A type of crash cymbal said to be a descendent of Chinese gongs. The rim of many China cymbals is shaped in the reverse direction from the main curve of the rest of the cymbal’s bow area. Some China cymbals also feature a conical bell rather than a dome-shaped bell; the cymbal is often mounted upside down, with the end of the bell facing down rather than up, and with the rim curving away from the player. Other China cymbals have only some or even none of these design characteristics. Sizes range from 6″-12″ China splash cymbals to 27″ models.
If Turkish-style cymbals are said to be “sweet” sounding, then many drummers would describe China cymbals as “trashy”; the characteristic sound is more metallic, harsher, more cutting.
There are several types of traditional Chinese cymbals (the Chinese were making cymbals earlier than most other cultures): ching, jing, water, and others. Most Western musicians refer to all of these simply as “China” cymbals.
In most Western music, China cymbals are used for special accents and as “effects” cymbals.