The Gong
Music is said to be a universal language. Different nations might have different sounds, speak different languages, play different musical instruments but we still dance to the same beat and that is the beat of the gong. In my few months of traveling around Asia, I noticed that the gong is a ubiquitous site on temples and places of worship. In the Grand Palace of Thailand, the holy temples of Japan and the sacred shrines of China you can always see gongs at the altar of sometimes at the entry way. Gongs are said to be ceremonial instruments. In wedding ceremonies, sporting events, TV shows and many other occasions, the gong is used to mark the start and the end of the service. No matter what style and size the gong serves a vital purpose in people’s lives.