Tiananmen Gate Tower

Tiananmen Gate Tower

Tiananmen Gate Tower is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Located at the northern end of Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China, it faces Chang’an Avenue. Opposite it are Tiananmen Square, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the Great Hall of the People, and the National Museum of China. It is one of the most magnificent gate towers in ancient China. Renowned for its outstanding architectural artistry and unique political significance, it has drawn worldwide attention. On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong solemnly proclaimed from here: “The People’s Republic of China has been founded, and the Chinese people have stood up!” He personally raised the first five-star red flag. The image of Tiananmen Gate Tower appears on the national emblem of the People’s Republic of China, making it a symbol of the nation.

During China’s Ming and Qing dynasties, Tiananmen was the main gate of the imperial city. Construction of Tiananmen began in the 15th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1417), originally named “Chengtianmen,” meaning “Receiving the Mandate from Heaven” or “Commissioned by Heaven.” At that time, Tiananmen was a three-story, five-bay gateway with yellow tiles and upturned eaves, adorned with red paint and golden nails, shining brilliantly. A straight central imperial path passed through Duanmen (the Gate of Correct Deportment) and led directly to Wumen (the Meridian Gate), the main gate of the imperial palace. Along both sides of the imperial path, traditional layouts placed ancestral temples on the left and altars of land and grain on the right. Red walls were added along both sides of the path, extending all the way to outside Tiananmen and connecting with two thousand-step corridors, forming an enclosed imperial square. Outside the square, government offices for civil officials were located on the left, and those for military officials on the right, fully demonstrating the overwhelming authority of centralized imperial power. In the 8th year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1651), it was renamed “Tiananmen,” meaning “Receiving the Mandate from Heaven” and “Bringing Peace to the Nation and Governing the People.” The square in front of Tiananmen Gate Tower was an enclosed imperial space where all officials had to dismount, and commoners were forbidden entry—simply peeking at the gate was considered the serious crime of “illegally spying on the palace gate,” punishable by immediate execution.

For 500 years during the Ming and Qing dynasties, major national celebrations were marked by the “Imperial Edict Issuance Ceremony” at Tiananmen. It was the place where new emperors ascended the throne or empresses were enthroned and where imperial edicts were proclaimed to the nation. It served as the venue for the emperor’s announcements of successful imperial examination candidates and for summoning talent, as well as the necessary route for the emperor when leading military campaigns or visiting the Imperial Ancestral Temple for ancestral worship. To ordinary people, it was an aloof and distant place. Tiananmen was a heavenly palace on earth, embodying the pinnacle of ancient architectural art, as well as a vivid representation of the feudal hierarchy.

After the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, the tightly closed gates on both sides of the imperial square naturally fell, and East and West Chang’an Streets became bustling thoroughfares. Since then, major historical events recorded in the annals of the Chinese revolution—such as the May Fourth Movement, the December 9th Movement, the Founding Ceremony of the People’s Republic, and the April Fifth Movement—have all taken place here, using this site as their stage.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the newly expanded Tiananmen Square in front of Tiananmen Gate Tower became the world’s largest public square, serving as the venue for major national celebrations and events in the People’s Republic. All past National Day military parades have been held here, where national leaders review the honor guards and parade formations. In 1961, Tiananmen Gate Tower was designated as one of the first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. Through various renovations, the government rebuilt the wooden structures on the tower and reinforced the city walls, resulting in its current appearance. It is currently a national 4A-level tourist attraction.

Starting in November 1987, Tiananmen was officially opened to domestic and international tourists. Prior to this, very few ordinary people had the opportunity to get as close to Tiananmen as they can today, to admire its majestic beauty, or to freely gaze out over the vast panorama of the square like national leaders once did. Since its opening, it has attracted thousands of domestic and foreign tourists who flock to climb the tower and explore.

After the Manchu nobility of the Qing Dynasty entered and took control of the Central Plains, in order to achieve long-term rule, in addition to other measures, they also placed significant emphasis on the naming of city gates. As anti-Qing resistance continued to threaten the rule of the Manchu feudal aristocracy, the Qing rulers particularly emphasized strategies of “peace” and “stability” in hopes of ensuring “long-term peace under heaven.” For example, the “Hall of Supreme Harmony,” “Hall of Central Harmony,” and “Hall of Preserving Harmony” within the Forbidden City were renamed from “Hall of Grand Ultimate,” “Hall of Central Ultimate,” and “Hall of Establishing Ultimate,” respectively, taking on meanings of inner court serenity. “Chengtianmen” was renamed “Tiananmen,” which not only retained the original intent of “Receiving the Mandate from Heaven” but also incorporated the ideals of “bringing peace to the nation and governing the people” and “ensuring national peace and prosperity.” Additionally, the three gates of the imperial city—“Di’anmen (Gate of Earthly Peace),” “Dong’anmen (Gate of Eastern Peace),” and “Xi’anmen (Gate of Western Peace)”—all emphasize the character “安” (peace), signifying peace within and harmony without.

Address: North side of Tiananmen Square, East Chang’an Avenue, Dongcheng District

Type: Historical Site / Ancient Architecture

Recommended Visiting Time: Suggested 0.5–1 hour

Phone: 010-63095630

Opening Hours:

8:30-16:30

Transportation

Take a bus or subway to Tiananmen East Station or Tiananmen West Station, then walk to the site. Tiananmen East Station is closer and recommended.

Bus:

Take bus routes 1, 2, 10, 52, 59, 82, 99, 120, 126, 203 (night), 205 (night), 210 (night), 专1, or 专2 to Tiananmen East Station.

Subway:

Take Line 1 to Tiananmen East Station, exit from Exit A (northwest).

Ticket

Adult ticket: 15 RMB. Students and seniors aged 60–65: 5 RMB with valid ID. Seniors aged 65+ and active-duty military personnel: free.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units