Xi'an, Shaanxi | Bell and Drum Towers Lingering between the morning bells and evening drums

The Drum Tower of Xi'an was built in the 13th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1380), by the Marquis of Changxing Geng Bingwen and the then Prefect of Xi'an Wang Zongzhou. Its history predates the Bell Tower by several years. The Drum Tower has undergone multiple renovations throughout history, with significant repairs carried out in the 38th year of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1699) and the 5th year of Qianlong (1740). Particularly after the renovation in the 5th year of Qianlong, Zhang Kai, the governor of Shaanxi, imitated the handwriting of Emperor Qianlong to write the four characters 'Wen Wu Sheng Di' (meaning 'A Place Flourishing in Civil and Military Affairs'), which were made into a huge plaque and hung on the north side of the Drum Tower, and these characters are still the focus of attention today. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower of Xi'an are the largest and best-preserved of their kind among the existing similar buildings in China. The term 'Bell and Drum Towers' refers to both the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, which were ancient Chinese time-telling structures. The Bell Tower is a pavilion-style building with a double-eaved, three-tiered, four-angled spire roof, while the Drum Tower was a building in ancient cities where large drums were placed. They were used to sound alarms by beating the drums or to report the time at regular intervals. The rational architectural structure, magnificent colors, and elegant decorative components of the Bell and Drum Towers all possess rich and distinctive national cultural characteristics, making them iconic buildings of Xi'an. Location Bell Tower: Exit C of Bell Tower Station on Xi'an Metro Line 2, Lianhu District Drum Tower: No. 74 Beiyuanmen, Lianhu District (210 meters west of Exit 1 of Bell Tower Metro Station C) Tickets Bell Tower: 30 RMB per person; half-price 15 RMB per person; Drum Tower: 30 RMB per person; half-price 15 RMB per person; Combo ticket for Bell and Drum Towers: 50 RMB per person Hours Off-season: 8:30----18:00 (Stop selling tickets at 17:30) Peak season: 8:30----21:30 (Stop selling tickets at 21:00) Drum and Bell Performance times: 09:30 10:15 11:00 11:45 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 Drum and Bell Performance location: Second floor exhibition hall of the Drum Tower