After comprehensive analysis, research and verification of the Yongle Bell placed in the Dazhong Temple, scientific researchers restored the casting method and process of the bell. They pointed out that the skilled craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty were already familiar with the application of Tao Fan method.
The craftsmen first built a larger manufacturing site to manufacture the main body of the bell. They dug a 10-meter-square deep pit in the ground and made an outer mold for casting according to the designed bell model. They then dried it in the shade at low temperature and baked it into pottery; then based on the radius and shape of different sections of the bell body The thickness of the car scraper film is designed as the inner frame of the bell; craftsmen filled the outer mold with soil and compacted it layer by layer to withstand the casting pressure and ensure sufficient strength; the craftsmen used the most typical rain shower method According to the casting method, the four casting openings are located at inconspicuous positions next to the bell button; after the golden dendrobium soup filled with the furnace pours out, the bell is completed in one go.
Yongle Bell
After the main body of the bell is completed, another process must be carried out - cooling. Cooling is a very important process in bell casting, and its requirements for cooling rate are very strict. If the cooling rate is too fast, the bell body will burst and all previous efforts will be wasted, making the big bell a useless dumb bell. To this end, the craftsmen who made the Yongle Bell cleverly used the unextinguished ground fire and flowing flames in the bell casting pit as a natural cooling system to ensure the smooth cooling of the bell, and finally completed the basic design of the bell. Casting procedure.
After the bell is completed, it is necessary to install the Pulao, which is a load-bearing bell button, that can be hung and fixed. In order to be able to hang a large bell weighing dozens of tons, craftsmen cleverly added a steel core in the middle of the bell button. They first cooked the bell button using the lost wax method and placed it at a designated position between the inner and outer molds. They then heated and poured it together with the bell body, and perfectly integrated it with the big bell to achieve a natural effect. The four thin and firm root-like ends are all expanded into balls, ensuring that the bell will never pull out or slip off after being hoisted.
The manual workshop-style production of Yongle clocks in the Ming Dynasty has already reached the scale and momentum of modern industry.
In Chinese history, ancient bells have a unique status and role. Their history is even older than the history of writing, and their inherent cultural significance is also more profound. Ancient bells can be used as percussion and performance instruments, and can also reflect the political majesty of centralized power. With the introduction and popularity of Buddhism, ancient bells are also used as Buddhist instruments. The Yongle Bell is a giant bell that combines all kinds of ancient bells in my country. There are different opinions on the reason for its casting: some people inferred from the poems of Shen Deqian of the Qing Dynasty and Emperor Qianlong about "relying on the power of Buddha to eliminate black karma" and "repenting for neglecting Buddhist temple bells" that Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty cast the bell to usurp the throne for himself. Some people think that Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty was expressing his beautiful wish of "only wishing for peace and prosperity for the country and the people"; one explanation is that Chengzu used the bell to promote Buddhism; others think that Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty was commemorating the relocation of the capital. , show off your achievements.
The Yongle Bell demonstrates the advanced level of China’s Ming Dynasty craftsmanship and is a successful example of integrating politics with Buddhism.
The main entrance of the Dazhong Temple today