Here are listed 26 existing and 2 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.
"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.
> The Wikipedia
article about this bell
has a history of it and some of the searches made for it.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
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
> The Wikipedia article on
this temple complex does not mention the former bell.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
"Lucky Bell", pitch unknown, 127 US tons, Tianrui Group, 2000
Foquan Temple (near Spring Temple Buddha) Dragon Head Peak
north bank of the Dashahe River
near Zhaocunxiang, Highway G311 / Zhengshi Expressway
Fodushan Scenic Area Pingdingshan City, Henan Province
LL: N 33.76447, E 112.45457 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
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
> The Wikipedia article about the bell
is short, and has no photo.
> 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.
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.
> The Wikipedia article about the bell
relates its history and has both current and historical photos.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
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.
A cast iron predecessor hangs in the rear of the tower.
Oriental profile presumed; height 360 cm, diameter 240 cm
Donated in 1841 by King Tharrawaddy, of Konbaung Dynasty
42 tons / 42000 kg, with 20 kg of gold plating
"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.
"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
> Index to all peace instruments worldwide.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre
Gia Sinh Commune
Gia Vien district
Ninh Binh, Viet Nam
Oriental profile presumed
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
(see #14 below)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
Chion-In Temple
400 Rinka-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-8686
TEL.075-531-2111
LL: N 35.00429, E 135.78401 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
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.
> The English version of the temple Website
has a nice map of the grounds but does not mention the bell.
However, a page about the buildings shows the bell in Daishoro.
> The Wikipedia article
about the temple complex has a brief paragraph about the bell.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre
Gia Sinh Commune
Gia Vien district
Ninh Binh, Viet Nam
Oriental profile presumed
Links:
> News article
about this and a larger bell for the same place (see #11 above)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
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.
Fuhua Bell Tower Bell Hill Dharma Drum Mountain Monastery
Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education
No. 555, Fagu Rd. 7th Neighborhood Sanjie Village Jinshan District
New Taipei City 20842 Taiwan, Republic of China (R.O.C.)
TEL: 886-2-2498-7171 FAX: 886-2-2498-9029 Web: http://www.ddm.org.tw
LL N 25.24012, E 121.61666 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
4.5 meters tall, 2.64 meters in diameter, 29.6 cm at its thickest part.
The echo of the bell can last as long as 105 seconds.
A commemorative inscription reads: "Dharma Drum Mountain completed in 2005.
Cast with reverence by Bhikshu Shen Yen and monastic and lay followers."
Links:
> An official page
about the bell (in English, with photos) indicates that it was
inaugurated and officially in use on December 23, 2006
> The Scenic Spots page
on the same official Website requires Flash to display a map of the WCBE,
and has a section about the Lotus Bell Park.
> A news article
on ringing in the Lunar New Year at Dharma Drum Mountain Monastery
has a photo showing part of the bell.
Also reported as cast between 1775 and 1779.
Height 213 cm, diameter 201 cm, thickness 30 cm
Donated in 1779 by King Singu, the fourth king of Konbaung Dynasty,
who is described in twelve lines of inscription on the bell.
Oriental profile presumed; ;
diameter 201 cm, height 213 cm, thickness 30 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.
Gyeongjiu National Museum
186, Iljeong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Kyongju, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
LL: N 35.82987, E 129.22728 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Oriental profile, about 280 cm high and 227 cm in diameter;
was formerly in the temple of Pondok in this city,
or Bongdeoksa Temple, where it was first housed;
therefore sometimes called the Bell of King Seongdeok.
Was once ranked as the third-heaviest soundable bell in the world.
From current photos, it is not clear whether the bell is allowed to be rung nowadays.
Links:
> Photo
from russianbells.com
> The English Wikipedia
article
about the bell has a photo of it, and gives its measurements.
"The Gyeongju National Museum weighed it in 1997, and found that its weight was
18.9 tons" (which is significantly less than previous estimates).
> A Korean
travel page (in English) has another photo of it,
and repeats some of the same information.
> John Ketteringham's
recording
of this bell
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
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.
Dai Hong Chung tower Linh Phuoc Pagoda (Ve Chai Pagoda)
No. 120 Tu Phuoc, Trai Mat District, on Highway 20
LL: N 11.94423, E 108.49940 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 233 (or 234) cm, height 430 (or 435) cm
Was the heaviest bell in Viet Nam when it was made
The 36 meter bell tower is the tallest of any pagoda in Viet Nam.
Links:
> The Wikipedia article
about the pagoda has a photo of its entrance but not of the tower.
It does describe the bell.
> Descriptive
article, with one photo
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
Oriental profile; height 245 cm (also reported as 247 cm), diameter 165 cm;
Cast in 711 in the Tang Dynasty, and moved here in the early Ming dynasty.
The original of this bell may have been moved from the Bell Tower to the Beilin Museum;
in 1953; reports are confusing.
If so, then a replica made in 1997 may hang on the northwest corner of the Bell Tower.
Also here is the Jinglong Bell, 2500 kg, and other smaller bells.
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".
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
unidentified bellfoundries.
