Ringing of giant bell rehearsed at Japan temple before New Year's Eve

Seventeen monks at a Buddhist temple in Japan have taken part in a rehearsal for a high-profile New Year's Eve ceremony during which they will ring a giant bell overnight to ward off suffering and evil for the new year.During the Dec. 27 practice event, which was open to tourists, one of the monks held a rope and leaned backwards as he pulled a 4.5-meter-long bar to ring the 3.3-meter-tall, 70-ton bell at the Chion-in temple in Kyoto, western Japan.The other monks, who lined up before the bell and also held ropes attached to the bar, helped him ring the bell, which was created in 1636.Jogen…READ FULL ARTICLE