The Beijing Central Axis runs from the Bell and Drum Tower in the north to Yongdingmen Gate in the south, with a total length of about 7.8 kilometers, running through the center of Beijing city. After more than 700 years of wind and rain, it has always been the soul line and lifeline of Beijing. If you want to get to know Beijing quickly, why don't you follow the central axis and experience the beauty of the ancient capital up close.
Bell and Drum Towers
Beijing Bell and Drum Towers, as the center of timekeeping of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, uses the sound of the bell and drum to release the standard "China time", and the life rhythm of civil and military officials and ordinary people is based on it, which is a veritable "time building".
The bell and drum of the Beijing Bell and Drum Towers always strike 108 chimes, the method is 18 times are tight, 18 times are slow, 18 times are not tight or slow, and repeat it twice. The ancient people used "108" to represent a year, including 12 months, 24 solar terms, 72 hou (1 hou is 5 days), the sum of the three is exactly 108. In the history of more than 700 years, the Beijing Bell and Drum Towers has always followed the method of "evening drum and morning bell". "Evening drum and morning bell" can not simply be literally understood as "beating the drum in the evening, ringing the bell in the morning", but the daily time begins with the "evening drum" and ends with the "morning bell".
Clepsydra timekeeping, strike the drums to "Ding Geng" and ring the bells to tell the time are the complete time telling system in the history of Beijing Bell and Drum Towers, which is equivalent to the hour hand, minute hand and second hand of a clock, each performing its own duties and cooperating with each other.
The architectural layout of Beijing Bell and Drum Towers contain the Chinese's deep understanding of "the relationship between human beings and nature", and its time-telling system also reflects the Chinese's keen and delicate perception of time, as well as a complete and systematic description system.
Yinding Qiao (Bridge)
Three lakes lie quietly in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City in Beijing. From east to west, they are Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai, collectively known as "Shichahai". There is an old saying in Beijing: "Shichahai came first, and then the city of Beijing", which is a high summary of the history of Shichahai.
Yinding Qiao (Bridge) is located on the waterway between Qianhai and Houhai of Shichahai. It is a north-south of direction single-hole stone arch bridge made of white marble. It is an important bridge for citizens to live and work day and night in Shichahai area and for tourists to visit ancient scenery at leisure.
Yinding Qiao (Bridge) was first built in the Ming Orthodox years, which has a history of more than 500 years, and has its prototype before the Ming Dynasty. During the Liao and Jin dynasties, the water area was so large that barges could reach the Jishuitan and wooden Bridges ran across it. When the Yuan Dynasty built the metropolian city of Beijing was built in the, there were already thousands of sails and ships came and went, and commerce on both sides of the river was prosperous. In the early Ming Dynasty, the wooden bridge was shaped like an oval ship, like an upside down silver ingot, so it was named "Yingding Bridge". During the Ming Orthodox Years, the wooden bridge was rebuilt into a single-hole stone arch bridge, but the name "Yingding Bridge" has always been used.
The Yingding Bridge is situated at the junction of the Qianhai and Houhai, with a wide view. Whenever the red sun is on the mountain, sunset washes the color, standing on the bridge and looking to the northwest, the nearby water shimmering, the distant western mountains is hazy, the beautiful scenery of the mountains and water blending with the city can be seen. This scene is "Viewing mountains from Yingding Bridge".
Prince Chun's Masion (Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling)
Prince Chun's Masion was built in the Kangxi Dynasty and was originally the west garden of the mansion of Nalan Mingzhu. Nalan Mingzhu's eldest son Nalan Xingde grew up here and spent a short life, and he wtote many wonderful poems in this house, such as his five-character poem "Magnolia Coco (Yehe Hua)", which is composed of two night acacia trees in the garden of the former residence.
After the death of Nalan Mingzhu, the mansion was taken by Ho-Shen and later given to Prince Cheng Yongxing by Emperor Jiaqing. It was rebuilt in accordance with the regulations of the palace, which was called the Prince Cheng's Masion. In the fourteenth year of Guangxu, prince Chun's Masion moved to here, which was different from the old mansion and was commonly known as the North Masion. Puyi, Emperor Xuantong of Qing Dynasty, was born in this mansion. After Puyi ascended the throne, his father Zaifeng was named regent of the state, so it is also called Regent's Mansion. Here the famous midget crabapple was planted by the first generation of Prince Chun Yi Xuan.
Soong Ching Ling moved here in April 1963, working, studying and living until his death on May 29, 1981. In October of the same year, it was named by the state as "Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling, the Honorary President of the People's Republic of China", and opened to the public on May 29 of the following year.
