Beacon is an ancient military facility, which is used to transmit signals, warnings and communications. It is usually located at the top of the mountain or on high ground, and is made of stones or mounds. The main function of beacon tower is to send out beacon smoke in wartime to convey important information, such as the enemy's situation and operational instructions.
Different information contents and meanings can be conveyed by different forms and coding rules. When a beacon tower sees the beacon smoke released by the beacon tower in front of it, it will react quickly and make the information transmitted efficiently. This transmission mode is fast and reliable, which greatly improves the command and dispatch efficiency of troops.
With the progress of science and technology, beacon tower is gradually replaced by modern communication equipment, but as a part of historical and cultural heritage, it still has important commemorative and educational significance. In some tourist attractions and historical sites, people can witness the existence of beacon towers and understand its role and significance in ancient military affairs.
Beacon tower building structure
Beacon towers are usually built on hills and mounds that are easy to look at each other. There are facilities for looking at the house, burning cigarettes and setting fire on the tower. Below the tower are houses, sheepfolds, warehouses and other buildings where infantry live and guard.
The distance between beacon towers is generally about ten miles, and they are usually built on hills and mounds that are convenient for eye contact. There was also a distance of about 5 miles in the Ming Dynasty. When soldiers guarding Taiwan discovered the enemy's attack, they immediately lit a bonfire on the stage, and the neighboring Taiwan also lit it after seeing it, so as to quickly convey the enemy's situation to the military central department.
Beacon towers are generally built independently, and there are also three or five speakers configured into beacon towers. The shape of beacon towers varies from time to time, generally square and round.