during whose reign this bell was cast.
• Links:
  > Photo of the bell
  > Photo from www.russianbells.com
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

8.   Nara, Japan - ~96000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 96000 lbs, anonymous, 732
• To-dai-ji (temple)
• Possibly recast in 1239.
  Diameter 271 cm.
  Also reported as 35 tonnes.
• Links:
  > Photo from www.russianbells.com
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

9.   Yangon, Myanmar - ~84000 lbs

• "Maha Tissada" (Three Voice), pitch?, 42 tons, anonymous, 1841
• Northwest pavilion
  Shwe Dagon Pagoda
  Yangon, Myanmar (was Rangoon, Burma)
• [no remarks yet]
• Links:
  > The official history of the pagoda tells the story of this bell and a smaller one (see below.
  > Those histories are recounted in an extensive description of the pagoda.
  > On the floor plan of the pagoda, this bell is at #37.
  > Photo of the Maha Tissada bell
  > Photo of the Maha Tissada bell
  > Photo of the Maha Tissada bell
  > Photo of the Maha Tissada bell
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

10.   Kyushu, Japan - ~82000 lbs

• "Flying Dragon", A, 37500 kg, maker? (Kyoto), 1977
• Rengein Tanjyoji Temple
  Kyushu
  Japan
• Diameter 288cm, height 455cm
  Claimed as the biggest temple bell in the world; but clearly is not the heaviest.
• Links:
  > English-language page about the bell; follow the "try to ring" link at the bottom of the page to see more description and a sound option.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

11.   Hwacheon-gun, Korea - ~82000 lbs

• "World Peace Bell", pitch?, 37.5 tons, maker?, 2005
• World Peace Park
  Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon Province
• "shaped like a Buddhist Bell from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 936), measuring 2.5 meters wide and 4.7 meters high"
  Cast "from metal from empty cartridges used during the Korean War (1950-53) and the conflict zones of some 30 regions including Palestine, Ethiopia and Colombia."
  Also reported as 21 tonnes, diameter 223 cm, at Imjingong.
• Links:
  > Article with two photos of the bell and one of its location.
  > News article about the dedication of the World Peace Park
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

12.   Ninh Binh, Viet Nam - ~80,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 36 tonnes, maker? (in Hue), 2009
• Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre
  Gia Sinh Commune
  Gia Vien district
  Ninh Binh, Viet Nam
• Links:
  > News article (Ap.2009) about the pagoda at Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre mentions this bell, describing it as the heaviest in Viet Nam, cast in Hue (country's centre of bronze casting), of bronze and gold.
  > News article about this and a smaller bell for the same place
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

13.   Kyoto, Japan - ~77,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 35 tonnes, anonymous, 1614
• Hoko-ji Monastery
  Kyoto, Japan
• Oriental profile
  One of the two largest bells cast in Japan before the 20th c.
  Diameter 276 cm.
  Also reported as nearly 30 tons.
• Links:
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

14.   Kyoto, Japan - ~77,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 35 tonnes, anonymous, 1636
• Chion-In Temple
  Kyoto, Japan
• Oriental profile
  One of the two largest bells cast in Japan before the 20th c.;
  at 274 cm diameter, it has been claimed to be the largest Buddhist temple bell in Japan.
  Also reported as nearly 30 tons.
• Links:
  > Photo from russianbells.com
  > Ray's Bell Page #1 has a photo and sound clip of this bell.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

15.   Ninh Binh, Viet Nam - ~60,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 27 tonnes, maker? (in Hue), 2008
• Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre
  Gia Sinh Commune
  Gia Vien district Ninh Binh, Viet Nam
• Links:
  > News article about this and a larger bell for the same place
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

16.   Beijing (Peking), China - ~55,000 lbs

• name?, pitch?, 25 tonnes, anonymous, c.1420
• Da Zhong Si (Great Bell Temple) Museum
• Iron; Oriental profile presumed
  Diameter 240 cm
• Links:
  > Other links are listed under the larger bell in this place, above.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

17.   Yangon, Myanmar - ~51,000 lbs

• "Maha Ganda" (Sweet Voice), pitch?, 23 tonnes, 1791
• Northeast pavilion
  Shwe Dagon Pagoda
  Yangon, Myanmar (was Rangoon, Burma)
• Also reported as cast between 1775 and 1779.
• Links:
  > On the floor plan of the pagoda, this bell is at #19.
  > Photo of the Maha Ganda bell
  > Photo of the Maha Ganda (or Maha Gandha) bell
  > Photo of the Maha Ganda bell
  > Other links are listed under the larger bell in this place, above.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

18.   Nanking (Nanjing), China - ~50,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 22.6 tons, maker?, 1389
• Civic Bell Tower
  Nanking, China
• Oriental profile presumed; height 360 cm, diameter 240 cm;
  cast by order of the first Ming Dynasty emperor.
  (Three other bells, made about the same time and presumably similar, have disappeared.)
• Links:
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

19.   Nanking (Nanjing), China - over 40,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, over 20 tons, maker?, 712
• Unknown
  Nanking, China
• Oriental profile, scalloped rim, diameter 2 meters;
  cast by order of the emperor Hsüan Tsang;
  possibly of Korean workmanship.
  (Until "recently", a similar bell was in Canton, China.)
• Links:
  >
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

20.   Kunming, China - ~31,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 14 tonnes, maker?, c.1410
• Golden Temple
• Remarks?
• Links:
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

21.   Pyong-Yang, Korea - ~20,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, about 10 tons, maker?, 1727
• city center
  Pyong-Yang, Korea
• [No remarks yet]
• Links:
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

22.   Con Dao Island, Viet Nam - ~18,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, 8 tonnes, maker? (in Hue), 2008
• (unknown)
• Height 4.6m, diameter 3.3m
  Also described as 9.4 tonnes
• Links:
  > Viet Nam News article about the casting of this bell; to be completed by July 27, 2008.
  > Another news article gives a different weight for the bell.
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

23.   Seoul, Korea - ? lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, reported weight?, maker?, 1468
• Chong-ro (ancient main central intersection)
  Seoul, Korea
• Oriental profile presumed; height 280 cm, diameter 228 cm
• Links:
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

24.   Seoul, Korea - ? lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, reported weight?, maker?, 1462
• Buksoo Palace grounds
  Seoul, Korea
• Oriental profile presumed; height 250 cm, diameter 172 cm
• Links:
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

25.   Lantau Island, Hong Kong - over 12,000 lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, over 6 tons or over 2000 catties, maker?, 1937?
• Po Lin Monastery
  Ngong Ping Road
  
• Remarks?
• Links:
  > The Wikipedia article about the monastery does not mention this bell.
  > The Website of the monastery (English language version) says nothing about the bell, and gives no clue as to where it might be located.
  > A travel page states that the big bell is in the 3-story exhibition hall in the pedestal of the great Buddha statue; rung by a computer every 7 minutes = 108 times per day, to relieve the 108 vexations.
  > Another travel page reports that the bell was brought here in 1937.
  > Yet another travel page concurs with 1937 and gives the weight as "over 2000 catties".
  > LL: N 22.25551, E 113.90789
  > Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the unidentified bellfoundries.

nr.   City, Country - EquivalentWeight lbs

• "name"?, pitch?, reported weight?, maker?, year?
• Institution name and address
• Remarks
• Links:
  >
  

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This page was created 2006/11/15, and last revised 2009/08/10.

Please send comments or questions to csz_stl@swbell.net