6 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- Bell and Drum
The bell and drum towers, located a little west of the Lama Temple, are a huge part of Beijing's history. The towers were originally used for music and later used during the Han Dynasty to tell time. There would be a morning bell and an evening drum to help people of Beijing, who had no other way to tell time, keep a regular day. This idea was then implemented in other cities around China; however, Beijing has the largest and the tallest bell and drum towers. This way of telling time was abolished after the last emperor left the Forbidden City but was revived in 2001 on New Year's Eve. Now the bells ring and the drums are beaten for fifteen minutes four times a day, starting at 9:30 a.m. The performance consists of folk traditions like the lion and dragon dance.
Tips:
Time needed: 1 hour
Entry Fee: 15 yuan (Bell Tower), 20 yuan (Drum Tower)
Operating Hours: 9:10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Directions: Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Guloudajie Station, take Exit B (southwest exit), and walk South.
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