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 incense! KO-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-Lo, the Sublime
Tait-Sung, the Celestial and August, whose reign
is called ‘Ming,’ to Kouan-Yu the Fuh-yin: Twice
thou hast betrayed the trust we have deigned graciously to place in thee; if
thou fail a third time in fulfilling our command, thy head shall be
severed from thy neck. Tremble, and 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 sake, O 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
About Lafcadio Hearn
why was it entitled the soul of the Great bell ?
ReplyDeletebecause 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.
Deleteko-ngai leaped for the sake of her father
Deletethat was interesting.....there are other words that I haven't encounter, but now i already know what are their meanings
DeleteGuys may I ask a Question?
DeleteWho are the 4 main Characters ? I need it now ! Please answer me ? Thank You :).
DeleteKo-ngai
DeleteKuan YU
ASTROLOGER
YONG LO
why they wrote this story ?? reply now plss
DeleteHahahaha
Deleteguide words please in the soul of the great bell
DeleteWhat is the paragraph number of before ko-ngai leaped to the furnace and after ko-ngai leaped the furnace
DeleteWhat is the theme of the story
DeleteAno yung lesson sa story? In english ang sagot
DeleteAno yung lesson sa story? In english ang sagot
DeleteThe 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
DeleteWhy did the author write this story?
DeleteWho are the characters?
DeleteMay I ask some questions???
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWhy did the author tell this story please answer my question?
DeleteCorrect ��
DeleteHi Nitrogen :)
ReplyDeleteDon't let the bed bugs bitrogen :)
DeleteHAHAHAHAHAHA
Deletepst taga grade 8 stargazer ni
Deletemankot lang
what other chinese tradition involve bells
grade 8 ka rin ba boi
DeleteWhat was the story all about
DeleteWhat will happen to Kuan Yu if the bell will not be finished in time?
DeletePlease answer me
if you're ko-ngai would you risk your life to save your father???
ReplyDeleteyes because i love my father
Deleteand i treasured him the most
Deletemy 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
their is no need to ask because we loved them to death
Deleteko-ngai wanted sex with her father
DeleteYes,because just like Ko-Ngai I want my pussy wet with my father
DeleteWhat is the supporting details in the soul of the great bell? Pls answer kailangan ko na po talaga ngayun
DeleteWhat is the tradition of the story the soul of the great bell? Pls answer it now
DeleteWhat is the values of the story the soul of the great bell
DeleteGood, done my dear
ReplyDeleteIt This The True Detail?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the falling action of this story???
ReplyDeleteummmm mah d?
DeleteTunay po ba ito?
DeleteWhat picture can i draw for what the story symbolizes??
ReplyDeleteWhat is the historical background of the story?
ReplyDeletei'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?
ReplyDeletebecause it is a work of a chinese
DeleteWho are the characters?
DeleteAno po ba pwede itanung na how? Plss po with answer salamt
DeleteWhere and When did happen in the story ?
ReplyDeleteTxtback asap please haha, This is my assignment for tomorrow
Five hundred years ago in the city of peking (now called beijing)
DeleteReally
DeleteA long time ago in the city of Peking, China (Ancient China) during the Ming Dynasty
ReplyDeleteHow can you relate this to your present life?
ReplyDeleteAno po sagot in english po salamat
DeleteAno pong pwede isagot dun sa tanung na how can you relate this to your present life? Plss kailangan ko lng po tlga
DeleteThen? Ano po sagot?
DeleteWHAT IS THE 'SOURCE OF ARTICLE'? OF THIS STORY? AND THE CONTENT? ANSWEE PLEASE.
ReplyDeletenanana
DeleteTHIS STORY IS SO AMAZING
ReplyDeleteTHIS STORY IS SO AMAZING
ReplyDeleteYeah but its hard to understand..
DeleteIt is hard to understand some of the words in this story cause it uses ancient words that are not used now.
Deletecan you translate it in tagalog the whole story
ReplyDeleteplsssss...i need it now
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteUse TRANSLATE Select Language above.
Deleteguys 1 question before ko-ngai leaped into the furnace 4 answers pls
ReplyDeleteAmm..what is the who were involved in the story??
