China Beijing Bell and Drum Towers

The Bell and Drum Towers are located at the northern end of Beijing’sat the northern end of the north-south central axis. As the time-telling center of the capitals of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it is one of the iconic buildings of the ancient capital of Beijing and has a long history.The Bell and Drum Towers consist of two buildings, the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, which are placed vertically in front of and behind each other, creating a majestic and spectacular sight.

The ancient Chinese bell and drum towers originated in the Han Dynasty. Historical records indicate that the morning drum and evening bell system was already in place during the Han Dynasty, with the “drum beating to wake people up at dawn and the bell ringing to tell people to rest at night”.The Beijing Bell and Drum Towers were built during the Yuan Dynasty. During the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, they served as the central time-telling center of the time. The drum tower housed the drums, and the bell tower hung the bells, and the rhythm of the morning bells and evening drums was followed.Even now, there are drum performances to watch every day here. There are 3-4 performances every hour in the morning and afternoon. The sound of the drums is deafening and magnificent.

At night, the Drum Tower and Bell Tower are lit up, making them even more ancient and beautiful.