National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

　This is a kind of instrument used in esoteric rituals, etc. (Bonnongu). On the body molded into the shape of a flower with five petals, the Five Wisdom Kings (Godai Myo-o), i.e., Acala (Fudo), Trilokavijaya (Gouzanze), Yamantaka (Dai-itoku), Kundali (Gundari) and Ucchuṣma (Ususama) are cast like embossment. The pose of each King is different, which creates a composition with movement in the mass. As the upper part of the handle has been lost now, the bronze ground is exposed in most parts. Originally, however, a prong was set on the upper part of the handle and brilliantly plated with gold.
This type of bell is said to be a typical tool for the esoteric rituals in the Tang Dynasty period, however, a fairly good number of such bells preserved now have been handed down in Japan and in addition, there are differences in the materials, techniques and patterns compared to the instruments in the Tang Dynasty period. Thus more consideration may be needed about where and when they were created.