China and watches become attached to the Ming Dynasty, Ricci with Western chime clock as a "stepping stone" to get the opportunity to enter China, and stay in Zhaoqing. Later, he will give two chime clock Jin Feng Emperor Wanli, and get permission to stay in China. The emperor of the Ming and Qing dynasties of Western chime clock is extremely popular, so the National Palace Museum has still left more than 2,200 western minutes. "Many people think that all exotic antique clocks, this is a misunderstanding, in fact, not all foreign goods chime clock Forbidden City, many are made in China, particularly in the wide bell majority. It can be said, when the wide bell equivalent kiln, Suzhong quite in kilns. "Weiguang Wen said. Originally, the "Qing Dynasties" when Guangzhou as the only treaty port "imported" a lot of Western bell. In order to match up, either across the border province or foreign missions are to "honor" the emperor with western bell.

However, after all is exotic, this western emperor clock decor may not be very popular, especially in the case can not read Roman numerals, proposed various changes to the requirements, for example, the Roman numerals to uppercase characters, or various jewelry inlaid on the clock. In order to cater to the tastes of the Emperor, to go to Europe to purchase Bell officials also brought local artisan Guangzhou, Thirteen transformation of Western bell, there are many helpers in Guangzhou follow them learn. After some time, they learned to make western bell helpers, and design a process according to Guangzhou wide bell. "At that time, the world's top watchmakers in Guangzhou to work, they will autograph inscribed in the movement, the high-end of the product can be imagined."