纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 030中国青铜钟（3）

The bell here at the British Museum is large and very handsome.

大英博物馆的铜钟外形硕大美观。

It's about the size of a beer barrel, but is not circular, but elliptical.

如啤酒桶大小的它截面呈椭圆形。

In fact, it reminds me of nothing so much as an outsize Swiss cowbell.

令人联想起一只超大的瑞士牛铃。

Nonetheless, it's a pretty impressive sight.

钟身雕刻精美，

It's covered in decoration, elaborate strap-work that swirls all over,

通体环绕带状花纹，

round medallions with dragons' heads swallowing geese and, at the top, two magnificent standing dragons holding the handle from which the bell would have hung.

圆形浮雕上刻有吞食大雁的龙头，顶部盘踞着两条华美的龙，组成悬挂铜钟的把手。

This was a bell that was not only made to be heard, but to be seen.

这样的铜钟，能给人听觉与视觉的双重享受。

Like the Hong Kong bells we heard earlier on, our bell would have originally been part of a set owned by a warlord or by a powerful official in one of the numerous small states.

这铜钟原本是成套的，主人可能是当时的诸侯，也可能是某个诸侯国的大臣。

Owning a set of bells-and, even more, being able to afford the orchestra to play them-were visible, and of course audible, signs of great wealth and status.

拥有一套铜钟，并拥有一整支能演奏它们的乐队，无疑是财富与地位的象征。

The principal message of our bell would have originally been about its owner's power, but it would also have represented that owner's view of society and the cosmos.

铜钟所传达的主要信息便是主人的权势，但同时它也能表现出主人的社会观与宇宙观。