Thailand: The great gong in Wat Phra That Haripunchai, Lamphun c. 1885.

According to the ancient 'tamnan' or historical chronicle of Wat Phra That Haripunchai, the huge bronze gong that hangs in the northeast section of the temple grounds was cast in the year 1222 of the Buddhist Era 'during the reign of Queen Chamadevi', which corresponds to 679 CE - almost certainly too early a date. A 'belfry' consisting of two pillars and a beam (shown in this photograph) was erected to hold the gong in 1882. This was later replaced with the current (2011) raised, open pavilion in Burmese style in 1937. It is claimed to be the largest gong in the world, but is in fact smaller than the gong at the Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar).