Drum Tower

The Drum Tower is located on the central axis of Beijing City, and at the intersection between the East Street of Drum Tower and the Dianmen Outer Street. Drum Tower and Bell Tower were used to announce the hours to the public in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. So-called "evening drum and morning bell" allowed the citizens' life in order. Hour announcement was abolished in 1924.

Since 1990, the drum and bell were struck and beat every New Year's Eve. The Drum Tower was initially built in a place near the current site in the 9th year under the reign of Zhi Yuan of the Yuan Dynasty (1272). After Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing, the Drum Tower was rebuilt at the present site.

The drum tower, of a unitary timber construction, is placed on a 4-metre-high stone and brick .base. It is 46.7 metres high with eight arched gates in the first storey. A 69-step stone stair gives access to the second storey, where 1 big drum and 24 small drums (representing 24 solar terms of 1 year and) is supposed to be placed. However, only the big one remains now. The drum leather is made of a whole cowskin with a diametre of 1.5 metres, which is full of knife marks left by Japanese soldiers when the Eight-Power Allied Forces occupied Beijing in the 26th year under the reign of Guang xu of the Qing Dynasty (1900).

During the Republic of China era, the Drum Tower had once been renamed as Mingchi (remembering national humiliation) Tower. A number of photos and definite objects were exhibited there to show the slaughter and robbery behaviors of the Eight-Power Allied Forces to remind Chinese not to forget national humiliation. The Drum Tower was repaired at large scale in 1984. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection.