The grand ritual of beating drum and bell at dusk and at dawn will be resumed on the last day of the year in this Chinese capital, since this imperial tradition in the Ming and Qing dynasties discontinued for more than a century.

At the time, the 25 huge drums made after the model of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the gigantic bronze bell founded in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) will be beaten to greet the New Year.

According to historical records, both the drums and the bell were knocked at 19:00 at night and at 3:00 in the morning to tell time as a guide of daily activities of both officials and citizens, which was also an important rite in the dynasties.

With the downfall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, the tradition was disused.

The Beijing city government spent 5.3 million yuan (US$640,000) this year to refurbish the tower, where the drums and the bell are placed, for renaissance of the tradition.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2001)