Zhengyangmen Reborn: A Tower Shines Anew — The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower Officially Reopens to the Public
On December 26, 2024,the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower reopened to the public with a brandnew refreshed appearance，marking the opening of another significant heritage site following the successful inscription of Beijing Central Axis on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Built in 1439 during the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower is a landmark building of the old city wall structure in Beijing. Towering and majestic,it constitutes the commanding height of the landscape in the Qianmen area, with a bird’s eye view of Yongdingmen southward approximately 3 kilometers away. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, together with the Gate Tower and the Barbican, it formed a group of gate buildings with both defensive and ceremonial features, which had irreplaceable geographical advantages and cultural connotations.
From the first to the third floor of the Arrow Tower , there is a special exhibition entitled "Beijing Central Axis - A Masterpiece of China's Ideal Capital Order", which is divided into three parts: heritage description, heritage value, and heritage protection and management. The fourth floor has an intangible cultural heritage display area. Visitors can make appointments for the next day or any date within the upcoming week through the official WeChat account of the Beijing Central Axis Heritage Protection Center.
On the first day of opening, the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower held an open activity with the theme of “Zhengyangmen Reborn: A Tower Shines Anew”. Highlights included a performance by the Little Bears Band, honored as “Beijing Central Axis Cultural Ambassadors,” who sang “Beijing Swifts.” Professor Yang Zhen from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture donated a 7.8-meter-long scroll titled “Beijing Central Axis: A Panoramic View of Tradition and Innovation” to the Beijing Central Axis Foundation, which subsequently presented it to the Beijing Central Axis Heritage Protection Center. A series of engaging activities enriched the event, including the printing of Zhengyangmen-themed postcards by China Post, stamping at Central Axis heritage sites, Central Axis-themed calendar signings, kite-making inspired by the Beijing Swift, traditional guqin performances, tea ceremonies, and a community storytelling session titled “My Stories with Zhengyangmen.”
Guests stamped two commemorative seals, “Celebrating the Inscription of Beijing Central Axis” and “the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower,” onto an engraved intaglio print of Zhengyangmen, creating a lasting memento to mark the official opening of the Tower to the public.
At 1 p.m., the first group of visitors from the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower entered the museum in an orderly manner to visit the special exhibition "Beijing Central Axis - Masterpiece of China's Ideal Capital Order", overlooking the landscape of the South central axis, feeling the unique Beijing culture, and recording this historical moment.
The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower has been a symbol of old Beijing since it was built, bearing a long historical memory, witnessing the prosperity of Beijing, and is deeply rooted in the hearts of Beijing residents.In the future, the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower will fully tap and highlight the infinite charm of Beijing's central axis, maximize the value and role of cultural heritage, and better meet the needs of the people for a better life.