My Fav K sounds - Part 1

The elegant profile of the bronze bell which stood at the reception counter of Mr Kwon Young –joung’s Hanjin-jang Yeogwan ( aka Hanjin Hostel) in Gyeongju first caught my eye. Then it caught my ear too as it produced a delightful ‘ting’ that seemed to linger in the air. It turned out to be a small replica of the famous Emile Bell which is on the grounds of the Gyeongju National Museum.


The original was cast in 771 A.D. Standing beside it, it was the first time I felt dwarfed by a bell; indeed the log suspended beside the bell used to strike it ( goodness knows when, if ever) seemed more like my size. The outlines of celestial beauties are seen on its surface, besides other floral motifs. One way or another, it is an impressive creation. According to the Lonely Planet, it’s “one of the largest and most beautifully resonant bells ever made in Asia. It’s said that its ringing can be heard over a 3 km radius when struck lightly only with the fist.”

The Emile Bell legend recounts how a child was thrown into the molten bronze during the casting process to appease the heavens. Apparently the bell sounds like a child crying out for its mother. Unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to hear the bell and I didn’t have the guts to strike it with my fist. I didn’t want to waste my holiday in some police station explaining my juvenile actions in sign language and very limited Korean.

So I had to be content with purchasing a dimunitive version of the Emile Bell and listening to its crystal tinkle. Small as it may be, it still produces a beautiful sound, evoking a Zen-like atmosphere whenever it is struck and nothing, thank goodness, remotely like a heart-rending cry of a sacrificial child.