Drum Tower Park

 

 

 

With vast grassland and large pool, the Drum Tower Park is situated in Drum Tower Area. The tower was built in 1382. In 1923 the nationalist government of China planned to build a park that used the Drum Tower as its title.

A pair of pagoda-like Longfeng Pavilions (Dragon-phoenix Pavilions) is built on both sides of the stele which celebrates Qing's Kangxi Emperor southern trip. They are both height 4 meters and hexagonal shaped, having seven levels, with brilliant gold gilt parts. On each level, there are sculptured many human figures, animal images and flower patterns, they have combined into great landscape paintings on these pavilions and have high artistic and aesthetic value.

The 16-meter-high Octagonal Pavilion is in Children's Playground located at the west of Drum Tower. After China's liberation in 1949, the pavilion was called Yuezhiting (乐之亭), literally "Rhythmic Pavilion", which meant the echoing of sound between Big Bell Pavilion and Drum Tower. Chinese character "乐" has two meanings, music and happiness, for the latter it pronounced as "Le". So "乐之亭" is meant to give joy and happy to small children too.

The typically Chinese designed Foreign Guest House is opened to general public on the third floor of Drum Tower. It exhibits and sells traditional handicrafts, calligraphy works and old paintings. Good services are provided in the Chinese tea house too.