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July 10, 2013

The Soul of the Great Bell by Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904)

          The water-clock marks the hour in the Tachung sz’, in the Tower of the Great Bell: now the mallet is lifted to smite the lips of the metal monster—the vast lips inscribed with Buddhist texts from the sacred Fa-hwa-King, from the chapters of the holy Ling-yen-King! Hear the great bell responding!—how mighty her voice, though tongueless! KO-NGAI!
          All the little dragons on the high-tilted eaves of the green roofs shiver to the tips of their gilded tails under that deep wave of sound; all the porcelain gargoyles tremble on their carven perches; all the hundred little bells of the pagodas quiver with desire to speak. KO-NGAI—all the green-and-gold tiles of the temple are vibrating; the wooden goldfish above them are writhing against the sky; the uplifted finger of Fo shakes high over the heads of the worshippers through the blue fog of incenseKO-NGAI!—What a thunder tone was that!
          All the lacquered goblins on the palace cornices wriggle their fire-coloured tongues! And after each huge shock, how wondrous the multiple echo and the great golden moan, and, at last, the sudden sibilant sobbing in the ears when the immense tone faints away in broken whispers of silver, as though a woman should whisper, “Hiai!” Even so the great bell hath sounded every day for well-nigh five hundred years—Ko-Ngai: first with stupendous clang, then with immeasurable moan of gold, then with silver murmuring of “Hiai!” And there is not a child in all the many-coloured ways of the old Chinese city who does not know the story of the great bell, who cannot tell you why the great bell says Ko-Ngai and Hiai! Now this is the story of the great bell in the Tachung sz’, as the same is related in the Pe-Hiao-Tou-Choue, written by the learned Yu-Pao-Tchen, of the City of Kwang-tchau-fu.
          (1) Nearly five hundred years ago the Celestially August, the Son of Heaven, Yong-Lo, of the “Illustrious” or Ming dynasty, commanded the worthy official Kouan-Yu that he should have a bell made of such size that the sound thereof might be heard for one hundred li. And he further ordained that the voice of the bell should be strengthened with brass, and deepened with gold, and sweetened with silver; and that the face and the great lips of it should be graven with blessed sayings from the sacred books, and that it should be suspended in the centre of the imperial capital to sound through all the many-coloured ways of the City of Pe-King.
          (2) Therefore the worthy mandarin Kouan-Yu assembled the master-moulders and the renowned bellsmiths of the empire, and all men of great repute and cunning in foundry work; and they measured the materials for the alloy, and treated them skilfully, and prepared the moulds, the fires, the instruments, and the monstrous melting-pot for fusing the metal. And they laboured exceedingly, like giants neglecting only rest and sleep and the comforts of life; toiling both night and day in obedience to Kouan-Yu, and striving in all things to do the behest of the Son of Heaven.
          (3) But when the metal had been cast, and the earthen mould separated from the glowing casting, it was discovered that, despite their great labour and ceaseless care, the result was void of worth; for the metals had rebelled one against the other—the gold had scorned alliance with the brass, the silver would not mingle with the molten iron. Therefore the moulds had to be once more prepared, and the fires rekindled, and the metal remelted, and all the work tediously and toilsomely repeated. The Son of Heaven heard and was angry, but spake nothing.
          (4) A second time the bell was cast, and the result was even worse. Still the metals obstinately refused to blend one with the other; and there was no uniformity in the bell, and the sides of it were cracked and fissured, and the lips of it were slagged and split asunder; so that all the labour had to be repeated even a third time, to the great dismay of Kouan-Yu. And when the Son of Heaven heard these things, he was angrier than before; and sent his messenger to Kouan-Yu with a letter, written upon lemon-coloured silk and sealed with the seal of the dragon, containing these words:
(5) “From the Mighty Young-Lothe Sublime Tait-Sungthe Celestial and Augustwhose reign is called ‘Ming,’ to Kouan-Yu the Fuh-yinTwice thou hast betrayed the trust we have deigned graciously to place in theeif thou fail a third time in fulfilling our commandthy head shall be severed from thy neckTrembleand obey!”
