I am not aware of any large instruments in Beijing, but the clock
collection in the Forbidden City is well worth seeing, especially
if you have an interest in complicated automaton clocks. Many are
musical, although the museum staff only demonstrates a few of them at
a certain time each day. Even the ones that are not demonstrated are
fascinating; many are by James Cox.
Some time ago, I wrote a long article for the National Association of
Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC) about the history of the collection,
with details about specific items of interest. I could provide a
citation to the article to anyone who has access to back issues of
the NAWCC's magazine.
Unfortunately, most tours of the Forbidden City do not include the
clock collection, so you would have to arrange to go there on your own
or with a local guide. Several years have passed since we were last
there, so my information may be out of date. There should be more
information on the Internet.
I understand there is a mechanical music museum in Shanghai, with
a nice collection loaned or purchased from a museum in Kyoto.
Don Day
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