The Drum Tower. /鼓楼。[Photo by Xin Zhicheng] 忻之承 摄
By Gou Wen
In 821 AD, Han Cha, then governor of Mingzhou (currently Ningbo), built the wooden fence as the edge of city with the area from the Zhongshan Square to Drum Tower as its center. Later, the city wall was built to replace the fence. Historically, this surrounded area was called Zicheng. The south gate of Zicheng stood at the place of the current Drum Tower.
公元821年，明州刺史韩察以中山广场到鼓楼这一带为中心，先立木栅为城，后来筑城墙，历史上叫子城。子城的南城门就是现在的鼓楼。
In ancient times, the Tower was equipped with clepsydra and drum to inform the people of the time.
在古代，鼓楼上就设有刻漏和更鼓，用来向城内的百姓报知时间。
In 1935, the Drum Tower added modern clock and alarm device, which was added on the top of the Drum Tower to meet the needs of Ningbo municipal construction.
1935年，为了适应宁波市政建设需要，鼓楼增加了现代报时、报警装置。鼓楼顶上叠加的西式报时台就是这个时候修建的。
The Drum Tower has witnessed the changes of urban space in Ningbo for more than 1,000 years. Today, tourists can climb the Drum Tower to see the scenery of Ningbo.
鼓楼见证了一千多年间宁波城市空间的变迁，时至今日游客们依然可以登高望远，一览宁波城市风貌。