Zimingzhong: The mechanical marvels where East meets West

Ostentatious is an understatement. The sophisticated clockwork gadgets known in China as zimingzhong or ‘self-ringing bells’, and in Britain as ‘sing-songs’, are anything but subtle. Most visitors who encounter a top-quality zimingzhong for the first time will be immediately struck by two things: the impressive scale of many of these devices – with some standing a metre or so tall – and the detailed decoration gracing them. Zimingzhong can come in many guises, ranging from an elegant model pagoda to a pot of lotus flowers. Alternatives include serene countryside scenes and even a temple of Alexander the Great that bears more than a passing resemblance to a wedding cake. Others, t