ReplyDeleteHow was the story told??
ReplyDeleteWhy did the author tell this story?
ReplyDeleteplease txtback asap guys...I really need the answer right now.
How will gold and brass meet? pls reply back....asap thanks :)
DeleteHow was the story told??
ReplyDeletewhat is the difference about before and after the great bell casted
ReplyDeleteWhat are the moral lessons of this story?
ReplyDeletewhere did the story ??
ReplyDeletewhat are the traditons of this story
ReplyDeleteis that a summary or full story?
ReplyDeletesummary because the story is long they just have do the simple summary but long to understand easier
DeleteHow did the story ended?
ReplyDeletewhat is the task to kouan-yu and the description of the bell i need an answer now plsssssss
ReplyDeleteWhat is the theme of this story ? Pls answer me .. i need it immediately...
ReplyDeleteguys let me ask a qustion :). what is the conflict of the story?? i need it in 5 miutes guyss help me
ReplyDeleteWhat 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!?
ReplyDelete*Your teacher; *Too lazy to read the story huh!?
DeleteSharing is nice
Deleteso 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
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
ReplyDeleteWhat is the setting ?
ReplyDeletewhere did this happen????
ReplyDeleteah guys may i ask you all a questiON
ReplyDeleteWHERE 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
What is the summary on that? please I need it tomorrow before noon.....
ReplyDeleteWhat is the summary on that? please I need it tomorrow before noon.....
ReplyDeletewhat is the story all about?
ReplyDeleteWho are the Character?Describe him
ReplyDeletePlzzz answer now please
Who are the Character?Describe him
ReplyDeletePlzzz answer now please
Who is the Characters?Describe him.
ReplyDeleteAnswer now please i need the answer for my assignment
Who is the Characters?Describe him.
ReplyDeleteAnswer now please i need the answer for my assignment
is this a the full story?
ReplyDeletewhat is the porpose they built the bell
ReplyDeleteguys can you give me the best quotes for this story
ReplyDelete??
guys can you give me the best quotes for this story
ReplyDelete??
Guus ia great bell a short story if not what library type is it?
ReplyDeleteGuys . ! Question Plss. What Are The Tradition of Chinese Involve To That Story?
ReplyDeletewho is kouan-yu
ReplyDeletewho is yung-lo?pls. answer guys i need thyis now......
ReplyDeletepls guyzzzz
The emperor in the city of Peking,china during the Ming dynasty
DeleteHi guys,,can I ask,,What is the best poem about this story?
ReplyDeleteHi guys,,can I ask,,What is the best poem about this story?
ReplyDeleteHelp me plss..I need it on Monday..
Values and tradition in the soul of yhe great bell?
ReplyDeleteSupporting details in the story?
Filipino values and tradition that relate to the story?
Need po asap😊😭
Values and tradition in the soul of yhe great bell?
ReplyDeleteSupporting details in the story?
Filipino values and tradition that relate to the story?
Need po asap😊😭
Can i ask something? I need it for my assignment. Please. Why does the author wrote the soul of the great bell?
ReplyDeleteHow many Characters?
ReplyDeleteI need it now please.
DeleteAnswer now pleaseeee Ineed
Deletewhat are the situation in the soul of the great bell
ReplyDeletewhat are th importants of the story of soul in the great bell?
ReplyDeleteplease reply ASAP
DeleteWhy soul of the great bell?
ReplyDeletehi pasteur 2017-2018
ReplyDeleteguess who lol
Tulong😭😭
Deletewhat are the two sounds that are produced when the bell was completed?
ReplyDeleteWhy is the story entitle the soul of the great bell?
ReplyDeleteWhy is the story entitle the soul of the great bell?
ReplyDeleteAnswer this please
DeleteWhy is the story entitle the soul of the great bell?
ReplyDeletekaway kaway sa mga naghahanap ng answer para sa english Strikta kasi teacher namin sa english :(
ReplyDeleteThe Soul of the Great Bell. Lafcadio Hearn.
