▁fully ▁redis cover ed ▁and ▁understood ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁a ▁complete ▁cer emon ial ▁set ▁of ▁ 6 5 ▁ ▁z h ong ▁b ells ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁a ▁near - per fect ▁state ▁of ▁pres ervation ▁during ▁the ▁exc av ation ▁of ▁the ▁tomb ▁of ▁Mar quis ▁Y i , ▁r uler ▁of ▁Z eng , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁W arring ▁States . ▁ ▁Their ▁special ▁shape ▁gives ▁them ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁produce ▁two ▁different ▁musical ▁t ones , ▁depending ▁on ▁where ▁they ▁are ▁struck . ▁The ▁interval ▁between ▁these ▁notes ▁on ▁each ▁bell ▁is ▁either ▁a ▁major ▁or ▁minor ▁third , ▁equivalent ▁to ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁four ▁or ▁five ▁notes ▁on ▁a ▁piano . ▁ ▁The ▁b ells ▁of ▁Mar quis ▁Y i — which ▁were ▁still ▁fully ▁play able ▁after ▁almost ▁ 2 5 0 0 ▁years — cover ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁slightly ▁less ▁than ▁five ▁oct aves ▁but ▁thanks ▁to ▁their ▁dual - t one ▁cap ability , ▁the ▁set ▁can ▁sound ▁a ▁complete ▁ 1 2 - t one ▁scale — pred ating ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁ 1 2 - t one ▁system ▁by ▁some ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁years — and ▁can ▁play ▁mel od ies ▁in ▁di at onic ▁and ▁pent at onic ▁scales . ▁ ▁Another ▁related ▁ancient ▁Chinese ▁musical ▁instrument ▁is ▁called ▁q ing ▁( <0xE7> <0xA3> <0xAC> ▁p iny in ▁q ì ng ) ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁made