Qingyuan Tower

Qingyuan Tower

Qingyuan Tower is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Qingyuan Tower is located in the center of the ancient city of Xuanhua, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province. Also known as the Bell Tower, it was first built in the 18th year of the Chenghua reign during the Ming Dynasty (1482 AD). The 19th son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty once constructed the Shanggu Prince’s Mansion to the west of Qingyuan Tower and stationed troops there to defend against foreign invaders. In 1744, when Emperor Qianlong traveled north and passed through Xuanhua Prefecture, he invested 100,000 taels of silver to renovate Qingyuan Tower. In 1900, during the invasion of Xuanhua by the Eight-Nation Alliance, the leader of the Boxers, Da’awu, rang the bell at Qingyuan Tower to rally forces, then led his followers to ambush the alliance troops at Yantong Mountain to the north of the city, inflicting heavy casualties on them, including killing the German commander, Colonel York. During the Cultural Revolution, Qingyuan Tower suffered severe damage. In 1986, the Ministry of Culture oversaw a comprehensive restoration of the tower. In 1988, Qingyuan Tower was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Looking down from directly above Qingyuan Tower, the 17-meter-tall structure sits atop a 7.5-meter-high base made of green tiles, resembling a cross-shaped building. The base of the tower features four symmetrically arranged arched gateways facing east, west, south, and north. The southern gate connects to Changping, the northern to Guangling, the eastern to Anding, and the western to Daxin. Inside, there are two stories, with a total height of 25 meters, and the tower itself rising 17 meters, featuring three bays, six rafters, projecting front bays on both sides, and surrounded by corridors supported by 24 thick pillars. The upper eaves are covered with green glazed tiles, while the middle and lower eaves use regular clay tiles. The beams and brackets are exquisitely crafted, with upturned corners that give the structure a lively and dynamic appearance. Below the upper eaves, four plaques are hung: “Qingyuan Tower” to the south, “Sound Reaches Heaven” to the north, “Towering Over the Borderland” to the east, and “Calms Frontier Tensions” to the west. Inside the tower hangs the “Xuanfu Town City Bell,” cast in the 18th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1539 AD). It stands 2.5 meters tall, has a diameter of 1.7 meters, and weighs approximately ten thousand pounds. It is suspended from four vertical pillars at the center of the upper floor. The bell’s sound is resonant and can be heard over 40 li away, earning it great renown. The tower’s design is unique, with a refined and rigorous structure. It rivals the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan and is rare among similar structures in China. Its architectural style is distinctive, making it one of China’s exquisite ancient artistic buildings.

Walking along the main street of the city and looking up at Qingyuan Tower, you can sense its majesty and grandeur. The three-story tower features a hip-and-gable roof, and is entirely constructed with green tiles and wood. The upper level includes five bays and three deep rooms, surrounded by a circular corridor. The eaves are supported by beams and pillars that resemble works of art, arranged in a “rising” formation, so that the traditional Chinese-style upturned corners still evoke the image of soaring into the sky. Dr. Chuta, a renowned Japanese architect, praised the architectural techniques and methods used in Qingyuan Tower in his book *Research on Eastern Architectural History*, calling them unparalleled in the world. Precisely because of the exceptional beauty of its wooden construction, later generations have referred to Qingyuan Tower as the “Second Yellow Crane Tower.”

Today, the restored Qingyuan Tower features green tiles and blue bricks, with golden dragons and jade beasts towering proudly above. Its upturned eaves are majestic, the pillars and brackets adorned in red and green, the carved beams and painted rafters luxurious and splendid. The ancient bell hangs high, accompanied by the tinkling of wind chimes, bringing back to life the vibrant image described as “green tiles and vermillion eaves, dazzlingly colorful; upturned corners and carved inscriptions, suddenly soaring into the sky.”

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units