By Robert Hentschel
I listen to the tones of the qing and the muyu punctuating the monks’ prayers. As I let the sounds wash over me, I contemplate these simple, elegant instruments.
The qing (standing bell) and the muyu (wooden fish) are percussion instruments, usually played to assist meditation and to set the timing of chanting in Daoist and Buddhist prayer and ritual.
Muyu come in sizes from as small as 15cm, for use in solo practice, to as large as 120cm, for use in temples and monasteries. Qing too, come in diameters ranging from a few centimetres to a metre. Both instruments normally rest on a cushion, which allows them to vibrate freely when struck with either a wooden or a padded striker. The larger the instrument, the deeper the note produced.
Early versions of the qing – known as nao – had the form of a hollow-stemmed goblet with an almond-shaped cross-section. They were crafted in bronze and were the earliest type of standing bell in the ancient world, dating as far back as the Shang dynasty (c.1600 to 1066 BCE). Over time, the qing took on the shape of a bowl.
The origins of the muyu are lost in history. Its earliest form was that of a dragon-fish animal, but this gradually developed into the appearance best known today, which is round in shape and hollowed out, with a carving of two fish embracing a pearl on the handle, symbolising unity and a wakeful mind.
My awareness returns to the sounds of the instruments and I sense how they affect me. The qing’s penetrating yet pleasing note blows out the cobwebs and brings me into myself, while the distinct, repetitive and slightly hollow sound of the muyu quietens and focuses my mind and encourages spiritual connection.
Featured image: Muyu (left) and qing. Photo: Robert Hentschel
