Drum Tower, Xian (must see)

The Xian Drum Tower is the largest among drum towers in China. It houses a drum museum where visitors can see ancient drums dating back to over a thousand years.

The Xian Drum Tower was constructed in 1380 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. It has a base of blue bricks with a wooden tower on top. A large drum was placed in the tower and struck to signal sunset in the evening. The practice was restored in 1950 to encourage tourism. In 1996, a large drum similar to the one that was once in the tower was made from a single piece of high quality cowhide and placed in the tower.

Twenty four drums were placed in the north and south of the Drum Tower. They represent the twenty four solar systems used by the ancient Chinese to predict the changes in climate and to warn local farmers. The hall in the first floor has drums of all sizes decorated with Chinese characters depicting good luck. Visitors are not allowed to touch these drums. The drum museum displays a variety of drums used in ancient China. A drum beating performance takes place here every day. Visitors can get a spectacular view of the city of Xian from the top of the Drum Tower.