          (6) Now, Kouan-Yu had a daughter of dazzling loveliness whose name—Ko-Ngai—was ever in the mouths of poets, and whose heart was even more beautiful than her face. Ko-Ngai loved her father with such love that she had refused a hundred worthy suitors rather than make his home desolate by her absence; and when she had seen the awful yellow missive, sealed with the Dragon-Seal, she fainted away with fear for her father’s sake. And when her senses and her strength returned to her, she could not rest or sleep for thinking of her parent’s danger, until she had secretly sold some of her jewels, and with the money so obtained had hastened to an astrologer, and paid him a great price to advise her by what means her father might be saved from the peril impending over him. So the astrologer made observations of the heavens, and marked the aspect of the Silver Stream (which we call the Milky Way), and examined the signs of the Zodiac—the Hwang-tao, or Yellow Road—and consulted the table of the Five Hin, or Principles of the Universe, and the mystical books of the alchemists. And after a long silence, he made answer to her, saying: “Gold and brass will never meet in wedlock, silver and iron never will embrace, until the flesh of a maiden be melted in the crucible; until the blood of a virgin be mixed with the metals in their fusion.” So Ko-Ngai returned home sorrowful at heart; but she kept secret all that she had heard, and told no one what she had done.
          (7) At last came the awful day when the third and last effort to cast the great bell was to be made; and Ko-Ngai, together with her waiting-woman, accompanied her father to the foundry, and they took their places upon a platform overlooking the toiling of the moulders and the lava of liquefied metal. All the workmen wrought at their tasks in silence; there was no sound heard but the muttering of the fires. And the muttering deepened into a roar like the roar of typhoons approaching, and the blood-red lake of metal slowly brightened like the vermilion of a sunrise, and the vermilion was transmuted into a radiant glow of gold, and the gold whitened blindingly, like the silver face of a full moon. Then the workers ceased to feed the raving flame, and all fixed their eyes upon the eyes of Kouan-Yu; and Kouan-Yu prepared to give the signal to cast.
          (8) But ere ever he lifted his finger, a cry caused him to turn his head and all heard the voice of Ko-Ngai sounding sharply sweet as a bird’s song above the great thunder of the fires—“For thy sakeO my father!” And even as she cried, she leaped into the white flood of metal; and the lava of the furnace roared to receive her, and spattered monstrous flakes of flame to the roof, and burst over the verge of the earthen crater, and cast up a whirling fountain of many-coloured fires, and subsided quakingly, with lightnings and with thunders and with mutterings.
          (9) Then the father of Ko-Ngai, wild with his grief, would have leaped in after her, but that strong men held him back and kept firm grasp upon him until he had fainted away, and they could bear him like one dead to his home. And the serving-woman of Ko-Ngai, dizzy and speechless for pain, stood before the furnace, still holding in her hands a shoe, a tiny, dainty shoe, with embroidery of pearls and flowers—the shoe of her beautiful mistress that was. For she had sought to grasp Ko-Ngai by the foot as she leaped, but had only been able to clutch the shoe, and the pretty shoe came off in her hand; and she continued to stare at it like one gone mad.
          (10) But in spite of all these things, the command of the Celestial and August had to be obeyed, and the work of the moulders to be finished, hopeless as the result might be. Yet the glow of the metal seemed purer and whiter than before; and there was no sign of the beautiful body that had been entombed therein. So the ponderous casting was made; and lo! when the metal had become cool, it was found that the bell was beautiful to look upon and perfect in form, and wonderful in colour above all other bells. Nor was there any trace found of the body of Ko-Ngai; for it had been totally absorbed by the precious alloy, and blended with the well-blended brass and gold, with the intermingling of the silver and the iron. And when they sounded the bell, its tones were found to be deeper and mellower and mightier than the tones of any other bell, reaching even beyond the distance of one hundred li, like a pealing of summer thunder; and yet also like some vast voice uttering a name, a woman’s name, the name of Ko-Ngai.
          And still, between each mighty stroke there is a long low moaning heard; and ever the moaning ends with a sound of sobbing and of complaining, as though a weeping woman should murmur, “Hiai!” And still, when the people hear that great golden moan they keep silence, but when the sharp, sweet shuddering comes in the air, and the sobbing of “Hiai!” then, indeed, do all the Chinese mothers in all the many-coloured ways of Pe-King whisper to their little ones: “Listen! that is Ko-Ngai crying for her shoe! That is Ko-Ngai calling for her shoe!”

