New perspectives on the function of “clapper-bells”: Metal lings in the Early Bronze Age of China

Abstract

“Ling” is the Chinese pronunciation of character 铃 formerly known as “clapper-bell” functioned as a sound-generator in the Late Neolithic period and Early Bronze Age of China. The earliest metal ling unearthed at Taosi in Shanxi, China was of copper alloy and was made by piece-mold technique, embodying both external metallurgical technique and local pottery traditions. Metal lings gradually became the prestige goods monopolized by the ruling class during the Early Bronze Age of China. This paper conducts research on metal lings from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Shang period, concentrating on the diachronic changes in the morphology, context and function of lings. With the inception of the copper ling at Taosi, metal lings gradually entered into the Chinese bronze ritual paraphernalia system and exhibited a close relationship with the political economy and the military function in various regimes. During the Early Bronze Age, metal lings were initially strictly confined to the high-ranking aristocrats until the Late Shang period when lings became more widely used in the military elite groups and a boom occurred. Lings were found in Yinxu as well as regional centers which were highly influenced or under the military control of Yinxu. The lings were mostly used by male elites who were partly or fully engaged in military activities in the Late Shang period. The widely accepted system of the lings in the Shang territory suggests that the king-centered power had highly effective political and military influence during the Late Shang period.