Bronze nao bells during the Shang and Zhou periods can be divided into large and small examples.The latter are primarily found in northern regions and are representative instruments of the Yin culture,attracting significant scholarly attention.Small,northern nao bells often appear in sets of three,forming a biannao(set of nao),used in combination with other musical instruments.Various combinations of biannao have been observed;for example,a tomb may contain two sets of biannao,or combinations of biannao with other instruments like chime stones or drums.The more complex the nao bell assemblage,the higher the rank of the tomb.Assemblages of nao bells,chime stones,and drums are only found in large,high-ranking tombs.The position of the biannao within the musical ensemble is also noteworthy.Inscriptions of"left,""middle,"and"right"are often found on handles of bronze nao bells,indicating their placement within the ensemble.Small,northern nao bells can be categorized into two types:those with and without rings,which were used in slightly different ways.Nao bells with rings provide valuable insights into the origins of the stem of yong bells during the Western Zhou period.
Northern RegionsShang and Zhou PeriodsBronze nao BellAssemblageBronze nao Bell Support
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