‘Timing is Everything’

Travel to Beijing and you will notice looming over the hutongs are the ancient Bell Tower (Zhōnglóu) and Drum Tower (Gǔlóu) which were used for timekeeping in the city. The towers are conveniently located a small distance between each other with a courtyard separating them in the middle. This close proximity means that tourists can readily buy a through ticket to both towers at a cost of 30RMB. Alternatively, if you prefer, an individual ticket to the Drum Tower costs 20RMB and 15RMB to the Bell Tower. These attractions are a must-see and can be explored alone or on one of many Beijing Tours. If travelling individually, the towers can be reached after heading south from exit B at subway Guloudajie Sation or by bus. The Drum Tower stands at a height of 46.7 meters and the Bell Tower is 47.9 metres. The bell itself is made of copper and weighs in at 63 tons and to ring the bell, there is a 2 metre long hanging log. When struck, the bell can be heard up to 5km away. It should be noted that the bell is only rung once annually at Chinese New Year. As the largest ancient bell in China, it is understandable why it was named 'King of the Ancient Bells'. If visitors have any medical conditions, they should be aware that the immense height of these ancient buildings means that there are a lot of steep steps to be climbed. Yet once at the top of the towers, the views are breath-taking as visitors can gaze over low-rising old-Beijing, the parks and lakes and the high-rise modern city in the background. The towers have indeed experienced a tough past with the infamous Eight-Power Allied Forces' invasion ravaging much of the ancient city in 1900. As a result, there is only one authentic drum out of an original twenty-four left in the Drum Tower. This drum is called the 'Watchman's Drum' and its remains display the brutality but also resilience of Beijing's history. The Bell Tower also exhibits vestiges of its tarnished past with Emperor Qianlong erecting a stone column, 'The Imperial Stele' in 1747 in light of when the Bell Tower was under reconstruction. The ingenuity of the city's architects can be seen with how the Bell Tower was redesigned in such a way so as to prevent the onset of fire. Thankfully, efforts by the city have meant that these ancient towers and their relics inside have been either restored or replicated. In contrast to the Bell Tower, visitors have a fantastic opportunity to absorb the ancient sounds of the Drum Tower on a regular basis. Live performances from the replicated drums happens every hour or so within opening times. Inside the Drum Tower, visitors can also learn of the fascinating reasoning behind the Chinese calendar and observe other time-keeping models. The tower exhibits a variety of timekeeping incense burners and marvellous devices such as Beilou and Bronze Kelou. These towers are unquestionably a great place to visit and they cover many areas of interest. As the towers are situated in a tourist hotspot, you might also want to check out some Beijing hotels in the area.   from China Travel Blog http://blog.chinatraveldepot.com

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