At the northernmost end of Beijing’s Central Axis, the Bell and Drum Towers stand majestically amid a dense network of hutongs and interconnected courtyards. More than a reflection of the ancient capital’s historic urban fabric, this neighborhood has become a representative example of Beijing’s efforts to preserve and organically renew its old city.
Since 2017, Zhang Zhe, an urban planner at Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning and Design Institute, has served as a community planner for Dongcheng District and has been deeply involved in the renewal and upgrading of the Bell and Drum Tower area. In his view, the guiding principle of Beijing’s old city renewal has always been “to preserve the city’s memories and allow people to hold on to their sense of home and nostalgia.” The Bell and Drum Tower project is not only a vivid embodiment of this philosophy, but also provides replicable and scalable experience for the renewal of historic districts in Beijing and across China.
Restoring the Old as It Was: Preserving the Historic Character
In old city renewal, historic character is the foundation. Located at the northernmost end of Beijing’s 7.8‑kilometer Central Axis, the Bell and Drum Tower area once served as the city’s official timekeeping center and has played a significant role in Beijing’s urban development for centuries.
Zhang Zhe emphasized that renewal work cannot simply “focus on construction projects alone.” Instead, it requires systematic research into the area’s historical evolution and cultural value in order to truly understand and preserve the district’s unique character. What makes this area distinctive is the seamless integration of the ceremonial order of the national Central Axis with the grounded realities of everyday neighborhood life — combining the grandeur of the Central Axis with the warmth and liveliness of the hutongs.
To achieve this, the planning team adhered to the principle of “restoring the old as it was.” Drawing on historical photographs and archival images from approximately 120 years ago, they established an overall color palette centered on traditional gray‑blue architecture. Roofs were restored using traditional paving techniques, allowing the area’s broad and gently layered skyline to re‑emerge. Utility poles and street lamps throughout the hutongs were upgraded into unified dark‑grey, retro‑style multifunctional poles that blend naturally into the historic environment.
Since 2017, Beijing has launched two rounds of environmental improvement campaigns targeting backstreets and small alleys. In July 2022, a comprehensive renovation project covering nine hutongs around the Bell and Drum Towers was officially launched and fully completed by the end of 2023, involving more than 300 traditional courtyard residences.
These efforts are not isolated cases, but rather a concrete implementation of Beijing’s broader old city preservation strategy in a representative historic district. By first gaining a comprehensive understanding of existing conditions and then applying targeted measures, the historic character of the ancient capital continues to live on through every gray brick and tiled roof.
One Courtyard, One Tailored Plan: Responding to Residents’ Needs
Restoring historic character is only the beginning; improving residents’ quality of life is the ultimate goal of renewal.
“Old hutongs should also embrace modern life. The most basic expectations are simple: no flooding when it rains, no leaking roofs, and level roads for walking,” Zhang Zhe explained.
Fan Laiyou, a longtime resident of Courtyard No. 90 in Zhonglouwan Hutong, has lived there for most of his life. In the past, the crowded compound housed more than 20 families. During the rainy season, residents had to prepare sandbags to prevent floodwater from flowing into their homes, and the narrow alleyways were so cramped that two larger people could barely pass each other without turning sideways.
Today, only seven households remain in the courtyard. Vacated homes have been carefully restored, the ground has been paved with antique‑style permeable bricks, and the drainage system has been completely upgraded. Beneath grapevines in the corner of the courtyard, flowers and greenery now flourish. “In the past, growing flowers and plants was only a dream,” Fan said. “Now it has become part of everyday life.”
This transformation stems from the principle of “one courtyard, one tailored plan” in preservation‑based renovation. In March 2021, the Bell and Drum Tower area became the first project along the Central Axis to launch an application‑based relocation initiative. During the first phase, 301 households relocated voluntarily, freeing more than 6,300 square meters of space.
Following relocation, each courtyard received a tailored renovation plan. Low‑lying courtyards had their ground levels raised and permeable paving installed. Courtyards with a larger number of elderly residents were fitted with handrails at natural support heights, while solar‑powered lights were added beneath eaves in poorly lit areas.
According to Zhang Zhe, the team also studied historical records and carried out what they describe as “spatial darning” — restoring the original texture and layout of traditional courtyards. Today, when viewed from the Bell and Drum Towers, the elegant urban fabric of old Beijing’s hutongs can once again be clearly seen.
The “one courtyard, one tailored plan” approach is not unique to the Bell and Drum Tower area; it has become a standard practice in the renewal of Beijing’s traditional residential neighborhoods. From Dongcheng to Xicheng, from application‑based relocation projects to symbiotic courtyard renovations, the core principle remains the same: respecting the real needs of every household and addressing long‑standing urban challenges with meticulous, “embroidery‑like” precision.
Adaptive Reuse: Sustaining the Cultural Legacy
Old city renewal is not only about “restoring old buildings,” but also about “making good use of them.” Hong’en Temple, with a history spanning more than 700 years, stands as one of the best examples of this philosophy in practice.
Originally built during the Yuan Dynasty, the site once served as the Qianfo Temple before later being converted into a factory and vegetable market, undergoing several functional transformations over time. After being designated a municipal‑level protected cultural heritage site in 2021, Dongcheng District carried out restoration work guided by the principles of authenticity, integrity, and minimal intervention.
In 2023, the site reopened to the public as “The Guàn,” a locally rooted cultural museum complex featuring a digital exhibition hall, a themed post office, a bookstore, a tea space, and other multifunctional cultural venues.
“Relocating incompatible uses from heritage sites is only the first step,” Zhang Zhe noted. “True revitalization must emphasize a strong connection to local culture and community life.”
Today, the restored Hong’en Temple not only attracts young visitors and tourists, but also serves as a cultural center for the surrounding neighborhood, regularly hosting community cultural activities. Local residents and visitors alike now share and enjoy the space, giving the historic site renewed vitality.
Hong’en Temple’s transformation reflects Beijing’s broader approach of “prioritizing preservation while encouraging reasonable use.” Historic buildings are no longer sealed off as static relics, but instead integrated into contemporary urban life, serving both residents and visitors while bringing new vitality to the district.
Today, visitors to the Bell and Drum Tower area can enter historic buildings to view exhibitions, enjoy tea, browse bookstores, and engage with traditional culture through immersive, multidimensional experiences. This model of adaptive reuse has already been adopted in multiple historic districts across Beijing, helping transform the old city from a static museum into a vibrant and shared urban space.
From the permeable bricks and solar‑powered lighting in Courtyard No. 90 of Zhonglouwan Hutong to the fusion of digital art exhibitions and the Central Axis‑themed post office inside Hong’en Temple, the renewal practices in the Bell and Drum Tower area reflect the broader logic behind Beijing’s comprehensive old city preservation and renewal efforts.
Driven by the application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the Beijing Central Axis and supported by refined urban governance, Beijing’s old city is exploring a sustainable approach that balances preservation with development, and tradition with innovation.
As Zhang Zhe remarked: “Old city preservation is not about turning the city into a museum exhibit. It is about preserving the human warmth and everyday life that people can truly feel and experience — allowing local residents to maintain a sense of belonging, while enabling visitors to connect with the soul of the ancient capital.”