Being the landmarks of the northern end of Beijing Central Axis in the commercial district of the old city, the Bell and Drum Towers, together with the Tian'anmen Gate, the Upright Gate and the Forbidden City, form a paradigm of the imperial court area of capital city planning, embodying "court in the front, market in the back" as prescribed in the Kaogongji. The magnificent statures of the Bell and Drum Towers contrast with the surrounding low-lying residential buildings with their gray walls and tiled roofs, presenting an important viewpoint of Beijing Central Axis. The towers were significant city management facilities for time keeping and announcing the time during the Ming and Qing dynasties, bearing witness to the traditional way of life.