Xi'an is the ancient capital of the Thirteen Dynasties. In addition to the condensed Tang culture, Xi'an also has easily accessible Ming culture, such as the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the center of the city. The two are collectively known as Xi'an Bell and Drum Tower, which is a landmark building in Xi'an. The Bell Tower is located at the intersection of four streets in the east, south, west and north of Xi'an. The Drum Tower is located about 200 meters northwest of the Bell Tower. The two buildings are like brothers, echoing each other from afar and making it spectacular.

Before coming to Xi'an, I thought the Bell and Drum Tower was a masterpiece of the Tang Dynasty. After coming to Xi'an, I learned that these two towers were built in the Ming Dynasty. And there is a sad story:

At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang initially wanted to move the capital to Xi'an, and sent Prince Zhu Biao to inspect it and build the Bell and Drum Tower according to the standards of the imperial capital. When the prince successfully completed his task and returned to Nanjing to donate the map of Shaanxi, he suddenly fell ill and died soon. A white-haired man gave a black-haired man away. Zhu Yuanzhang lost his most beloved son in his later years and was deeply shocked. From then on, Xi'an's move of the capital was never mentioned.

But these two buildings were left intact to future generations. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower are like Tiananmen Square and Qianmen in Xi'an. They have been tall, majestic and majestic for a century.

The Drum Tower was built in the 13th year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1380) and has a history of more than 600 years. It can be said to be a famous building in Chinese culture.

1. The distance between the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower is 200 meters away. The two Ming Dynasty buildings are one of the largest and most completely preserved Drum Tower relics in China.
2. The entire building is constructed without a single nail. It is based on the Tang Dynasty style, using Song Dynasty architectural techniques and innovated.

3. There was a giant drum upstairs, and the drum was beat to tell the time every day, hence the name "Drum Tower".
4. The eaves are covered with dark green glazed tiles. The building is decorated with gold paintings, painted towers and carved beams, and a gilded gold roof at the top. The building is quaint and majestic, full of national characteristics.

When I climbed the Drum Tower, I could see at a glance a 1.8-meter-high drum (the original giant drum no longer exists), and 24 red drums engraved with 24 solar terms. Some of them were ringing drums, which were very large. There were written explanations below. Only after seeing these did I confirm that the evening drums and morning bells came from here. The rows were neat and uniform, which was very imposing.

Looking up at the Drum Tower, the construction technology of the Drum Tower has many innovations based on the application of the Tang Dynasty style and the architectural rules of the Song Dynasty. The building is a wooden structure, with three rooms in depth and three rooms in width. The overall structure is mainly brick-and-wood, built on a square base made of blue bricks and white ash. There are no nails in the structure of the entire building. The eaves and flat seats use the principle of bucket arch construction. The exterior of the building is quaint and majestic, full of national characteristics.

What I admire the most is the color of this drum tower. In China's autocratic monarchy society, the use of architectural colors also has strict hierarchical restrictions: the most noble gold, beads and yellow seals are first class, and are only used by emperors and aristocrats to symbolize imperial power. building. Green and green spiral painting comes second and is used for the residences of civil and military officials; Su style painting ranks third. On the Gulou Tower in Xi'an, you will clearly see that the buildings use harmony seal painting and swirl painting respectively, and are painted with pink golden dragons. It is not difficult to see that the Gulou Tower is a masterpiece of ancient architectural painting.

The roof is covered with trimmed gray tiles, and the foundation is not decorated except for the ends and tails, showing majesty and solemnity. The eaves are covered with dark green glazed tiles. The building is decorated with gold paintings, painted towers and carved beams, and a gilded roof is on the top.

On the south side of the Drum Tower, there is a plaque "The Place of Prosperity of Civil and Military Affairs"; and the plaque of "The First Pass in the World" in Heshanhaiguan is known as the "Two Plaques of China".

Unfortunately, it was destroyed in the turbulent years, and what we see now is a later imitation. Step up from the steps to the platform at the base, you can enter the lobby on the first floor. There are doors on all sides of the hall, surrounded by a platform, with a grid painted caisson on the top, and wooden grid windows and doors on all sides on the second floor communicating with the outer corridor.

This Drum Tower also displays Ming and Qing furniture, porcelain and Qi Baishi's calligraphy and paintings, as well as various drums, which are displayed for those interested to slowly appreciate.

Xi'an's Drum Tower is a large-scale ancient building in China after the Forbidden City, Taihe Hall, and Changling Lingen Hall among the existing Ming Dynasty buildings. It is the oldest and best preserved among similar buildings in China, regardless of historical value, artistic value and scientific value. It ranks first among similar buildings.

When visiting the Drum Tower, you can also enjoy the performances of the ancient "Morning Bell and Evening Drum". In addition, there are also performances of traditional folk music and dance, which are held 6 times a day. For details, please refer to the official website.

Personally, I feel that the night view of the Bell Tower is far better than the daytime scenery. Come here to play at night. If you are near the Drum Tower, it is easy to see many bands or individuals playing and singing by themselves here. The singing is quite good, and you can listen to it when you have nothing to do.

The afterglow of the setting sun shines on this ancient historical city. The traffic at the foot of the emperor in the imperial city always gives a feeling of alienation.

1. Tickets: Tickets for Bell and Drum Tower are 35 yuan each, and the package is 50 yuan; student ID is 15 yuan for single ticket, and the package is 30 yuan;

2. Opening hours:8:30-18:00

3. By car: Metro Line 2 can reach Gulou Station, and many buses reach here.

4. If you want to shoot, it is recommended to shoot the Bell Tower in the Drum Tower, or vice versa, the effect will be good.

5. Performance: Every day at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m., there are antique "morning bells and dusk drums" performances, as well as traditional folk music and dances, which are quite interesting.