The green water in the park is looping, rocky the mountains and rocks are rugged, flowers and trees are gathered, the grass is luxuriant, buildings and pavilions scattered, and it is a quiet and elegant garden. The main building of the two-storey of the combination of Chinese and Western to the west of ancient building group is the apartment of Comrade Soong Ching Ling (later built), which is also an office and a reception, called the main building, with the original display. Between the complex and the South Lake is the lawn, the south bank of the South Lake has the Ming Dynasty two-story building called the South Tower.
Jingshan Park
Jingshan Park is located in the middle of the north-south Central Axis of the inner city of Beijing, adjacent to the Forbidden City to the south, the Beihai Park to the west and the Drum Tower to the north, was once the highest point in the center of Beijing.
From the nineteenth year of Jin Dading when it was built up into a mountain to the royal gateway of Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and then to the city park of New China, Jingshan has a history of more than 800 years. The name "Jingshan" comes from the 12th year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1655), and "Jing" means tall. Although Jingshan is not a high mountain at just over 40 meters, it is the highest point on the ancient Central Axis of Beijing. During the Qianlong period, a large-scale expansion was carried out, and all the buildings were built in accordance with the palace regulations, and the grade was very high, becoming an important part of the imperial palace.
The main buildings of Jingshan Park are: three gates to the garden (Jingshan Gate, Shanzuoli Gate and Shanyouli Gate); A Qiwang Tower to tribute Confucius; Five peak pavilions (Guanmiao Pavilion, Zhoushang Pavilion, Wanchun Pavilion, Fulan Pavilion, Jifang Pavilion); The Hall of Imperial Longevity behind Jingshan Hill; On the east side are the Hall of Yongsi, the Hall of Guan De and the Temple for State Protection and Loyalty.
The Hall of Imperial Longevity of Jingshan Park is the second largest building complex in addition to the Forbidden City on the north-south Central Axis of Beijing. The present the Hall of Imperial Longevity complex was built in the fourteenth year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1749), and stipulated that the portraits of the deceased emperor and empresses and used objects should be collected in the Hall of Imperial Longevity, every year, New Year's Day, Pure Brightness, Frost's Descent, Zhongyuan, Winter Solstice, Wanshou, Deathday and other seven sacrifices, the royal family should hold a grand ancestor worship ceremony in the Hall of Imperial Longevity.
Located at the highest point of Jingshan Hill, Wanchun Pavilion was built in 1750 in the fifteenth year of Qianlong and is the base point of the North-South architectural Central Axis in Beijing. Known as the commanding heights on the Beijing Central Axis, the first spot to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Beijing. Standing in the Wanchun Pavilion, you can have a panoramic view of the Forbidden City.
The watchtower of the Forbidden City
The watchtower has become one of the trending scenic spot of the Forbidden City. Four watchtower are exquisite, gorgeous and colorful, for the Ming Dynasty building, so far has 600 years of history, watchtower plane layout for two "Shi" overlapping of curved ruler shape, surrounded by the pillar base of white jade, heavy eaves for the multifaced body shape, multi-angle staggered. The upper eaves are composed of four corner tented roof and single-eave hip-gable roof. The designer cleverly used the artistic technique of borrowing scenery, drawing on the waterfront architectural form in the Song Dynasty painting, setting off the scenery with the rippling water surface of the moat, reflecting the Forbidden City in the reflection, which is quite poetic and picturesque of the waterfront reflecting the imperial city. Nowadays, visitors can get a close-up view of the southeast and northeast watchtower.
Four watchtower stand on top of each other on the walls of the 600-year-old city, surrounded by water. The watchtower of the Forbidden City has become a unique example of nine beams, eighteen columns and seventy-two ridge wooden structures in the history of world architecture.
China Railway Museum
China Railway Museum is a professional science and technology museum in China's railway system, with the functions of collection, protection, research, display and communication. It is mainly responsible for the protection of cultural heritage in the railway industry, the dissemination of railway scientific and technological knowledge, and the publicity of railway development achievements. To be responsible for the collection, storage, display, editing and research of railway historical relics and scientific research achievements.
China Railway Museum has three exhibition halls: Zhengyangmen Exhibition Hall, Dongjiao Exhibition Hall and Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall. Zhengyangmen Exhibition Hall is located in the southeast of Tian'anmen Square, the former site of Zhengyangmen East Station of Peking-Mukden Railway, is a European-style building that has experienced many vicissitudes. In 1906, Zhengyangmen East Station of Peking-Mukden Railway was built, which became the largest railway station and the largest transportation hub in the country at that time. Since its birth, it has witnessed countless major historical events in the modern history of China.
In 1959, the newly built Beijing Railway Station was put into operation, and Zhengyangmen East Railway Station completed its historical mission. In August 2007, after the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau approved the project, the construction of Beijing Railway Museum officially began, thus, Zhengyangmen East Station gained a new life. In November 2009, the China Railway Museum were integrated with the Beijing Railway Museum to form the new China Railway Museum. Zhengyangmen East Railway Station has become the Zhengyangmen Exhibition Hall of China Railway Museum, which mainly shows the historical track of the development of China's railway, presenting the thick history, brilliant achievements and bright future of China's railway in front of the world. On August 1, 2010, Zhengyangmen Exhibition Hall was officially opened.
Tian Qiao
Tian Qiao was originally a stone bridge on the southern section of the Central Axis of Beijing, which had long been used as a special road for sacrificial activities such as the Son of Heaven to worship heaven and pray for rain, so it has the name of "Tian Qiao". Since the 1920s, the Tian Qiao was finally demolished in 1934 after the transformation of the Longxugou open channel into a hidden ditch, the construction of a tram, and the widening of the road.
In 2006, during an exploration by the Beijing Institute of Cultural Relics, researchers found the foundation of the Tian Qiao and determined the basic location of the Tian Qiao — the junction of Yong'an Lu (Rd) and Tiantan Lu (Rd), that is, the actual Central Axis, thus proving that there was indeed a Tianqiao in the area in history.
In 2013, the Tian Qiao that once served as the "dragon nose" guarding the Central Axis and crossing the Longxugou "returned". A blue and white stone arch landscape bridge and two stone tablets stand quietly on the green belt on the south side of the intersection of Tian Qiao Nandajie (St) and Tiantan Lu (Rd). In order not to affect traffic, this historical and cultural landscape bridge has been moved about 40 or 50 meters to the south compared with the original bridge. The landscape bridge is 14.4 meters long, the widest point of 8 meters, and the wide of the inner diamete of the Tian Qiao only 4.48 meters. The scenic bridge and the imitation of the double monument together constitute the Tian Qiao historical and cultural landscape square.
On the west side of Tian Qiao Nandajie (St) on the Central Axis of Beijing, there is a single building with bells on all sides. From a distance, the whole bell tower is beautiful and elegant, and the charm is magnificent. The early location of the four bells is not here. The location of the four-faced clock in the early years was not here, but a few hundred meters to the west of the Beiwei Lu (Rd) and Luchang Jie (St) intersection. Today, the four-faced clock can be rebuilt in another place, reproduce the landmark scenery of the old Tian Qiao, making this ancient building radiate youth and become a beautiful new scenery on the Central Axis.
Today, the four-faced clock and the eight strange sculptures on the north side of the Tian Qiao form a small square between the fountain and the hedge, which is a good place for the recreation and leisure of citizens and tourists.
Yongdingmen Gate
Yongdingmen Gate, the main gate of the outer city wall of Beijing in Ming and Qing dynasties, is located at the southernmost point of the Central Axis of Beijing. Yongdingmen Gate was built in the thirty-second year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1553), meaning "eternal stability".
In 2004, Beijing Yongdingmen Gate Tower was rebuilt. After the reconstruction of Yongdingmen Gate, its stone plaque is carved in imitation of the stone plaque of the Ming Dynasty. About 3 kilometers south from Zhengyangmen Gate, an open pedestrian space extends to Yongdingmen Gate. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this section of the road was the central royal road for the emperor must pass through when traveling to the Temple of Heaven to worship heavens, or to the Altar of the God of Agriculture to guide a plough. In 2019, the construction of two sections of the royal road was resumed, and the south Central Axis was completed by pedestrians. Walking along the royal road, obviously different from the asphalt road on both sides, the foot of the road is paved by stone slabs, which are covered with thin grooves, adding a sense of historical vicissitudes.
This landscape construction project refers to the "cultural relics" standard everywhere, and the regulation of the royal road refers to the existing royal road ruins under the Zhengyangmen Gate tower and the measured data in the 1940s in the "Beijing Central Axis Ancient Buildings Survey Atlas", and the stone materials, laying methods and road scales on the royal road are in accordance with the old rules. Each groove on the slate is chiselled out by hand one by one, leaning over to look closely, different from the machine assembly line operation, each groove or deep or shallow is not the same, which shows the craftsman spirit of repairing old as the old.