DeleteSetting. 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.
ano po yung falling action sa story
DeleteGuys Ask Question Reply Me PLease What is The Important Details Of This Story
ReplyDeleteI think sometime we need to sacrifice to help your parents or family ��
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletemay ask question?why did purpose lafcadia hearn the soul of great bell
ReplyDeleteplsss plsss plsss
Deletecome on plsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!
DeleteWhat is the problem escalates with a consequence...in the part 3..plsss..t.y.
ReplyDeleteCan i ask a question plss...what is the problem escalates with a consequence in part 3
ReplyDeleteAno pong magandang Ending ng story ? I need HElP ��
ReplyDeleteEx:nabuhay si Kongai pero paano ?������
Guysss can u give me ur own ending of this story??
ReplyDeletePlsss i need it now
guys what is the values implied in the story??
ReplyDelete......need it now......
pls reply
What is the social condition and the atmosphere in the story? Please answeeeer! I really really just need it ��
ReplyDeleteWho's the major and minor characters?
ReplyDeletewhat are the difficult words in the story???
ReplyDeletepls comment fast pls...thank you
What did the son of heaven went bell to become? Plss i need your answer now
ReplyDeleteWhat did the son of heaven went bell to become? Plss i need your answer now
ReplyDeleteWhat did the author tell the story..?
ReplyDeletePlss I need your answer now
Why was the story given the title"the soul of the great bell?
ReplyDeleteIs this the full story?
ReplyDeleteIs this the full story?
ReplyDeleteGuys pwede mag tanong "what is the content of letter sent by the son of heaven? Pls kailangan na ass. Namin report bukas
ReplyDeleteWhy is it important to hit that bell during festivals?
ReplyDeleteBat important patunugin yan sa mga piyesta mga tropa??
ReplyDeletewhat was the request of the king to kongais father?
ReplyDeleteanswer me
Guys can I ask ,,,,what other Chinese tradition involve bells?compare and contrast these tradition with Filipino tradition?
ReplyDeleteGuysss I need it right now
Why did this happed
ReplyDeleteCan 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!
ReplyDeleteWhy did the author tell the story?
ReplyDeleteHow does the story told?
When did the action take place ?
What happen??
ASAP PLEASE😭😭😭
The Soul of the Great Bell. Lafcadio Hearn.
DeleteSetting. 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.
what are the attitudes and beliefs in chinese traditions that you can based on the story
ReplyDeleteasap i need it on my presentation pls
ReplyDeleteWhat do mothers tell their little children when they hear the bell
ReplyDeleteAnswer my question
this is the full story
ReplyDeleteWhat was the story all about? Pls answer it immediately, thank you
ReplyDeleteWhat was the content of the letter received by Ko-ngai?
ReplyDeleteWhat was the content of the letter received by Ko-ngai?
ReplyDeleteWhy was it entitled the
ReplyDeletesoul of the great bell?
Ano reaction ng mga tao nung makita nila si ko ngai tumalon sa kumukulong bakal pasagot nman po
ReplyDeleteAno reaction ng mga tao nung makita nila si ko ngai tumalon sa kumukulong bakal pasagot nman po
ReplyDeleteAno daw?
ReplyDeleteSo ano yung end nung story? Pinapagawa kami ng activity, gagawa daw kami ng sariling ending nito
ReplyDeleteIs 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
ReplyDeleteIs this a true to life story or it's just created by the author 's imagination?
ReplyDelete“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.”
ReplyDeleteThis is utterly poetic.
a very interesting story.. u need to re read the story to understand it fuly..
ReplyDeleteWhat is the falling action of the story?? Reply po please asap hehe thank you
ReplyDeleteHow story told
ReplyDeletehow to.love the family ?
ReplyDeletehard 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
summary po para s output
ReplyDeletesummary po para s output
ReplyDeletesummary po para s output
ReplyDeleteKey points of the story, please.
ReplyDeleteWhat do mothers tell their little children when they heat the bell?
ReplyDeleteReply asap please
*hear the bell?
ReplyDeleteWrite the signals used by lafcadio hear to indicate coherence in his story,The soul of the great bell
ReplyDelete