The Beijing Bell and Drum Tower is located at No. 9 Linzi, Zhonglou Bay, Dongcheng District, Beijing. It is an important part of the central axis of Beijing and was first built in the ninth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1272). It was renovated in the 18th year of the Yongle reign (1420) and the Jiajing reign (1539) of the Ming Dynasty. The Bell and Drum Towers include the Beijing Drum Tower and the Beijing Bell Tower, both of which are national key cultural relics protection units.
The Bell and Drum Tower, as the timekeeping center of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, has significant historical and cultural value. The Bell and Drum Tower is not only a landmark building in urban planning and architectural art, but also witnesses the historical changes of Beijing. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Bell and Drum Towers were mainly used for telling the time. At night, the way of telling the time was to beat the drum first and then ring the bell, reminding people to enter sleep.