An intricate bronze vessel at the Hubei Provincial Museum. It was found in the tomb of Marquis Yi. 

Chu culture is an essential part of China’s ancient civilization that dates back around 2,500 years. It traces its roots back to the vassal state of Chu located in the Hanjiang River basin that lasted from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046–771 B.C.) through the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (710–221 B.C.). Being the birthplace of Chu culture, Hubei Province boasts a long history and is home to diverse cultures. It is not surprising then that its provincial museum has a vast collection of over 460,000 artifacts, among which, more than 1,000 are national Grade I relics.

Visitors view a bronze ware set at the Hubei Provincial Museum on February 1, 2025. The museum saw an upsurge in the number of visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Marquis Yi’s Chime Bells

The magnificent chime bells discovered in the Tomb of Marquis Yi from the vassal state of Zeng dating back to the early Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) are one of the museum’s most treasured artifacts. Chime bells (bianzhong) are a large percussion instrument consisting of flat, round bronze bells of varying sizes, which are hung in order of pitch on a massive frame. By striking the bronze bells with mallets, beautiful melodies are produced. Chime bells originated in China around 3,500 years ago. At that time, considered a symbol of status and power, they were exclusively performed for the private audiences of the upper-class at court events.

Yi’s Chime Bells are a massive instrument, measuring over 5,000 kg as a whole. The set of bells consists of a total of 65 bronze bells carefully hung on a three-tiered frame 7.5 meters long and 2.7 meters high in eight groups based on their pitch levels. When it was unearthed in 1987, each bell was still intact hanging in its original position after 2,400 years of being buried alongside its owner.

Each bell is engraved with intricate patterns of humans, animals, flowers or geometric shapes in relief, as well as over 3,700 Chinese characters indicating serial numbers and music knowledge. The Marquis Yi’s Chime Bells today are the most well-preserved and magnificent set of bells discovered in China.

This set of chime bells not only showcases the superb bronze ware craftsmanship of people living in ancient China but also represents the remarkable musical achievements of musicians during the pre-Qin era. It covers a range of five 7-note scales in the key of C Major, with 12 semitones within each octave, the same as the twelve-tone equal temperament concept, the most widespread system in music today.

Feng Guangsheng, director of the Chime Bell Research Institute, said, “Each bell is shaped like two tiles joined together, allowing it to produce two distinct notes. As a result, striking the center and the edge generate two different tones, known as ‘one bell, two tones.’”

“The inscriptions on the bells, especially the indications of notes, were made before the bells were fully completed. It demonstrates the advanced skills our ancestors had and their confidence in music theory,” Fang Qin, former curator of the Hubei Provincial Museum, explained.

A crowd of visitors at the Hubei Provincial Museum admire the giant cluster of chimes found in the tomb of Marquis Yi.

Chime Bell Concerts

To create for visitors an immersive experience of ancient chime bell music, the museum has built a concert hall and assembled a chime bell orchestra that has been putting on performances ever since its establishment in 1987. This orchestra is made up of performers dressed in traditional Chinese clothes who reenact how musicians performed the chime bells millennia ago. Numerous musical works, including pieces incorporating modern elements have also been composed by the orchestra.

Today, this orchestra has toured more than 40 countries and regions, providing live performances to over ten million people from China and overseas. Some of its songs have been recorded and played at many significant national events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

During the Chinese New Year of 2025, the concert hall hosted seven concerts daily, each packed with a full audience enchanted by the melodious tunes generated by the bronze bells. A visitor from the city of Suzhou remarked, “The music was lovely, and the dancing was mesmerizing.” His daughter praised the immersive stage design, saying it brought ancient music closer to modern life.

A color-painted lacquer drum at the Hubei Provincial Museum. It has been recognized as a national treasure.

A Sword and Ancient Laws

Another superstar of the museum is the Sword of Goujian. This weapon is 55.6 centimeters long and five centimeters wide, and its blade is covered with mysterious black rhombic patterns. The inscriptions on the blade identify its owner as Goujian, a renowned king of the vassal state of Yue who ruled during the Spring and Autumn period. He was a man of extraordinary resilience, building the state into a major power during his reign.

Beyond the fame of its owner, the craftsmanship in the making of this sword is also astonishing. Despite the fact it was buried for over 2,500 years in a lacquered wooden scabbard, it was in good condition when unearthed. The patterns on the blade remain intact and its edge is still sharp.

Shuihudi bamboo slips are another national treasure on display at the museum. More than 2,000 years ago, a low-ranking Chinese official of the vassal state of Qin recorded details of his legal work on bamboo slips that spanned 14 years. These precious journals were buried alongside this dedicated official in his tomb in present-day Shuihudi Village, Yunmeng County in Hubei Province. In 1975, 1,155 bamboo slips containing over 40,000 Chinese characters were excavated from his tomb. They recorded numerous laws dating back to around the 2nd century B.C., making it the earliest and the most complete ancient legal document found in the country.

These slips cover 18 categories of laws from Qin, including agriculture, social life, and state governance. Some even provide for price transparency for commodities, encourage heroic acts, and call for environmental protection efforts, such as a ban on tree cutting in early spring.

Additionally, these slips contain the earliest known forensic examination records, criminal investigation documents, and guidelines for infectious disease prevention. The legal system in place during the Qin Dynasty had a profound impact on later dynasties, and many of its legal principles remain relevant today.

Immersive Programs

The Hubei Provincial Museum also hosts regular educational programs to enhance public interest in history and culture.

During a bamboo slip-themed event held last December, 15 children took part in the cultural emersion experience of learning about bamboo slips through various activities at the museum such as reading and making bamboo slips, performing short plays, games, and interacting with experts.

During another program held last November inspired by an exquisite bronze vessel unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Yi , more than 40 middle school students from Wuhan learned how people made bronze ware during the pre-Qin era, from mining, extracting ore, to smelting and casting. They also visited a local archaeological excavation site to learn about archaeological tools and engage in simulated excavation practices. Through these activities, young people were able to have a fun hands-on experience while learning the wisdom of their ancestors.