Fine-tuning chime bells: A road less travelled

A female worker carves the wax model of bianzhong in a workshop of Wuhan Mechanical Technology Institute Co Ltd in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, on December 1, 2016. [Photo by Zhu Lingqing/chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu, 59, has worked here for around 30 years and never considered quitting even when he was offered a salary that was three times more than his current pay.

"I do not require material comforts or great wealth. I just want to make more fine-sounding bianzhong," he said.

He has been credited with many big works. He and his team has successful copied China's national treasure bianzhong of ZengHouYi, or chime bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng (the bronze chime bells set that comes from the palace of the Warring States period of China 2,400 years ago), the eight-piece golden Bianzhong of the Qing Dynasty, and the 16-piece Pan bells.

Liu's most favorite one is the Zhonghua He Bell made in 1999 that uses bianzhong of ZengHouYi as prototype. To welcome the new millennium, it was ringed by Jiang Zemin, China's then-president, for the first time on the morning of January 1, 2000.