Public invited to rare sound test of Emille Bell in Gyeongju

연합뉴스 / 2025-09-01 16:03:23

▲ This photo of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok — widely known by its nickname Emille Bell — is provided by the National Museum of Gyeongju. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The National Museum of Gyeongju will open the sound test of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok — widely known by its nickname Emille Bell — to the public on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m., the museum said Monday.

Designated a National Treasure, the Seongdeok Bell is the largest surviving bronze bell from the Unified Silla period. It was commissioned by King Gyeongdeok (r. 742–765) in honor of his late father, King Seongdeok (r. 702–737), and completed in 771 during the reign of King Hyegong (r. 765–780). The bell stands about 3.66 meters tall and weighs an estimated 18.9 tons.

Regarded as a masterpiece of late Unified Silla art, the bell bears an inscription of more than 1,000 characters, offering valuable insight into the culture, thought, and artistry of the time. For more than 1,200 years it produced a resonant, serene tone, though its regular ringing was halted in 1992 for conservation reasons.

Since then, the museum has carried out sound investigations three times — in 1996, 2001–2003, and 2020–2022. This year marks the first time in 22 years that such a test will be opened to the public.

During the event, participants will be able to hear the bell’s sound directly. Researchers will strike the bell to examine its unique natural frequency and detect beat phenomena caused by subtle asymmetries in vibration.

In commemoration of the year of its completion, the museum will invite 771 people to attend. Eligible participants are elementary school students or older born before 2018, with up to two applicants per household. Registration will be available on the museum’s website from Sept. 8 to 14.

The museum also announced plans to make the sound test an annual public event every September for the next five years.

Yoon Sang-deok, director of the National Museum of Gyeongju, said, “We hope that all participants will have a meaningful time to reflect deeply amid the moving resonance that has carried on for a thousand years.”