China Makes Huge Bells to Mark Millennium

China will make a huge set of bells, the biggest of the kind, in a move to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium.

The new set is named as "Zhonghua Hezhong" which means "Chinese Bells of Harmony". The set will have three major parts -- " niuzhong" (button bells), "yongzhong" and "bozhong" (large bells) and will be arranged in echelon style, said sources from the working group for making the new century bells of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Bozhong", the main part of the Chinese bells of harmony, were just finished in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.

The new "Bo" bells have 18 parts in all, with an average height of one meter. The central bell has a weight of 340 kg.

"Bo" bells are made in five months by workers of three companies including Wuhan Precision Foundry Co. Ltd. of Hubei Province using both traditional techniques and modern high technology.

The sources from Wuhan said that the new "Bo" bells have just passed appraisal of experts and will soon be transported to Beijing.

It is said that the Chinese bells of harmony will be placed onto the rostrum of Tian An Men and will be rung on the start of the new millennium.

In addition to making the new bells, China has also built a number of other projects to greet the new millennium, including a rotating altar in the western part of Beijing.


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