This large bronze cymbal (nao), dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC), is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom with an oval-shaped cross-section. The cymbal’s center and rim can be struck to produce sound with its hollow handle placed on a wooden frame. Beast face and cloud patterns decorate both sides of the cymbal.
As the earliest and largest bronze cymbal found in Nanjing, it is a treasure in the permanent collection of the Nanjing Municipal Museum.