The Bell and Drum towers located in the Dongcheng district of Beijing were the time telling pieces of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. During these highly developed eras of China’s history many monuments, which have become great modern tourist attractions, were constructed. The two towers were only made open for public viewing in the 1980’s. The bell tower is situated behind the drum tower and both are located near Di’Anmen Street in central Beijing.

The Drum Tower, Gulou in Chinese, is a design of the olden era. Unlike many of Beijing’s monuments, it was not built during the Ming Dynasty, but during earlier Yuan Dynasty, in 1272 to be exact. It was rebuilt in the same style in 1297, 1420 and 1539. The entire two-story, 47 meter building is made of wood. It once housed twelve small drums and one large one, but today only the large drum remains. These drums were beaten at fixed times for fixed lengths of time to indicate the hour. Today the large drum is beaten four times a day for fifteen minutes, more for tradition’s sake than as a practical means of telling time. There are a few souvenir shops on the second floor.

The Zhonglou is the bell tower. The Bell Tower is 48 meters high and constructed of sturdy brick and stone. The ground floor has large arched doors leading to a staircase going up to the second floor. Bang in the middle of the second floor hangs the largest bell in China. The humungous copper Bell is supported by a wooden framework and has a wooden peg to chime it.

Originally built for music, overtime the towers became timepieces, and then feel into disuse and decay. The drums and bells were played simultaneously on the hour during the Ming era, but in the later Qing era this practice was reduced to only two times in a day, seven in the evening – time to retire – and five in the morning – time to get up. Now they no longer tell time but for the enjoyment of their music once more.

Invading foreign powers destroyed much of Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion; the Bell and Drum Towers were not spared. But the buildings have since been restored to their former glory, and these days they’re popular tourist attractions.

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