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

　　The Three Towers of Jiangzhou refer to the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Music Tower. They are located on a high terrace in the western part of Xinjiang County. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many prefectural and county towns had market towers, commonly known as drum towers, but the Three Towers of Jiangzhou stand side by side in a north-south tripod formation: the Bell Tower in the south, the Music Tower in the east, and the Drum Tower slightly to the north. They are a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit.

　　Drum Tower

　　According to inscriptions, it was built during the Yuan Dynasty’s Zhiyuan era 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 restoration and repainting in 1994, now presenting a completely renewed appearance. The Drum Tower stands at the western end of Qixing Slope, facing east, southeast of the prefectural government hall. Its foundation is grand, constructed with a mix of brick and stone, featuring arched gateways on the east and west sides. The tower has three tiers of eaves with a hip-and-gable roof, each tier tapering accordingly. The ground floor is five bays wide and two bays deep, with corridors around for visitors to enjoy panoramic views — to the south, the Fen River looks like a ribbon, and to the north, the misty Lüliang Mountains are visible, offering a sweeping view of the surroundings. The second and third floors are each three bays wide and one bay deep, with the second floor also providing a vantage point. The interior beam framework is orderly and unique, possessing significant architectural value. On the eastern side of the tower base is embedded a stone tablet from 1762 (Qing Dynasty, Qianlong 27th year) titled “Record of the Construction and Renovation of the Drum Tower” and another titled “Renovation of the Drum Tower.”

　　Qixing Slope

　　It is named for the Big Dipper stars embedded along the slope. The slope is paved with strip-shaped bluestones and faces the Music Tower to the south, which sits facing north. At the western top stands the Drum Tower with plaques reading “Vast Vision” and “Radiant Dawn,” corresponding with the Bell Tower to the south, which has plaques saying “Awaken the World” and “Bestow Blessings,” creating a mutual visual echo. From the slope’s crest, you can overlook the entire ancient city — a spectacular sight.

　　

states: During the time of Duke Wen of Jin, Xinjiang County was already bustling, teeming with travelers and visitors. One night, Lü Dongbin, on his way to a gathering in Penglai, passed through here and noticed the exceptional spirit and talent of the people of Jiangzhou. In a moment of inspiration, he wielded his duster and scattered seven bright stars from the Milky Way, embedding them in the slope. They immediately emitted a blue glow, shining day and night, visible even dozens of miles away, becoming a treasured wonder of Jiangzhou. Later, only the seven non-luminous star stones remained on Qixing Slope.

　　Beautiful legends aside, examining the name of the slope may offer some insight. Qixing is commonly called Ya Po (Official Slope), presumably related to the prefectural government hall. According to county records, the Jiangzhou Government Hall was built in the early Tang Dynasty. If Qixing Slope was also constructed during that period, then there should be similarities in their architectural concepts and design culture. The hall is seven bays wide, with a construction area of seventy square zhang. It is said that when Zhang Shigui served as commander-in-chief, he specially designated a seat seven feet high for dignitaries; the full text of contains exactly 777 characters. On the northern wall of the hall’s east side is embedded a Song Dynasty stone tablet inscribed with . Many numbers are connected with the number “seven,” indicating the designer’s special preference for this numeral.

　　{The Seven in the Steps} After more than a thousand years of wear and erosion, it is only natural that the step stones are no longer uniform in size, nor are the height differences as precise as they once were. Moreover, at the bottom turn, the inner side is naturally shorter while the outer side is longer, which is also not surprising. Measurements show that the main section of the straight slope has 71 steps, with an average step length of about 63.6 cm and an average height difference of about 22.3 cm. From this, it can be deduced that the ratio of step length to height difference for the original main slope 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 we cannot assert 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 layout on the slope are likely very similar to the original. Through field surveying, aligning the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) in the sky with the embedded stars on the slope and comparing it with the celestial chart of Ursa Major rotating around Polaris, it is found that the positions of the embedded stars coincide with the Qixi Festival (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 appreciate many treasures of our nation’s millennia-old culture. It provides historical evidence for the study of famous city culture.

　　Bell Tower

　　According to , it was first built in 963 (Northern Song Dynasty, Qiande 1st year), but was completely destroyed by fire and later rebuilt on the ruins, with renovations during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The existing structure dates back to the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era, with further repairs in the Qing Dynasty. It underwent two renovations in 1979 and 1994, restoring it to its former glory. The tower sits atop a high and steep platform, square in shape, with arched gateways on all four sides, each inlaid with a stone couplet. Its roof is a cross-hipped style adorned with glazed tiles. Inside hangs a massive bell weighing thousands of pounds, cast by the “Tianqing Temple” of Beiguan during the Tiande and Dading years of the Jin Dynasty. Thanks to its advanced casting techniques, the bell sounds crisp, pleasant, and loud, audible for dozens of miles on quiet nights.

　　Music Tower

　　The construction date is unknown, but the current structure dates back to the Ming Dynasty. It collapsed due to age and was urgently repaired in 1983. The Music Tower faces north, is three bays wide and two bays deep, with a front-eave corridor. The platform is 2.5 meters high, with the central bay being spacious and featuring an additional wing. The roof’s center bay protrudes, resembling an “O” shape — legend says performances could take place on the same level from above and below. The roof is a flush-gable style with barrel tiles. To the north of the tower lies the stepped Qixing Slope, and there used to be a City God Temple. This Music Tower served as a stage for temple performance rituals and was also the main venue for operatic performances during festivals in the city. The sloped pathway in front is broad and tilted, allowing audiences to watch the shows unobstructed from their vantage points.