Longshan Temple: Bell

TAIWAN, Changhua; Qing dynasty

The bell is no longer functional since the crown, from which the bell is suspended, is missing. It measures 140 cm high with a diameter of 100 cm at the mouth. The waist is divided into two sections by embossed rings and a key pattern. The upper part has four panels, each with one of the four Chinese characters forming the words “Amitabha Buddha.” In between the characters are prayers written vertically. The inscription on the waist states that the bell was cast in 1859, a year after the reconstruction of the Longshan Temple. The lower section also features four panels with inscriptions of the names and titles of the donors. Between each panel there are Buddhist verses written vertically.