Temple of Heaven

Author: Xu Zhizhang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The Temple of Heaven is located in the southeastern part of Beijing City. It served as the altar for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for grain harvests and is the largest ancient sacrificial complex remaining in China and the world. The Temple of Heaven was built in the 18th year of the Yongle era (1420) under the decree of Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty, who moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Initially, it was used for joint worship of heaven and earth and was named the Altar of Heaven and Earth. In the 9th year of the Jiajing era (1530), the ritual system was revised, and the "Altar of Earth" (Fangze Tan), "Altar of the Sun" (Chaori Tan), and "Altar of the Moon" (Xiyue Tan) were built in the northern, eastern, and western suburbs of the city, respectively, implementing the separate worship system of heaven, earth, sun, and moon. The original Altar of Heaven and Earth was dedicated solely to worshiping heaven and was renamed the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is a combination of the Altar of Heaven (Huangqiu Tan) and the Altar of Prayers for Good Harvests (Qiggu Tan), covering an area of 273 hectares. Its architectural layout is in the shape of a "U," with two walls forming the inner and outer courtyards. The southern wall is square, while the northern wall is round, symbolizing the roundness of heaven and the squareness of the earth. The main buildings are concentrated at both ends of the north-south axis of the inner courtyard. The Altar of Heaven is located in the south, while the Altar of Prayers for Good Harvests is in the north. The two altars are connected by the Danbi Bridge, a 360-meter-long, 30-meter-wide, and approximately 4-meter-high bridge, creating a harmonious and unified whole. On the western side of the central axis is the Hall of Abstinence, where emperors stayed to perform fasting rituals before sacrificial ceremonies. The main buildings of the Temple of Heaven include the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Altar of Heaven, the Hall of Abstinence, the Long Corridor, and the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Years of Life. There are also famous historical sites such as the Echo Wall, the Three-Tone Stone, the Seven-Star Stone, and the Nine-Dragon Cypress. Additionally, this book provides concise travel information for visitors on the front and back endpapers. Here, you may find essential travel details about the six altars in Beijing, including locations, transportation, ticket prices, opening hours, and contact information, to make your trip as convenient as possible.