Déshèng Mén Arrow Tower 德胜门箭楼
Part of A Better Guide to Běijīng’s coverage of North, Around the Back Lakes
The tower still standing is the recently refurbished outer, embrasured tower (or ‘arrow tower’) of the pair which once stood here, used by emperors when they left to lead military expeditions themselves. One of many possible translations of its name is ‘Gate of the Victory of Morality’. The inner tower was the first of Běijīng’s towers to be pulled down and not replaced, on the grounds that it was no longer safe, in 1921.
This is also the Ancient Coin Exhibition Hall (古代钱币展览馆, Gǔdài Qiánbì Zhǎnlǎnguǎn) so at ground level there are shops and stalls selling coins, notes, phone cards, and other collectibles around the base of the tower, which stands in the centre of a traffic island.
Halls at the base have an exhibition of ancient coins and how they were made, from the variety of pre-Qín shapes and sizes to the circular ‘copper cash’ with their central square holes, which were kept on strings, and the shoe-shaped silver ingots of post-Qín standardization.
There are views from the tower’s plinth, but the inside is now occupied by art galleries of the made-for-tourists kind.
▶ Déshèng Mén Jiàn Lóu, 9am–4pm, Tue–Sun. ¥10. nb First 200 visitors free on Wed. Audio tour ¥10; dep. ¥100. m Jī Shuǐ Tán (Line 2) exit A, walk east
b to 德胜门: 5, 27, 44外环, 55, 83, 305, 315, 380, 409, 625, 872, 877, 880,
880快车, 883快车, 885, 909, 919. To 德胜门内: 55. To 德胜门南站: 5, 635. To 德胜门外: 5, 55, 305, 625, 670, 909. To 德胜门西: 特12内环, 特12外环, 27, 44内环, 83, 344快车, 345, 345快车, 670, 881, 883, 883快车, 886, 888, 888快车, 889.
Buses to Bā Dá Lǐng Great Wall and other out-of-town sights to the north leave from the northeast side of the tower, so it can be seen on the way. The Shí Chà Hǎi or Back Lakes and their surrounding sights lie just to the south, or there’s the Xú Bēihóng Memorial Hall (if reopened) and sights beyond, south from m Jī Shuǐ Tán.
Next in North, Around the Back Lakes: Xú Bēihóng Memorial Hall (closed)
Previously: Drum and Bell Towers
Main Index of A Better Guide to Beijing.
For discussion of China travel, see The Oriental-List.
