Gongs, including Chinese Gongs, Wind Gongs and Tibetan Gongs

For thousands of years the commanding sound of gongs have used in monasteries, temples and holy places. Gongs belong to the oldest and most important musical instruments of south East Asia. Their origins may be traced back to the second millennium B.C., but historians believe that the gong is much older. In Chinese history, gongs are mentioned around 500 A.D., attributed to a nation called HIS YU between Tibet and Burma during the reign of emperor Hsuan Wu. In ancient China, gongs were used to indicate the beginning and ending of a session, especially in court. As a musical instrument, the gong accompanied celebrations, funeral ceremonies, songs, and theater plays. In the music of the Asian high cultures, the gong was used as an orchestral instrument.

A gong are a round metal plate, usually made from a mixture of copper and tin. It is suspended from a stand by a cord that goes through two holes in the gong’s edge. There are a number of different types of gongs. The Basi gong is for the circus, the Xiao-Shou is fdr gong for the opera, the chau gong is for meditation and music (as wel traditionally to announce the arrival of a government official and for warning people to clear the street), the Hmong gong is for healing, and the Jia gong is for lion dance. Today gongs are used to begin and end meditation, yoga, church, and spiritual studies.

When played, the gong player first warms up a large gong by hitting it gently around a circle outside the center of the gong. This starts the gong vibrating. Then the player may hit the center hard, creating a bone-rattling sound that keeps ringing, softer and softer, until the gong finally stops vibrating. Gongs used in symphony orchestras are tuned to different pitches. The pitch of a gong is determined by how thick or thin it is.

Also check out our Gong Accessories pages.

Page 1 of 2