Jade with gold chimes

[Jade with Gold Chime]

Jade with Gold with Cloud Dragon Pattern Chime, with a frame height of 350 cm and a width of 340 cm. The length of the chime and drum is 34.4, the drum is 11.7, the length of the unit is 22.9, and the stock is 17.1
The chime is made of Xinjiang Hotan jasper. The quality of jade is pure, translucent and polished. Both sides are decorated with gold dragons playing with beads and flowing cloud patterns. The lines are vivid and smooth, and the golden yellow pattern of the decoration contrasts with the jade’s green color. The body of the chime is regular and flat, similar to a carpenter’s ruler, except that the angle of the sentence is an obtuse angle rather than a right angle. The long side of the chime is a drum, and the short side is a drum, which is referred to as “Gu Er Gu San” in the “Zhou Li Kao Gong Ji”. The unit side is engraved with the production model year “made in the 29th year of Qianlong”, and the drum side is engraved with their respective law names. A circular hole is drilled at the intersection of the drum and the thigh to tie a bright yellow taped rope for hanging in case of knocking
The chime is also a set of sixteen pieces, with the same overall dimensions. Only the thickness of the chime body distinguishes between the high and low tones. When the chime is thin, the tone is low, and when the chime is thick, the tone is high. Like the chime bells, the sixteen chimes share a set of stands, with the eight yang rhythm and eight yin Lv hanging on the upper and lower beams respectively, arranged sequentially from bass to treble. The specifications of the chime stand are the same as those of the chime bell, except that the two ends of the upper event are carved with phoenixes, and the two sides of the left and right chimes are inherited by reclining ducks
The chime is an important instrument in the “Eight Tones” of palace music in various dynasties since the Pre Qin Dynasty, and has a melodic function. Together with the chime bell, it is called the “Sound of Gold and Stone”, constituting the backbone of the entire band of Zhongshao music. Until the Yongzheng period, the gold chimes and jade chimes were only used to worship the heavens, that is, the gold chimes and jade chimes were specially used for the Round Hill Altar and the Prayer for Grain Altar. The Lingbi stone chimes were used as an example for other altar temples and imperial ceremonies to highlight the respect for the emperor and God. During the Qianlong period, the state completely pacified Xinjiang, and Hotan Jade materials were continuously donated to the capital. Only then did this ritual system gradually break through, and a large number of jade chimes were made. The Temple of Earth, the Temple of Supreme Harmony and the Palace of Heavenly Purity were replaced with jade chimes.