About Lafcadio Hearn

181 comments:

  1. why was it entitled the soul of the Great bell ?

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    1. because the gold and brass will never meet in wedlock, silver and iron never will embrace, until the blood of a virgin maiden will be mixed with the metals in their fusion.

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    2. ko-ngai leaped for the sake of her father

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    3. that was interesting.....there are other words that I haven't encounter, but now i already know what are their meanings

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    4. Who are the 4 main Characters ? I need it now ! Please answer me ? Thank You :).

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    5. Ko-ngai
      Kuan YU
      ASTROLOGER
      YONG LO

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    6. why they wrote this story ?? reply now plss

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    7. guide words please in the soul of the great bell


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    8. What is the paragraph number of before ko-ngai leaped to the furnace and after ko-ngai leaped the furnace

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    9. What is the theme of the story

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    10. Ano yung lesson sa story? In english ang sagot

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    11. Ano yung lesson sa story? In english ang sagot

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    12. The lesson in the story is you must sacrifice yourself for the sake of your loved ones safety and think first of others before you think of yourself

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    13. Why did the author write this story?

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    14. May I ask some questions???

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    15. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    16. Why did the author tell this story please answer my question?

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    17. Correct ��

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  2. Replies
    1. Don't let the bed bugs bitrogen :)

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    2. pst taga grade 8 stargazer ni
      mankot lang
      what other chinese tradition involve bells

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    3. grade 8 ka rin ba boi

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    4. What will happen to Kuan Yu if the bell will not be finished in time?
      Please answer me

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  3. if you're ko-ngai would you risk your life to save your father???

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    1. yes because i love my father

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    2. and i treasured him the most
      my father was kind and its worth risking even sacrificing my own life.
      because their is no one can replace him! he's only the one

      :) i care about everything even his worst problem

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    3. their is no need to ask because we loved them to death

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    4. ko-ngai wanted sex with her father

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    5. Yes,because just like Ko-Ngai I want my pussy wet with my father

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    6. What is the supporting details in the soul of the great bell? Pls answer kailangan ko na po talaga ngayun

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    7. What is the tradition of the story the soul of the great bell? Pls answer it now

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    8. What is the values of the story the soul of the great bell

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  4. It This The True Detail?

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  5. What is the falling action of this story???

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  6. What picture can i draw for what the story symbolizes??

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  7. What is the historical background of the story?

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  8. i'm just confused while searching on Chinese Literature, i couldn't find this story as one or part of the Chinese Lit, how could i relate The Soul Of The Great Bell with the Chinese Literature?

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    Replies
    1. because it is a work of a chinese

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    2. Ano po ba pwede itanung na how? Plss po with answer salamt

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  9. Where and When did happen in the story ?
    Txtback asap please haha, This is my assignment for tomorrow

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  10. A long time ago in the city of Peking, China (Ancient China) during the Ming Dynasty

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  11. How can you relate this to your present life?

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    Replies
    1. Ano po sagot in english po salamat

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    2. Ano pong pwede isagot dun sa tanung na how can you relate this to your present life? Plss kailangan ko lng po tlga

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  12. WHAT IS THE 'SOURCE OF ARTICLE'? OF THIS STORY? AND THE CONTENT? ANSWEE PLEASE.

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  13. Replies
    1. Yeah but its hard to understand..

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    2. It is hard to understand some of the words in this story cause it uses ancient words that are not used now.

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  14. can you translate it in tagalog the whole story
    plsssss...i need it now

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Use TRANSLATE Select Language above.

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  15. guys 1 question before ko-ngai leaped into the furnace 4 answers pls

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  16. Amm..what is the who were involved in the story??

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  17. Why did the author tell this story?
    please txtback asap guys...I really need the answer right now.

