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| The Bell Tower |
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Known as the symbol of Xi'an, its history can be traced back to the
Ming dynasty. Each Ming city had a bell tower and a drum tower. The
bell was sounded at dawn and the drum at dusk. The Bell Tower was
originally set at the intersection of Xi Dajie (West Street) and Guangji
Jie (Guangji Street) in the Yingxiang Temple, which was the center
of the site of the old Tang Imperial City. It was removed to its present
place in 1582 in the center of the southern section of the walled
city and was restored several times.
- Architectural Achievement
The tower has a square-shaped brick platform, each side of which
is 35.5 meters (116 feet) long and 8.6 meters (28 feet) high and
on the top is a triple-eaved, two-storey wooden structure with carved
beams and color-painted rafters, a further 27.4 meters (90feet)
high. Colorful dougong -- a unique Chinese architecture of brackets
inserted on the top of columns and crossbeams strengthen the building
and enhance the artistic. The design of this kind is also perceptible
from the engravings on bronze wares dating back to the Warring States
Period (475-221 B.C.). The inside is remarkable as an example of
the very intricate roof truss system used in Ming and Qing wooden
architecture. In a corner of the brick platform is a Ming-period
bell. On fine day, you may feast you eyes with panoramic view of
the city from the parapet on the second floor.
- Legend about the Drum Tower
A legend has it that in the Ming dynasty, continuous earthquakes
killed many people and a popular explanation goes that an evil gigantic
dragon in the huge undercurrent beneath the city caused it. Later
the dragon was trussed up by a 300- meter iron chain and people
built the tower over the place to stop forever, its spells.
Another story concerned with the first emperor of the Ming dynasty
who was born into a poor family. He lived an orphan life after his
parents' deaths, herding sheep for the rich landowners. Later when
he ascended the throne, afraid of being deposed by others of "real
dragon" (i.e. royal descent) he ordered bell towers to be built
all over the country to repress the "dragon spirits".
Thus Xi'an was considered the center place where the "dragon
spirits" run rampant. |
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