Golden Bell - origin/purpose of the name?

[jonathan.bluestein]

Just randomly occurred to me I do not know why some Qi Gong methods have that name. Can someone please provide an explanation?

Also, are these the characters 金铃 ?

Thanks!

[Ron Panunto]

Iron shirt.

[jonathan.bluestein]

I know this is another name for Iron Shirt... Though some traditions hold the two as different (yet related) practices. But the Chinese tend to choose names for a reason. Why 'Golden' and 'Bell' in this context?

[jonathan.bluestein]

Having done some more research, the characters are ' 钟罩 ' which does not mean 'bell' but 'bell canopy'. This makes more sense.

[Steve James]

Hmm, what's the bell and what's the canopy?

Fwiw, I thought the bell idea contained the idea of something covering something (a gong, for ex), and that golden signified its quality and ability to do so. Afa the difference between it and "iron shirt," both carried the idea of protection, but iron shirt was considered "external" training (as in hardening the outside) as opposed to golden bell "internal" training. Someone with more experience can probably tell you more.

[jonathan.bluestein]

Hmm, what's the bell and what's the canopy?

金 - Gold.
铃 - (small) Bell.
钟 - apparently, also 'Bell'? Usually means cup/goblet. Perhaps does not carry the meaning of bell without the second character?
钟罩 - Bell Canopy. Perhaps not related to actual ringing bells but to the shape of a bell.

金钟罩氣功 - Golden Bell-Canopy Qi Gong.

If indeed that name should be 金钟罩氣功, which I believe it is in the Jook Lum mantis that I practice, then there is a big misunderstanding in English wherein the word 'bell' is used, since bells give the connotation of ringing, while it seems the original intent was to refer to a bell-like-shape and/or it's covering properties.

[Steve James]

What is a bell canopy?

[Steve James]

wherein the word 'bell' is used, since bells give the connotation of ringing

Well, yeah, but golden bell doesn't seem to imply golden ringing in any way.

Anyway, got a picture of a canopy and learned something new. I never knew that the bell (part that rung) was called a canopy. So, if the bell shape is the canopy, the idea of protecting something inside remains the same. Taking out the word "bell" and replacing it with "canopy" could work. Then we'd have golden canopy. That wouldn't' explain "why" it was gold, or change its function in practice. I'm not sure there's a big western misunderstanding afa the function of golden bell training --because of the name.

Here's a brass bell canopy

[D_Glenn]

Hmm, what's the bell and what's the canopy?

金 - Gold.
铃 - (small) Bell.
钟 - apparently, also 'Bell'? Usually means cup/goblet. Perhaps does not carry the meaning of bell without the second character?
钟罩 - Bell Canopy. Perhaps not related to actual ringing bells but to the shape of a bell.

金钟罩氣功 - Golden Bell-Canopy Qi Gong.

If indeed that name should be 金钟罩氣功, which I believe it is in the Jook Lum mantis that I practice, then there is a big misunderstanding in English wherein the word 'bell' is used, since bells give the connotation of ringing, while it seems the original intent was to refer to a bell-like-shape and/or it's covering properties.

There's a few ideas behind the meaning but the only one I can remember now is that it refers to the shape of the Chinese Bronze (or other copper alloy) Bells, that were of a gold color from the copper, which oxidized to a green color.

The shape is different and they need to be hit from the outside with some type of mallet. The shape kind of looks like the armor that covers a soldiers torso, and I believe the idea kind of comes from that and the striking of the mallet.









.

[Steve James]

The shape kind of looks like the armor that covers a soldiers torso, and I believe the idea kind of comes from that and the striking of the mallet.

Yeah, I think the idea is the same, a covering.

[Dale Dugas]

Gold does not rot. And a bell has the basic shape of the torso of a human.

Remember the characters evolved from pictures.

Iron Body
Iron Vest
Copper Jacket

All names for training to take blows.

[jonathan.bluestein]

Thanks folks. There are good answers

[D_Glenn]

Gold Bell cover/Shape (金钟罩 Zhongzhao) also has a connection to 罩门 Zhaomen (achilles heel/ chink in one's armor) which in fighting is the softer parts of body. Or making the weak vulnerable spots of your body stronger. Which could be 金钟 Gold Bell [to cover/ protect] 罩门 Vulnerable areas.

.

[dspyrido]

I thought the term iron body was a colourful name that conjured up images of internal strength and a reflection of strengthening the bones. That was until I was instructed to build a training tool made from several metal plates.

So when I hear golden bell I have no idea what it means but I am tending to think there may possibly be a related training method that the name was derived from and that has gotten lost over time. Moreso because I think I have heard mention that the terms iron body and golden bell are more than a few hundred years old.

[sinkpoint]

金 literally means metal in classic Chinese. So there's a double meaning there.
i.e the scripture found on bronze vessels is named 金文

钟 - tend to be large bells in temple court yards, they are generally cast bronze/iron, and are massive. Some are so big you can easily fit a person or two underneath them.


金钟罩 means as if a giant gold/metal bell covers the body. Because these massive bells are generally found in Buddhist temples, Chinese people intuitively understand the term with Buddhist connotations. A giant bell made of gold is also super impressive, and Buddhism loves gold.