晨钟暮鼓(chén zhōn? mù ?ǔ)—the Daybreak Bell and the Sundown Drum

The tradition of the Daybreak Bell and the Sundown Drum began as early as the Han Dynasty. “晨” means “morning”; “钟” means “clock”; while “暮” means “the sundown time”; “鼓” is “drum”. Xian’s Bell Tower and Drum Tower were restored during the Ming Dynasty to continue this tradition. The custom of the bell and drum were observed until the final year of the Qing Dynasty.

In the effort to preserve traditional culture, Xi’an began to observe this practice again several years ago. Every day at 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 3:00 pm, the bell chimes twenty four times, while the drum is beaten twenty four times at 6:00 pm. This ceremony is performed by actors dressed in traditional clothing using traditional implements. People also use this idiom to describe a very regular and quiet life.