Bell Pavilion: The Temple Bell and Four Instruments
A bell pavilion (beomjongnu, 梵鐘樓) is the raised pavilion where a Korean temple keeps and sounds its great bell along with the Dharma drum, wooden fish, and cloud gong, together known as the samul (四物, "four instruments"). At Goyosa in the online temple Hapjang (합장), you can climb to the Bell Loft upstairs to ring the bell once per real-world day, and play the drum, wooden fish, and cloud gong yourself.
- Where
- A pavilion off Goyosa's courtyard; the upper floor is the Bell Loft
- What you can do
- Ring the bell with a wish (1 to 3 strikes); play the Dharma drum, wooden fish, and cloud gong
- How often
- Once a day, by the real-world date
- When the bell is closed
- Goyosa time 21:00–04:36 and 17:00–18:18
- Together
- When someone rings the bell, others can join palms together
What are the four instruments, and why are they played?
The samul are four Buddhist instruments: the temple bell, the Dharma drum, the wooden fish, and the cloud gong. They are commonly explained as being sounded around the morning and evening services with the wish that every living being within reach of the sound be freed from suffering. The order and number of strikes differ from temple to temple.
- Temple bell (beomjong): a large bronze bell. Its sound is often said to reach even the worlds below the earth, so that it touches all beings.
- Dharma drum (beopgo): a leather drum, struck for the beings that live on land.
- Wooden fish (mogeo): a fish-shaped wooden instrument, beaten for the beings that live in water.
- Cloud gong (unpan): a cloud-shaped metal plate, struck for the beings that fly in the sky.
A day at Goyosa's Bell Pavilion
Goyosa has its own day with sunrise and sunset, and one Goyosa day lasts about 17 minutes of real time. The Dharma drum sounds at 03:12 and 17:12 Goyosa time; the great bell rings 28 times at 03:20 and 33 times at 17:20. Twenty-eight strikes at dawn and thirty-three in the evening is also a count long kept at Korean mountain temples.
In the Bell Loft on the upper floor of the Bell Pavilion, visitors can ring the bell themselves. When someone rings the bell with a wish, others nearby can join palms together and add their hearts to the sound.
When you can't ring the bell
You can ring the bell with a wish once a day, based on the real-world date. From 21:00 to 04:36 and from 17:00 to 18:18 Goyosa time, the bell cannot be rung. During those hours, rest while listening to the scheduled bell, or try the Dharma drum, wooden fish, and cloud gong.
After the Bell Pavilion
Coming down from the Bell Pavilion, you reach the Lantern Courtyard, hung with wish lanterns, and the Main Buddha Hall. If you enter the hall during service times (03:30–04:10 and 17:40–18:10 Goyosa time), you can also follow along with the temple service.
How to ring the temple bell with a wish
- Half bow Stand before the bell, put your palms together, and bow lightly from the waist.
- Take the striker rope Take hold of the rope hanging from the wooden log (dangmok) used to strike the bell.
- Strike the bell Holding a wish in mind, strike the bell one to three times.
- Palms together Keep your palms together while the sound spreads out.
- Half bow Make another half bow and step back.
Try it in Hapjang
When you go near the bell, a ring button appears on screen; on a PC you can also press E or F. Follow the prompts in order: half bow, take the striker rope, strike 1 to 3 times, palms together, half bow. Ringing the bell with a wish adds the stamp 鐘 (bell) to your notebook. Play the Dharma drum, wooden fish, and cloud gong by tapping their surfaces or using the on-screen buttons.
Frequently asked questions
When can I ring the bell in Hapjang?
Once a day, based on the real-world date. It cannot be rung from 21:00 to 04:36 or 17:00 to 18:18 Goyosa time, but since one Goyosa day is only about 17 real minutes, the ringing hours come back soon.
Why is the temple bell struck 28 times at dawn and 33 times in the evening?
These are counts long kept at Korean mountain temples, and a widely known explanation links them to the number of heavenly realms in Buddhist cosmology. Interpretations and counts can vary somewhat between temples.
What is each of the Dharma drum, wooden fish, and cloud gong played for?
It is commonly said that the Dharma drum is for beings on land, the wooden fish for beings in water, and the cloud gong for beings that fly. Hapjang explains them the same way.
Related pages
- Ringing a Korean Temple Bell: Steps and 28 or 33 StrikesHow to ring a Korean temple bell with a wish, step by step, and why monks strike it 28 times at dawn and 33 at dusk. Ring it once a day at Hapjang.
- Dharma Drum, Wooden Fish, Cloud Gong: Temple InstrumentsThe four instruments of a Korean temple and who each sounds for: Dharma drum, wooden fish, cloud gong and bell. Strike them yourself in Hapjang.
- A Day at Goyosa: Service Times, Bells, Monks and Night SkyA day at Goyosa in Hapjang lasts about 17 real minutes. Drum at 03:12 and 17:12, bell 28 and 33 strikes, services, the elder monk's walk, fireflies, stars.
- Korean Temple Service (Yebul): Seven Bows of ChiljeongnyeHow dawn and evening services flow at a Korean temple and what the seven-bow Chiljeongnye means. Follow the bows to a monk's moktak in Hapjang.
- Lantern Courtyard — Hang a Wish Lantern OnlineHang a wish lantern at the Lantern Courtyard of Goyosa in Hapjang, an online Korean temple. Write up to 40 characters and keep it private or share it.
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