Abstract: Chime bells are the important musical instruments in ancient China. The acoustic characteristics of chime bells have been studied by the measurements of vibration modes and the power spectra of the bell sound. It is found that each of the chime bells has two pitches of sound depending on the striking positions on the bell. The measurement of vibration modes shows that at these two pitch frequencies the modes of vibration are similiar, but the positions of nodal lines are different. Exciting the bell at steady-state condition, the natural frequencies from which the pitch frequencies can be determined are measured. The method of tuning as used by the ancients is paring off the inner surface near bell edge along the nodal lines. This is a reasonable method for separate tuning of each tone. The short-time sound spectra of chime bells are measured by the use of FPT. From the spectrum analysis tone quality of bell is obtained. The sound of chime bell can also be analyzed by the method of linear prediction used in signal processing. The accuracy of pitch frequency obained by this method is high.