subject: The Drum Tower of Beijing – Marking the Passage of Time from the Ancients to the Modern Day [print this page] In ancient China when time-keeping devices were not available to the general public, bell and drum towers were used to herald the beginning and ending of the work day. The bells would toll at daybreak while the drum would be beaten at dusk. Although these towers are found in nearly every ancient city, few enjoy the prominence and outstanding construction afforded to the bell and drum towers of Beijing.
The biggest of their peers in terms of both height and girth, the Drum Tower of Beijing is the taller structure that appears 100 metres south of its sister tower. Named Gulou and Zhonglou respectively, these structures are located at the northern end of the north-south central axis that falls across the inner city of Beijing.
The Drum Tower was built in the late 13th century by legendary Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan. Its then-position placed it directly at the heart of his capital and was called the Tower of Orderly Administration. Since then, the Drum and Bell Towers remained the central time-keeping pieces of the city throughout the dynasties of Yuan through to Qing.
The Drum Tower is constructed upon a base that reaches 4 metres in height. The tower itself reaches a height of 153 feet and contains two storeys. The first floor is designated for the China Committee for the Promotion of the Minority Art while the second is devoted to an exhibit of certain historical watershed events of Beijing's past.
Although only a big drum remains within the tower, it is believed that it originally housed 24 smaller drums as well. The drum would be traditionally beaten 18 times in quick succession followed by another slower 18 beats. The drum would be beaten thrice a day and the bell would toll 108 times daily. Even today, visitors knock on both instruments 108 times, as the number is an ancient representation of one full year.
Although the drum and bell fell into disuse after the departure of China's last emperor, the tradition was again reinstated commencing from New Year's Eve of 1990. It has since become customary for the drum to be beaten and the bell rung 108 times at every New Year's Eve as a message of luck and blessing for the populace.
Visitors are encouraged to climb to the top of the Drum Tower and enjoy the truly panoramic views it affords of China's Forbidden City. There are also cultural performances featuring drums, dragon and lion dances and other folk customs to entertain tourists.
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The Drum Tower of Beijing Marking the Passage of Time from the Ancients to the Modern Day
