The origin of wind chimes:
In ancient times, wind chimes were extremely popular among nobles. They were called "organs" and became the object of poets' chants. At that time, wind chimes were expensive and hard to come by, making them out of reach for ordinary people. In the Edo period, the production technology advanced and mass production was possible, and it became popular among the people. It became an essential summer product and formed Japan's unique wind chime culture.
It is said that wind chimes originated from the ancient Chinese wind chimes, which were mainly used for divination. Some people also used them to judge the direction of the wind. According to records, during the Tang Dynasty, King Qi, the son of Emperor Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty, hung many jade pieces in the bamboo forest in the palace where he lived, and listened to the clinking sound of the jade pieces to determine the direction of the wind. These jade pieces are Zhanfeng Duo. Later, such wind chimes were brought home by Japanese monks who studied in the Tang Dynasty.
There is a folk legend in Japan. At the end of the Meiji period, there was a long steep slope near Kyobashi in Tokyo. There were ghosts and ghosts there from time to time, and no one dared to walk after dark. One day, a wind chime vendor came home late. When passing by this barren hillside, he saw a slim woman standing on the roadside, her face covered with long sleeves. So the vendor asked her why she was crying, but the woman didn't answer. The hawker couldn't help but stepped forward and pulled the woman's sleeve. The woman slowly turned around, revealing a face as smooth as an eggshell with no mouth, no nose, and no eyes. The vendor screamed in fright and ran away, the wind chimes on his back rang loudly. The woman was about to give chase, but she disappeared as soon as she heard the bell.
There are endless varieties of Japanese wind chimes, the most famous of which are "Nanbu Wind Chimes" and "Edo Wind Chimes".
Six main categories of wind chimes:
1. Iwate Southern Wind Chimes: Southern Wind Chimes are named after they are made of iron produced in the southern region. Iwate southern wind chimes are famous for their beautiful sound, with soft and long sounds and a lasting aftertaste.
2. Aizu Kitakata Wind Chime: Using traditional lacquerware techniques, the inside of the glass wind chime is painted. The gold powder and toner of the lacquer painting are all painted by hand. The translucent wind chimes are generous and beautiful, with first-class ornamental value. The sound is calm and long-lasting, making people feel peaceful.
3. Edo wind chimes: hand-blown glass, with hand-painted patterns on the inside, a short booklet hanging and a poem on it. It was named after mass production during the Edo period. The openings of Edo wind chimes are not neat and smooth, and the zigzag shape is deliberately retained. The tone is extremely crisp.
4. Aichi Seto Wind Chime: Seto ware is the representative of Japanese ceramics, and its representative work is the Aichi Seto Wind Chime. Paint on the ceramic surface, perfect for hanging in a Japanese style room.
5. DaBeppu wind chimes: DaBeppu wind chimes are rich in bamboo woven products, and DaBeppu wind chimes are woven from slender and flexible bamboo, which is very cool visually. The bell part is generally made of southern iron.
6. Okinawa wind chimes: Using Okinawa’s traditional glass ball production process, the colors are usually brighter.