The silent prayer of the bell: the silent sound that resides in the bronze bell
The prayer of the unringing bell — The silent sound residing in the bronze bell
Did the sound reverberate in the Yayoi sky? In this emergency, not hearing it was a prayer .
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What is a dotaku?
Dotaku is a bell-shaped bronze vessel produced during the Yayoi period (2nd century BC to 2nd century AD).
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• Material: Bronze (copper + tin + lead)
• Shape: Bell-shaped, with pattern, with or without pendulum
• Uses: agricultural rituals, community prayer, symbol of vows
The emergence of bronze bells and silence
The bronze bells were often found not in the remains of houses or graves, but in small hills or ritual spaces, and many of them were "buried," so naturally
It is believed that the purpose of the act was to "seal" something rather than to destroy it.
Rather than representing the sound,
By silencing the sound, you can remain in this place of prayer.
This aesthetic of silence may symbolize the Yayoi spirituality.
The patterns and stories of bronze bells
Some bronze bells are engraved with geometric patterns and pictures of people and animals.
It is said that these are not conceptual decorations, but rather expressions of common bodily memories and the world of myth.
• Kesadasukimon (robed sash pattern): A crossing line that spreads out like a prayer net
• Character and animal writings: depicting scenes of farming, hunting, and rituals
• Relationship with musical scale: Some dotaku bells are actually recorded as having a sound that matches the "Kyoritsu Ryo" system.
Editor's Note: Questions to Readers
What kind of sound does the "unsung bell" inside you hold?
I can't pray in words,
It could be a moment when you choose silence for someone.