Bridge Of Nations Bell on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The is a famous bronze bell associated with the Ryūkyū Kingdom.
The bell was cast in 1458, during the reign of King Shō Taikyū, and hung at the Seiden (main hall) of Shuri Castle.
The bell is 154.9 cm high, with an opening 93.1 cm in diameter, and weighs 721
Okinawa Daihyakka
'' (沖縄大百科). Urumax. Accessed 5 September 2009. Blackened and damaged by
Ryukyu Shimpo
(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 14 April 2009. It remains unclear, however, just where in or around the Seiden it was originally hung. The replica bell currently hangs outside the second bailey or courtyard ( Okinawan: ''shicha nu una''), in a structure called the Tomoya, which has been reconstructed based on historical plans, maps, and images, but the original purpose of which is unknown.
The bell is quite commonly referred to as the "Bridge of Nations Bell" in English. This term is derived from a translation of the term typically used in Japanese to refer to the bell: 万国津梁の鐘 (''Bankoku shinryō no kane''). ''Bankoku'', lit. "10,000 nations," really refers to "all the nations" or "the great many nations." ''Shinryō'' literally translates to "a beam across the port/harbor"; thus, "a bridge." Finally, ''kane'' refers to a bell of this type and style.
This Japanese name for the bell, in turn, derives from the inscription upon it, which describes Ryūkyū's prominence in the 14th-16th centuries in maritime trade in the South Seas and prosperous trade relations with China, Korea, Japan, and the various states of Southeast Asia.
While it is most commonly known as ''Bankoku shinryō no kane'' in Japanese, the official name of the bell is .
Governor's Room; Okinawa Prefecture Official Site
Accessed 5 September 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge Of Nations Bell Ryukyu Kingdom Important Cultural Properties of Japan Individual bells 1458 works
The is a famous bronze bell associated with the Ryūkyū Kingdom.
History
The bell was cast in 1458, during the reign of King Shō Taikyū, and hung at the Seiden (main hall) of Shuri Castle.
The bell is 154.9 cm high, with an opening 93.1 cm in diameter, and weighs 721 kilogram
The kilogram (also kilogramme) is the unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI), having the unit symbol kg. It is a widely used measure in science, engineering and commerce worldwide, and is often simply called a kilo colloquially ...
s.''Bankoku shinryō no kane''. Okinawa Daihyakka
'' (沖縄大百科). Urumax. Accessed 5 September 2009. Blackened and damaged by
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
bombs and guns during the 1945 battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
, the bell miraculously survived largely intact. It is, however, no longer rung.Kadekawa, Manabu (ed.). ''Okinawa Chanpurū Jiten'' (沖縄チャンプルー事典, "Okinawa Champloo Encyclopedia"). Tokyo: Yamakei Publishers. p199.
Nationally designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1978, the bell is today in the collection of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum; a full-size replica hangs at the castle site."Bankoku Shiryō no kane." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")Ryukyu Shimpo
(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 14 April 2009. It remains unclear, however, just where in or around the Seiden it was originally hung. The replica bell currently hangs outside the second bailey or courtyard ( Okinawan: ''shicha nu una''), in a structure called the Tomoya, which has been reconstructed based on historical plans, maps, and images, but the original purpose of which is unknown.
Name
The bell is quite commonly referred to as the "Bridge of Nations Bell" in English. This term is derived from a translation of the term typically used in Japanese to refer to the bell: 万国津梁の鐘 (''Bankoku shinryō no kane''). ''Bankoku'', lit. "10,000 nations," really refers to "all the nations" or "the great many nations." ''Shinryō'' literally translates to "a beam across the port/harbor"; thus, "a bridge." Finally, ''kane'' refers to a bell of this type and style.
This Japanese name for the bell, in turn, derives from the inscription upon it, which describes Ryūkyū's prominence in the 14th-16th centuries in maritime trade in the South Seas and prosperous trade relations with China, Korea, Japan, and the various states of Southeast Asia.
While it is most commonly known as ''Bankoku shinryō no kane'' in Japanese, the official name of the bell is .
Inscription
A summarized translation of the inscription might be given as follows:The Kingdom of Ryūkyū is a splendid place in the South Seas, with close intimate relations with the Three Nations of China, Korea, and Japan, between which it is located, and which express much admiration for these islands. Journeying to various countries by ship, the Kingdom forms a bridge between all the nations, filling its land with the precious goods and products of foreign lands; in addition, the hearts of its people emulate the virtuous civilization of Japan and China.Translation based on Japanese summary given a
Governor's Room; Okinawa Prefecture Official Site
. Accessed 5 September 2009.
References
External links
*The full text of the bell's inscription, in the original '' kanbun'' and having been converted to Japanese (''kakikudashibun'') can be found atGovernor's Room; Okinawa Prefecture Official Site
Accessed 5 September 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge Of Nations Bell Ryukyu Kingdom Important Cultural Properties of Japan Individual bells 1458 works