Gilded Copper Clock with a Writing Figure
Mechanical clocks were introduced to the Forbidden City in Beijing during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty and quickly became important ornaments in the royal collection. Today, the Palace Museum houses more than 1,500 pieces of vintage clocks from both home and abroad, and this gilded copper clock with a writing figure is a standout among them.
The clock is shaped like a four-story pavilion. Two copper figures stand in the round pavilion on the top. When the mechanical system starts, a banner held by the two figures unfolds slowly, displaying four Chinese characters "万寿无疆", meaning "boundless longevity".
On the floor beneath the round pavilion is a bell ringer directly above the dial, who strikes a bowl-shaped bell to play music after the announcement of 3, 6, 9, or 12 o'clock. The dial is on the second floor. The first floor is the most spectacular and ingenious part—a mechanical figure who can write.
The writing figure is a European gentleman, who kneels on one knee while holding a brush pen in his right hand. After winding, he will write eight Chinese characters, "八方向化，九土来王", translated as "All from eight directions and nine territories bow down to his majesty", and his head will swing accordingly. All of this is controlled entirely by the intricate mechanical structure of the clock movement, making it a masterpiece of mechanical art.
This clock was made for the Qing royal court by Williamson, a famous British clockmaker family in the 18th Century. With exquisite craftsmanship and intricate mechanical designs, it was loved by Emperor Qianlong very much. The clock perfectly embodies integration of Chinese and Western cultures in clockmaking.
铜镀金写字人钟
机械钟表自明代万历时期进入北京紫禁城，继而成为重要的宫廷陈设、收藏。如今故宫博物院仍藏有中外钟表1500余件，铜镀金写字人钟便是个中精品。
写字人钟为铜镀金四层楼阁。顶层圆亭内两铜人举横幅站立，机械启动时，两人手举横幅缓缓展开，上书“万寿无疆”四字。圆亭下的楼阁上有一敲钟人，位于表盘正上方，每逢3、6、9、12时报时完毕，便会击打钟碗奏乐。表盘为第三层。下面一层为底层，是此钟最精彩、新奇的部分：写字机械人。
写字人为欧洲绅士模样，单膝跪地，右手执毛笔，上弦后可在面前纸条上写出“八方向化，九土来王”8个汉字，头部也会随之摆动。而这一切完全通过机芯内庞杂精密的机械结构控制完成，可谓是机械艺术之杰作。
此钟为18世纪英国著名的制钟世家威廉森专为清宫制造，做工精湛，机械表演复杂多样，颇受乾隆皇帝喜爱，是中西文化融合在钟表上的最佳体现。
