MADISON, WI – Gongs are depicted in Chinese visual art as of the 6th century CE, and were known for their very intense and spiritual drumming in rituals and tribal meetings. Traditionally, chau gongs were (and still are) suspended metal discs that when struck with a mallet give off a resonant, sustained tone. The Chinese originally used them as an announcement to clear the way for important officials and processions, much like a police siren today. In the Western world, they are commonly seen as part of an orchestra, but they are also still used as a bold way to make an announcement in many other sectors.
For instance, in the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the Paramount Pictures logo fades into the image of a mountain embossed on a giant gong which is then struck by a hulking man several times with a mallet. This was Steven Spielberg’s way of announcing the start of a great adventure.
In clinics and hospitals around the world, there is often a gong or a bell that patients ring after their final treatment, like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Again, it is done to loudly proclaim the start of a new journey in the patient’s life. In this instance, the gong remains a spiritual part of ritual, just like it was in 6th century China.
Other types of industries have adopted the gong and all its historical significance as well. Here in Madison, the powerful peal of chau gongs can be heard several times a day near Odana Road. That’s because Smart Motors has these suspended metal plates, emblazoned with the company logo, and accompanying mallets proudly positioned in both their new vehicle and pre-owned vehicle showrooms.
“At first the idea of having an authentic orchestral gong hanging around our showroom seemed a little excessive,” says Justin Jackson, sales manager at Smart Motors. “But then we realized the significance. We were offering our guests the chance to literally ring in a new chapter in their lives. Suddenly it made a strange sort of sense.”
Jackson says Smart Motors got their 36-inch chau gongs from The Gong Shop (www.thegongshop.com), which has physical locations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA. They were specifically curated for Smart Motors by The Gong Shop’s owner Trey Wyatt, a San Francisco Symphony percussionist. Wyatt has also selected gongs for the Atlanta, Boston, Dallas and Chicago Symphonies, Cleveland Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, Washington National Opera, and many more. His rental gongs have been heard in nearly every major orchestra and concert hall in the U.S. and have also resonated in Australia, Canada, Europe, Korea, Mexico, and even Russia.
Smart Motors started with one gong for their completely renovated new vehicle showroom shortly after it was constructed in 2008. The new pre-owned vehicle showroom was completed in August of 2018, and it too, has been outfitted with a chau gong. Afterall, whether purchasing a New Toyota or a Used vehicle, guests are starting a chapter in their life.
“It seems like such a simple thing, but when someone purchases a new or new-to-them vehicle AND gets to put some muscle into ringing a gong, it makes them very happy,” says Jackson. “These gongs definitely enhance the overall customer experience. It has a special historical significance, and they love it.”
For the staff at Smart Motors, the gongs represent more than mere sales, though. Every October, the dealership is awash in pink lights in observation of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“We hope every time a gong is rung, someone within the facility is reminded of a loved one’s or perhaps their own winning battle against cancer,” says Jackson. “We’d like to think the sound of the gongs has a deeper spiritual meaning for our customers. The gongs are acoustically symbolic on a number of levels.”
