Resounding Patterns: The Melody of Chinese-Style Architecture in Eighteenth-Century Europe

Abstract

Abstract: The essay examines the popularity of Chinese bells in diverse eighteenth–century European texts and chinoiseries. Both large bronze–cast bells and little chimes often appeared in descriptions of the Ming and Qing cities disseminated in the early modern period and were accompanied by discussion on the characteristics of Chinese music and the alleged physical or cultural factors that made the Chinese admire the sound of bells. Drawing on numerous historical sources in various European languages, the analysis focuses first on visual and written representations of bells included in scholarly treatises as well as travelers' accounts before unpacking how the sound of bells was imagined in Europe. Particular attention will be paid to the sensual properties of little chimes that adorned Chinese architecture. Finally, European imitations of such bells are written into the context of theoretical debates on the nature of the "Chinese Ear" and sensual properties of architecture.