Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Music Tower — the Three Towers of Jiangzhou

Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Music Tower — the Three Towers of Jiangzhou

The Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Music Tower — the Three Towers of Jiangzhou — are a national key cultural relics protection unit.

The Three Towers of Jiangzhou refer to the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Music Tower. They are located on the high terrace in the western part of Xinjiang County. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was common for prefectural and county towns to have market towers, commonly known as drum towers. However, the Three Towers of Jiangzhou stand together in a tripartite formation aligned in a north-south tripod pattern: the Bell Tower to the south, the Music Tower to the east, and the Drum Tower slightly to the north. It is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit.

Drum Tower

According to inscriptions on a stele, it was originally built during the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty and was renovated during both the Ming and Qing dynasties. The existing wooden structure dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Due to years of neglect, it underwent emergency renovation and repainting in 1994, and now presents a completely renewed appearance. The Drum Tower is situated on the western side of the top of Qixing Slope, facing east, and is located southeast of the prefectural government hall. Its foundation is grand, constructed with a mix of brick and stone, featuring arched passageways on the east and west sides. The tower itself has three tiers of eaves and a hip-and-gable roof, each level progressively narrowing. The ground floor is five bays wide and two bays deep, surrounded by a corridor that allows visitors to look out in all directions — to the south, the Fen River resembles a ribbon, and to the north, the misty Lüliang Mountains come into view, offering a panoramic scene. The second and third floors are each three bays wide and one bay deep, with the second floor also providing a vantage point for distant views. The interior beam framework is orderly and uniquely designed, holding significant value in ancient architecture. On the eastern side of the tower’s base, there are two stone steles from the 27th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1762): “Record of the Construction and Renovation of the Drum Tower” and “Renovation of the Drum Tower.”

Qixing Slope

It is named for the Big Dipper stars embedded in the slope. The slope surface is paved with strip-shaped bluestones and faces the Music Tower to the south, which sits facing north. At the top of the western side stands the Drum Tower, inscribed with “Vast Vision” and “Radiant Dawn,” which corresponds in the distance with the Bell Tower to the south, inscribed with “Awaken the World” and “Bestow Blessings.” From the top of the slope, one can overlook the entire ancient city, a truly spectacular view.

states: During the time of Duke Wen of Jin, the city of Jiangzhou was already very prosperous, bustling with travelers and visitors. One evening, Lü Dongbin, on his way to a gathering in Penglai, passed through this area and noticed the exceptional talent and spirit of the people of Jiangzhou. In a moment of inspiration, he waved his duster and scattered seven bright stars from the Milky Way, embedding them into the slope. Immediately, they shimmered with blue light, day and night, visible from miles away, becoming a treasured marvel of Jiangzhou. Later, only the seven dull star stones remained on Qixing Slope.

Beautiful legends aside, examining the name of the slope may offer some clues. Qixing is commonly known as Ya Slope, believed to be related to the prefectural government hall. According to the county annals, the Jiangzhou Prefectural Hall was built in the early Tang Dynasty. If Qixing Slope was also constructed around that time, then their architectural concepts and design philosophies likely shared similarities. The hall is seven bays wide, with a construction area of seventy square zhang. It is said that when Zhang Shigui served as commander, he designated a special seat seven feet high; the full text of contains exactly 777 characters. On the northern wall of the hall’s east side is inlaid a Song Dynasty stele inscribed with . Many of these numbers are connected with the number “seven,” showing the designer’s particular fondness for it.

{The Seven in the Steps} After more than a thousand years of wear and erosion, the sizes of the steps are no longer uniform, and the height differences are also not as precise as they once were — this is only natural. Moreover, at the bottom turn, the inner side is naturally shorter while the outer side is longer, which should come as no surprise. Measurements show that the main section of the straight slope has 71 steps, with an average step length of about 63.6 centimeters and an average height difference of about 22.3 centimeters. From this, it can be deduced that the ratio of step length to height difference for the main slope steps at the time of initial construction was 7:1, and the height difference for each of the three high steps at the top of the slope was 7 inches.

{The Seven in the Star Positions} While it cannot be definitively stated that the current positions of the seven stars on Qixing Slope are exactly the same as when it was first built, their relative positions and distribution on the slope are likely very similar to the original. Through on-site surveying and mapping, aligning the Ursa Major constellation (i.e., the Big Dipper) in the sky with the seven embedded stars on the ground and comparing them with the celestial chart of Ursa Major rotating around Polaris, it was found that the positions of the embedded stars on Qixing Slope coincide with the Qixi Festival (i.e., the seventh day of the seventh lunar month).

In summary, the mysterious Qixing Slope of Jiangzhou is far more than just an ordinary stone hill. From its architectural concept, we can glimpse many treasures of China’s millennia-old national culture. It provides historical evidence for the study of the culture of famous cities.

Bell Tower

According to the , it was first built in the first year of the Qiande era of the Northern Song Dynasty (963), but was completely destroyed by fire. It was later rebuilt on the ruins and underwent renovations during both the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The existing structure dates back to the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, with repairs made during the Qing Dynasty. It was renovated twice, in 1979 and 1994, giving it a completely renewed look. The tower is situated on high ground with a towering platform, square in shape, and features arched gateways on all four sides, inlaid with four stone couplets. Its roof is a cross-hipped roof with glazed tiles trimming the edges. Inside hangs a massive bell weighing ten thousand jin, cast by the “Tianqing Temple” of Beiguan during the Tiande and Dading years of the Jin Dynasty. Thanks to its scientifically advanced casting technique, the bell produces a clear, pleasant, and loud sound that can be heard for miles on quiet nights.

Music Tower

The year of its construction is unknown, but the current structure dates back to the Ming Dynasty. It had collapsed due to age and was urgently repaired in 1983. The Music Tower faces north and is three bays wide and two bays deep, with a front eave corridor. The platform is 2.5 meters high, and the central bay is wider with an added porch. The roof peaks upwards in the center bay, resembling an “O” shape — it is said that performances could take place on the same level both above and below. The roof is a flush-gable roof covered with barrel tiles. To the north of the tower is the stepped Qixing Slope, and there used to be a City God Temple here. This Music Tower served as a stage for temple performance rituals and was also the main venue for operatic activities during festivals in the city. The sloped pathway in front of the stage is broad and gently inclined, allowing audiences to watch performances unobstructed from their vantage points.

Longxing Town: Originally named Chengguan Town, Longxing Town was formed by merging the former Chengguan Town and Diantou Township. It is the political, economic, and cultural center of Xinjiang County. Since ancient times, it has thrived in handicrafts and enjoyed convenient transportation. Three major roads — Jinhuan, Linxin, and Linxia — intersect within its boundaries, and the Fen River, the mother river of the people of Shanxi, flows through it. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was known as one of the three great strongholds of the Jin Kingdom, alongside Taiyuan and Linfen. It has been praised as the “water and land hub, transportation junction,” “Nanjian-Beidai, Xinzhou is reliable,” and “seventy-two trades, all represented.” It is also a nationally recognized historical and cultural city approved by the State Council.

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