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    Replies
    1. How will gold and brass meet? pls reply back....asap thanks :)

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  18. what is the difference about before and after the great bell casted

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  19. What are the moral lessons of this story?

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  20. what are the traditons of this story

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  21. is that a summary or full story?

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    Replies
    1. summary because the story is long they just have do the simple summary but long to understand easier

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  22. what is the task to kouan-yu and the description of the bell i need an answer now plsssssss

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  23. What is the theme of this story ? Pls answer me .. i need it immediately...

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  24. guys let me ask a qustion :). what is the conflict of the story?? i need it in 5 miutes guyss help me

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  25. What is the purpose of the story if you will keep on asking who, why, when or whatever you ask. You're teacher assigned you to know any details of the story but you will just ask for somebody?! Too lazy huh!?

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    Replies
    1. *Your teacher; *Too lazy to read the story huh!?

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    2. Sharing is nice
      so lets keep on sharing that's why there are a lot who ask
      We aren't lazy You are lazy cause you don't answer our questions

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  26. Guys,, can you please tell me the timeline of events of this story..ire all really need it badly. My teacher scolded me because I don't know the timeline of events of this story..I need to pass it today..so please..send me please..guys..maawa naman Kayo..help me

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  27. where did this happen????

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  28. ah guys may i ask you all a questiON

    WHERE DID THE STORY HAPPEN?

    WHERE DID THE ACTIONTAKE PLACE?

    HOW WAS THE STORY TOLD?

    WHY DID THE AUTHOR TELL THE STORY ??

    PLSSSS... ANSWER NOW PLLSS...NEED KO LANG PO

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  29. What is the summary on that? please I need it tomorrow before noon.....

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  30. What is the summary on that? please I need it tomorrow before noon.....

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  31. what is the story all about?

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  32. Who are the Character?Describe him
    Plzzz answer now please

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  33. Who are the Character?Describe him
    Plzzz answer now please

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  34. Who is the Characters?Describe him.
    Answer now please i need the answer for my assignment

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  35. Who is the Characters?Describe him.
    Answer now please i need the answer for my assignment

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  36. what is the porpose they built the bell

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  37. guys can you give me the best quotes for this story
    ??

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  38. guys can you give me the best quotes for this story
    ??

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  39. Guus ia great bell a short story if not what library type is it?

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  40. Guys . ! Question Plss. What Are The Tradition of Chinese Involve To That Story?

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  41. who is yung-lo?pls. answer guys i need thyis now......
    pls guyzzzz

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    Replies
    1. The emperor in the city of Peking,china during the Ming dynasty

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  42. Hi guys,,can I ask,,What is the best poem about this story?

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  43. Hi guys,,can I ask,,What is the best poem about this story?
    Help me plss..I need it on Monday..

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  44. Values and tradition in the soul of yhe great bell?
    Supporting details in the story?
    Filipino values and tradition that relate to the story?
    Need po asap😊😭

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  45. Values and tradition in the soul of yhe great bell?
    Supporting details in the story?
    Filipino values and tradition that relate to the story?
    Need po asap😊😭

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  46. Can i ask something? I need it for my assignment. Please. Why does the author wrote the soul of the great bell?

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  47. what are the situation in the soul of the great bell

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  48. what are th importants of the story of soul in the great bell?

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  49. Why soul of the great bell?

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  50. hi pasteur 2017-2018
    guess who lol

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  51. what are the two sounds that are produced when the bell was completed?

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  52. Why is the story entitle the soul of the great bell?

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  53. Why is the story entitle the soul of the great bell?

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  54. Why is the story entitle the soul of the great bell?

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  55. kaway kaway sa mga naghahanap ng answer para sa english Strikta kasi teacher namin sa english :(

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    1. The Soul of the Great Bell. Lafcadio Hearn.
      Setting. Peking City. ...
      Plot. The son of Heaven, Yung- Lo, of the "Illustrious" or Ming Dynasty, commanded the worthy official Louan-Yu that he should have a bell. ...
      When Kouan-Yu lifted his finger, Ko-Ngai leaped into the white flood of metal.

