Irene Vinyard Bennett

BATTLE OF THE ARTISANS: MAKING THE BELLS OF MARQUIS YI tells the story of Tangtun, a conflicted, artistic twelve-year-old in 5th-century BCE China, who sets out to save his father from a killer. He crosses wits with his macho father and a vengeful king, armed thieves, and disgruntled villagers, and in the process, discovers new powers that rock his Bronze-Age world. In the end, what matters most is not Tangtun’s artistic abilities or his father’s muscles and might but that they realize the strength of acting together.

This novel portrays the making of the very real Bells of Marquis Yi, a 2500-year- old National Treasure of China. No one knows exactly why these bells were made, but Bennett provides a well-researched and persuasive solution to the mystery through her story of Tangtun and his village on the Yangtze River.

Every historical novel is an imagined introduction to a topic and a time. BATTLE OF THE ARTISANS invites readers to explore further the world and the science of the bells of Marquis Yi, to learn more about the early history of China, and to consider implications for the power of family and community. The author hopes that readers will connect with Tangtun and his world in ways that will enrich them and their own worlds.

Adrian Tilley

Proverse Hong Kong

Winners of the International Proverse Prize

Battle of the Artisans: Making the Bells of Marquis Yi

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