J. Bob in Chengdu, China

I am teaching in Chengdu, China on a teacher exchange program between Phoenix Country Day School and the Chengdu Experimental Foreign Languages School.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Xian Drum Tower

The Drum Tower in Xian was initially built in 1380 during the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and was renovated twice in 1699 and 1740 in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is a two-storied post and panel structure, 34 meters (about 112 feet) high and 52.6 meters (about 172 feet) long from east to west as well as 38 meters (about 124 feet) wide from north to south. The architecture style of the Drum Tower is a combination of the styles of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Qing Dynasty. However, the Drum Tower also has some innovative features. For example, it should be mentioned that there is no iron nail used anywhere in the Drum Tower.I love the lanterns and the colors used in the painting.
I paid five Yuan to beat the drum three times. It sounded great!
There is a performance inside every two hours. It was a great show as it combined incredible music and choreography.

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