Title: “Sounds of Nature” (Tianlai)
Location: Originally commissioned for the Entrance Hall of the Old Chime Bell Hall (West Hall), Hubei Provincial Museum; currently exhibited in the B1 Hall of the museum’s South Wing.
Artists: Tang Xiaohe & Cheng Li | Fabrication: Wensculp Team
Category: Large-Scale Cast Bronze Wall-Mounted Relief Installation
Completion: 1996
Dimensions: 4.34m (H) x 22.5m (W)
Material & Process: Integral bronze casting with polychrome block patination; multi-layered 3D installation relief
Distinctions: Excellence Award at the 9th National Exhibition of Fine Arts; featured in “One Hundred Years of Chinese Murals”; selected for the 1st China Mural Exhibition.
Styling Details
This monumental L-shaped bronze installation transcends traditional flat relief, comprising dozens of staggered and stacked 3D components. The composition distills core Chu cultural elements—chime bell forms, bird-seal script, yunlei (cloud-and-thunder) motifs, and phoenix totems—abstracting instrument structures into vertical, intersecting, and coiled tubular forms. These components are arranged in varying densities and heights, featuring vertical pillars and geometric meander patterns that collectively form a “musical forest” in resonance. Shunning figurative representation, the work employs abstract visual language to embody the profound philosophical state of “all apertures sounding of themselves; the greatest music is silent,” translating the ancient Chu melodies of the Marquis Yi of Zeng chimes into a visual bronze symphony. The corner layout creates a powerful spatial dialogue, enhanced by floor reflections that allow viewers to “see” the form of sound in an immersive artistic environment.
Manufacturing Process
Execute 1:1 clay scale-ups to define multi-layered spatial depth, ensuring components possess profound three-dimensional depth that transcends the flat wall surface.
Utilize lost-wax bronze casting to manufacture numerous independent modular components, with each element cast from dedicated precision molds.
Apply multi-tonal hot patination to create a rich palette of antique bronze and verdigris, faithfully recreating the mottled and heavy texture of excavated historical bronze.
Facilitate on-site assembly using structural steel embeds for secure wall mounting, achieving a stable and permanent installation of the massive 3D relief within the architectural environment.
Design Philosophy
Positioned in the entrance gallery, this work serves as the inaugural artistic threshold for visitors entering the Chime Bell Hall. Inspired by the classical Chinese concept of “Tianlai”—the sounds of nature—the design resonates with the Marquis Yi of Zeng chimes, visualizing the 2,000-year-old spirit of Chu ritual music. By utilizing abstract contemporary mural language rather than literal replication, the installation distills the spiritual essence of ancient melodies and motifs to bridge historical bronze legacy with modern public art, allowing visitors to experience the grand, mysterious, and romantic aura of Chu civilization before encountering the historical artifacts themselves.