When Are Gongs Played?

The gong has been a Chinese instrument for millennia. Its first use may have been to signal peasant workers in from the fields, because some gongs are loud enough to be heard from up to 5 miles (8 km) away. In Japan, they are traditionally used to start the beginning of sumo wrestling contests.

How are gongs played?

Gongs are played with mallets, a type of percussion beater with a large, felted head. Gongs are a key instrument in the traditional music of China, Burma, and Indonesia, and they have been a part of Western musical culture since at least the 1700s.

What are gongs traditionally used for?

Gongs are depicted in Chinese visual art as of the 6th century CE, and were known for their very intense and spiritual drumming in rituals and tribal meetings. Traditionally, chau gongs were used to clear the way for important officials and processions, much like a police siren today.