Recently, I’ve been visiting temples all over Beijing, Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, a mosque, etc. Dazhongsi or the Great Bell Temple is just a mile from where I’ve lived for the last three years. I attempted visiting before, but it is closed on Mondays, my day off during the week. I found out why when I visited during a lunch break a couple of weeks ago. It is no longer a Buddhist sanctuary. Now, it is a top-notch museum, the Ancient Bell Museum.
Juesheng Temple
The complex was built in the 1700s during the Qing Dynasty. This is when the big or great bell was moved to the temple. The bell was forged 300 years earlier after Emperor Yongle moved the capital of the Ming Dynasty back to Beijing. It is one of the largest bells in the world and has more than 200,000 Chinese characters cast all over its surface. This was one of several bells used by Ming emperors to pray to the gods for rain in times of drought. It is said the bell can be heard up to 9 miles (14 km) or further when rung.
The temple is very similar to just about every other Chinese Buddhist temple built in its time. A series of halls surround courtyards where various altars and deities would be worshipped. The final hall, however, is very different from the standard and is spectacular. It is a round hall that houses the great Yongle bell.
The buildings have been restored and retrofitted for the bell museum. Steel supports have been installed allowing for amazing collection of ancient bronze bells to be displayed so elegantly. The whole campus is well taken care of, clean, and fresh.
Ancient Bell Museum
The museum opened in the mid-1980s with a selection of dozens of bells. Today, it has hundreds of bells on display in its collection. Nearly every sign or plaque is in both Chinese and English (well written), making the museum even more enjoyable for everyone. The oldest are nearly 3,000 years old. There are only a couple of originals from this era, but several reproductions to tell the story of bells in China.
The collection is most impressive with its dozens of large bronze bells from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. They hang in the halls so gracefully, so visitors can look at them from just about every angle. This is necessary because so many are spectacularly decorated with writing or images.
I also loved wandering through the suspended instruments and seeing the original bells from several temples in the Beijing area that I have visited. Just a few days before I explored the museum, I had been at the Tianning Temple, one of Beijing’s oldest. The week before I had visited Ditan (Temple of Earth). Their original bells hang in this museum.
Other Exhibits
Besides the ancient Chinese bells on display, the museum also has a small hall showing some foreign bells, a hall all about Juesheng Temple, and an exhibit detailing how these massive bells were made. I learned so much. From what I could see, they don’t have performances at the museum other than on a carillon in the foreign bell hall.
Unfortunately, on the day I visited, the Great Bell Hall was closed. Restoration work is an on-going process. I hope it will open soon. Thankfully, they did have the door open, so I could see the Yongle bell. It is covered during the work with scaffolding all around. I can’t wait to see it uncovered with all of the characters Yongle had put on the bell, allegedly, to atone for his misdeeds.
Bell Garden
When you visit, don’t forget to visit the Bell and Poem (what it is called on the map) garden. It is on the east side of the complex. This garden has a lovely covered walkway and a few pavilions showcasing several more bells. The largest here once hung in the Beijing Bell Tower, also from Emperor Yongle’s reign. It is magnificent! It is iron and was replaced by the current Bell Tower bell for the better sound a bronze bell would provide.
The museum includes several grade-one state level antiques. Its collection is one-of-a-kind and quite special. The temple was quiet and not crowded. I highly recommend a visit to this hidden Beijing gem. It is open Tuesday-Sunday from 9:00 to 4:30. It also appears the temple hosts a temple fair during Spring Festival.
