Much Ado about Wind Chimes

Recently I've been hearing a few negative things said about wind chimes that they attract evil spirits. I feel the need to debunk the myth. But let's first begin with some basics.

Wind chimes are popular decorations throughout the world. They have a long and varied history that spans cultures, continents and uses. Historically, it is also one of the earliest musical instruments. Their unique soothing, meditative sound bring harmony and balance to life. For all within hearing distance of wind chimes, their melodic sound provides a calming effect. They make wonderful home and garden accents.

People have enjoyed wind chime music since the earliest days of civilization. Archeologists unearthed evidence of ancient wind chimes made of shells and bone at dig sites in Southeast Asia. Various forms of wind chimes were also discovered in ancient Greece and Egypt. The Chinese perfected the tonal precision of their bronze wind chime bells around 1100 BC. The Chinese connected the chimes to the ancient art of feng shui--the arrangement of objects to achieve peace and harmony. The Chinese believed that wind chimes connect people with nature and the body, creating a greater awareness of living in the moment that leads to a sense of well-being.

Origins of Wind Chimes

The wind chime can trace its lineage back almost 5000 years. The first evidence of wind chimes, found at archeological sites in South East Asia, dates them to about 3000 B.C.  Primitive constructions of bone, wood or bamboo, stone or shells, the earliest wind chimes were thought to be used to scare away evil spirits. However evidence exists that wind chimes had a more practical use as well; digs in Bali, Indonesia show that farmers used the sound wind chimes and wind clappers make to scare birds and other animals from their cultivated fields. By 2000 B.C. the wind chime had been developed independently along the shores of the Mediterranean and was being cast in bronze by the ancient Egyptians.

Over time, they were used by emperors and other high leaders to create inner peace. Throughout Tibet, Bali and Japan, it was common to see highly intricate and decorative wind chimes in sacred places. In China, the pitch of wind chimes helped to determine astrological and climate changes. China and Japan were also the first to introduce wind chimes as decorative art in homes.

It wasn't until around 1100 B.C., when the Chinese started casting bells, that the wind chime found its more modern, musical and artistic evolution.  Highly skilled metal workers created the forefather of the wind chime, a clapper-less bell called yong-zhong, which was used as an accompaniment for religious ceremonies.  After that the Chinese developed what is essentially the modern wind bell, called the feng-ling.  This they hung from the eaves of shrines, temples, pagodas and in caves as wind bells were considered religious talismans thought to repel evil demons and ghosts and attract benevolent spirits.  This practice was adopted in the secular world and wind chimes became common adornments in the home as a way to protect against spiteful supernatural influences. 

The use of wind chimes in the home spread from China to Japan and from there to the western world in the 1800's when Asian art, design and philosophy started to show a distinct influence in Europe and America.  The practice of feng-shui helped to spread the knowledge of a wind chime’s calming and balancing influence in the home.  An ancient system of using arrangement maximize the flow of life energy, or Chi, feng-shui often uses wind chimes as a means of shaping an environment and influencing chi.  The tones and materials of a particular wind chime can affect energy and change the mood and feeling of a living space.

Wind chimes were often hung around Asian temples and thought to attract peaceful spirits while protecting against evil forces. Early on, Buddhists adopted wind chimes and wind-bells into various rituals and the chimes were hung in large numbers on temples, shrines, pagodas and caves. Later, the chimes became popular for secular and decorative purposes and were popular in homes and places of business. In many cultures, a prime purpose of wind chimes is to recall listeners to a seemingly contradictory state combining appreciation of the moment with a feeling of transcending the everyday world.

Types

Wind chimes are usually constructed of a set of hanging rods of bamboo, metal, wood, and even ceramic and glass. A ringer hangs down in the center of the set and makes noise when wind causes it to contact the chimes. Wind chimes come in many sizes from tiny tubes worn as necklaces and earrings, to bronze bell chimes weighing hundreds of pounds. The most popular varieties are several feet in length and made of metal and bamboo tubes. They are hung indoors and outdoors on porches and decks. Wind chimes gained in popularity the 1970s when wind chime companies began developing the sophisticated, precision-tonal musical chimes available today. Contemporary metal wind chimes are available in tunable musical pitches. Some precision wind chimes also have specific cultural tunings including Japanese, Balinese and Hawaiian.

Common Places to Hang Wind Chimes

Wind chimes are traditionally hung outside a house on a porch, deck or balcony. Numerous homeowners hang them at front and back doors to welcome guests. In addition, wind chimes are commonly found in the garden as a decorative accent.

Wind chimes are also used as indoor home decor to decorate a long window or to add an accent to a kitchen window. Many people hang wind chimes in their bedrooms to enjoy their relaxing sounds.

Protection

Wind chimes were, and still are, used to scare away evil spirits and hung in doorways and windows to dissuade bad luck from entering a home. The warning aspect of wind chimes is translated into modern culture through the movies. A common film motif is the ringing of wind chimes to signal imminent danger. For example, sounds of urgently ringing wind chimes are heard at tense moments in Martin Scorsese's 1991 version of "Cape Fear."

Farmers use wind chimes to frighten away birds and other pests. Farmers in Bali place bamboo wind chimes throughout rice fields to scare pests and bring the farmer good fortune and healthy crops. Hanging wind chimes near a bird feeder is counter-productive since few birds will brave ringing chimes to get a snack.

Health Benefits

The sound of wind chimes blowing in the wind has the ability to reduce stress and promote relaxation and calmness. Their sounds are considered to have a healing effect on body and mind. They relieve fatigue and encourage listening, creativity and upbeat feelings.

The tones that reverberate through the wind chimes are believed to unblock emotional stress and bring a feeling of inner peace and conscious awareness. Listening to wind chimes also creates a sense of balance in one's life.

There is nothing more calming than to listen to the sound of the birds, the sea and the wind chimes while relaxing at the verandah of your beach chalet.

Weather Warnings

On a more practical side to their use, prior to modern weather forecasting and technologies, wind chimes were used to detect early, minor changes in wind speeds that signalled oncoming storms. Wind chimes are still used on ships and in farmer's fields to determine wind direction and current weather conditions. They hang the wind chimes in various areas to track wind direction and speed.

Conclusion

So I hope I have put to rest the issue of the sound of wind chimes attracting evil spirits. That is nothing more than an old great-grandmother story to prevent kids from incessantly ringing the wind chime as that would not allow the wind chime to perform what it was intended to do naturally.

And if any feng shui master tells you to get rid of your wind chime, ask him or her why. If the answer is that it attracts evil spirits, then you can tell him (or her) to go jump in the lake. Time for you to find a new feng shui master.