We all have seen long (approximately size of a pencil) hollow metallic rods attached with cotton strings and a small metallic piece of anonymous shape is also attached with the strings. They all are knotted to a common top and swing freely with the air breeze. They are known as Wind chimes. They are a percussion instrument which can be hung anywhere, at home or office. They are considered to bring good luck with their soothing sound that they produce after getting hit by air breeze.
History
The Wind Chimes have been a product of many cultures. In around 3000 BC, fossils of wind chimes were discovered in South East Asia. After the examination of fossils, it was analysed that the wind chimes were made up of wood, bamboo, shells and bones. Wind chimes have always been considered as religious objects which attract kind spirits and positive vibes and drives away the evil spirits and negative vibes. In 1100 BC, the Chinese created the wind bell, and they named it Feng-ling. If you ever visit Buddhist shrines, temples, pagodas, and caves, you’ll observe hundreds of wind bells and wind chimes hung around the whole area. These are hung by Buddhists for keeping the whole area positive.
Beliefs
In Japan, wind chimes are called Furin. Wind chimes are believed to influence how positive energies flow through space. Positive energy i.e., fortune is called ‘Chi’ and negative energy is known as ‘Sha Chi’ in the Chinese language. Wind chimes help in directing positive energy as it approaches a building. It invites positive energy from inside. Specific wind chimes have their certain location. People from the south, east and south-west are recommended to hang metallic wind chimes inside the home or office. Therefore, hanging them inside is the best choice for good results. People from north, east and north-east are recommended to hang Bamboo wind chimes outside the home or office. Hanging them outside slows down the effects of approaching negative energies.
The Windchime festival
In Japan, there is a historic city of Kawagoe, where wind chime festival has been celebrated. It is celebrated in the Hikawa Shrine which is located on the edge of Kawagoe City. The Hikawa Shrine has a history of 1500 years! But, the festival is a recent creation which has started from 2014 only. The Enmusubi (name of the festival) Wind Chime Festival is celebrated at a very large scale, running from July 9th to August 31st. It has been visited by 10,000 people and the number is increasing year after year.
The most attractive point of this festival is the Furin Komichi, or ‘wind chime lane’. It is basically a path strewn with scores of delicate glass bells in nearly a dozen colors. Furin Kairo (“corridor of marriage wind chimes”) is another attractive area of where this festival is held which features the wishes of worshippers that have been written on thin wooden strips and attached to the bells.
