A new sound on the central axis
The Drum Tower stands ahead, with red walls and yellow tiles; the Bell Tower behind, with grey walls and green tiles. The Drum Tower is stout, the Bell Tower slender. This is a vivid description of the two landmark buildings at the northernmost end of Beijing's central axis. The reporter paused beneath the Drum Tower, gazing up at this towering structure in a trance. The winter wind blew, making the Drum Tower appear even more solemn, as if silently recounting its past vicissitudes and today's splendor. According to "The Complete Records of the Yuan Dynasty," "In the second month of the ninth year of the Zhizhi era (year), the city was renamed Dadu, residents were relocated to fill it, and the Bell and Drum Towers were constructed in the city center." This means the construction of the Bell and Drum Towers dates back over seven hundred and fifty years. The timing that begins with the evening drum and ends with the morning bell conveys the signal that the day is drawing to a close and the night curfew is about to begin...