The bell tower in the Bai Dinh pagoda complex ( Ninh Binh ) is preserving the Dai Hong Chung bronze bell and the largest bronze drum in Vietnam today. The bell tower is built in an octagonal shape with 3 curved roof floors, over 18m high, 17m wide and has 2 entrances and exits for tourists and Buddhists to visit the bell and bronze drum.
The bell tower is located in the Bai Dinh pagoda complex, built in an octagonal shape with 3 curved roofs, in the shape of a lotus flower.
The Great Bell is a hand-cast bronze bell with a height of 5.5m, a diameter of nearly 3.5m, and a weight of 36 tons. It was cast by artisan Nguyen Van Sinh (residing in Hue City) and his colleagues within 5 months with 3,000 workers to complete.
The bronze material used to cast the bell is red copper, produced domestically. To cast this 36-ton bell, more than 44 tons of bronze were needed, divided into 12 pots to melt and remove impurities. The total cost to complete the bell was about 4 billion VND.
The Great Bell is 5.5m high, nearly 3.5m in diameter, weighs 36 tons and is the largest bronze bell in Vietnam as voted by the Vietnam Book of Records.
On top of the bell tower, there is a large chain used to hang the Great Bell. Next to it is a 500kg ironwood pestle used to ring the bell. On good weather days, the sound from the Great Bell can be heard up to 10km away, and people living in the area can hear it very clearly.
The bell body is carved with scriptures, lotus flowers, winding dragons and other Buddhist-related motifs, expressing solemnity and profound spiritual values.
The bell handle is designed in the shape of a dragon and uses a large iron chain to hang it.
In Buddhism, bronze bells are not only used to signal the time for chanting and worshiping, but also have profound meanings such as purifying the soul, praying for peace, driving away evil spirits, and eliminating bad karma...
In the bell tower, in addition to the Great Bell hanging above, on the ground below is a bronze drum weighing 70 tons, 4.7m high, modeled after the Dong Son bronze drum cast by artisans in Kien Xuong, Thai Binh in the past. The center of the drum is the image of the sun, surrounded by all living things growing and human activities...
The bell body is carved with the Great Compassion Prajnaparamita Sutra in Chinese characters.
The Great Bell has become the largest bronze bell in Vietnam as voted by the Vietnam Book of Records. The most unique feature of this bell is that on the body of the bell is engraved the Great Compassion Prajna Sutra in Buddhist scriptures in Chinese characters along with many decorative motifs on the theme of Zen and Buddhism.
Carving ancient dragon motifs
A representative of Bai Dinh Pagoda said that the Great Bell is only rung (bell-PV) on holidays such as the opening of Bai Dinh festival on the 6th day of the first lunar month, Buddha's birthday on April 15, and Vu Lan festival on July 15. Notably, on July 1, the Great Bell was rung 3 times to mark the first day of operation of the two-level local government after the rearrangement of administrative units.
500kg ironwood pestle used to ring bells
According to the temple representative, every time the bell is rung, with the support and resonance with the bronze drum below, the bell's sound can resonate far and can reach up to 10km, and people in the area can also hear it.
“The farther the bell rings, the more the Buddha's compassion and joy will spread to all living beings... The bell on top represents yang, the drum below represents yin and is the harmony, when yin and yang are open, all things will grow and flourish,” said a representative of the temple.
The Great Bell is rung on important occasions such as the opening ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda, Buddha's birthday, and Vu Lan festival.
In Buddhism, bronze bells are not only used to signal the time for chanting and worshiping, but also have a profound meaning such as purifying the soul... Below the bell is a bronze drum weighing 70 tons, 4.7m high, modeled after the Dong Son bronze drum.
The center of the drum is the image of the sun, around which all things grow and flourish and human activities...
When the bell is struck with the support and resonance with the bronze drum below, the bell's sound can resonate far and can reach up to 10km, and people in the area can hear it.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/chuong-dong-lon-nhat-viet-nam-duoc-dat-o-ngoi-chua-nao-2424900.html
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