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    2. ano po yung falling action sa story

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  56. Guys Ask Question Reply Me PLease What is The Important Details Of This Story

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    1. I think sometime we need to sacrifice to help your parents or family ��

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  57. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  58. may ask question?why did purpose lafcadia hearn the soul of great bell

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    Replies
    1. plsss plsss plsss

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    2. come on plsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!

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  59. What is the problem escalates with a consequence...in the part 3..plsss..t.y.

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  60. Can i ask a question plss...what is the problem escalates with a consequence in part 3

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  61. Ano pong magandang Ending ng story ? I need HElP ��
    Ex:nabuhay si Kongai pero paano ?������

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  62. Guysss can u give me ur own ending of this story??
    Plsss i need it now

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  63. the person that needs an answer for projectAugust 3, 2017 at 8:48 PM

    guys what is the values implied in the story??

    ......need it now......
    pls reply

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  64. What is the social condition and the atmosphere in the story? Please answeeeer! I really really just need it ��

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  65. Who's the major and minor characters?

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  66. what are the difficult words in the story???

    pls comment fast pls...thank you

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  67. What did the son of heaven went bell to become? Plss i need your answer now

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  68. What did the son of heaven went bell to become? Plss i need your answer now

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  69. What did the author tell the story..?
    Plss I need your answer now

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  70. Why was the story given the title"the soul of the great bell?

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  71. Guys pwede mag tanong "what is the content of letter sent by the son of heaven? Pls kailangan na ass. Namin report bukas

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  72. Why is it important to hit that bell during festivals?

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  73. Bat important patunugin yan sa mga piyesta mga tropa??

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  74. what was the request of the king to kongais father?

    answer me

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  75. Guys can I ask ,,,,what other Chinese tradition involve bells?compare and contrast these tradition with Filipino tradition?


    Guysss I need it right now

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  76. Can you please narrate this paragraph 7 and 8 in your own words please I reaally need this for my assignment tomorrow please reply me right as soon as possible thanks!

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  77. Why did the author tell the story?

    How does the story told?

    When did the action take place ?

    What happen??

    ASAP PLEASE😭😭😭

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    Replies
    1. The Soul of the Great Bell. Lafcadio Hearn.
      Setting. Peking City. ...
      Plot. The son of Heaven, Yung- Lo, of the "Illustrious" or Ming Dynasty, commanded the worthy official Louan-Yu that he should have a bell. ...
      When Kouan-Yu lifted his finger, Ko-Ngai leaped into the white flood of metal.

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  78. what are the attitudes and beliefs in chinese traditions that you can based on the story

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  79. asap i need it on my presentation pls

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  80. What do mothers tell their little children when they hear the bell

    Answer my question

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  81. What was the story all about? Pls answer it immediately, thank you

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  82. What was the content of the letter received by Ko-ngai?

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  83. What was the content of the letter received by Ko-ngai?

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  84. Why was it entitled the
    soul of the great bell?

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  85. Ano reaction ng mga tao nung makita nila si ko ngai tumalon sa kumukulong bakal pasagot nman po

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  86. Ano reaction ng mga tao nung makita nila si ko ngai tumalon sa kumukulong bakal pasagot nman po

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  87. So ano yung end nung story? Pinapagawa kami ng activity, gagawa daw kami ng sariling ending nito

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  88. Is this the full story? I need the ending of this story for our class activity for tom... We need to draw what was the ending

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  89. Is this a true to life story or it's just created by the author 's imagination?

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  90. “Gold and brass will never meet in wedlock, silver and iron never will embrace, until the flesh of a maiden be melted in the crucible; until the blood of a virgin be mixed with the metals in their fusion.”


    This is utterly poetic.

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  91. a very interesting story.. u need to re read the story to understand it fuly..

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  92. What is the falling action of the story?? Reply po please asap hehe thank you

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  93. how to.love the family ?
    hard working
    obedient
    use of bell
    use of of dragon
    punishment
    ruled by emprason
    belief in zodiac sign paki sagot po nedd lang po salamat po

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  94. Key points of the story, please.

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  95. What do mothers tell their little children when they heat the bell?
    Reply asap please

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  96. Write the signals used by lafcadio hear to indicate coherence in his story,The soul of the great bell

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