Chinese Heritage Tour — Tiananmen

Author: Xu Zhizhang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The Temple of Heaven is located in the southeastern part of Beijing City. It was the sacrificial altar for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for grain, and is the largest existing ancient sacrificial complex in China and the world. The Temple of Heaven was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign (1420) by Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Initially, it was used for the joint worship of heaven and earth, named the Temple of Heaven and Earth. In the 9th year of the Jiajing reign (1530), the ritual system was changed, and the "Square Mound of Earth" (Earth Altar), "Sun Altar," and "Moon Altar" were built in the northern, eastern, and western suburbs of the city to implement the separate worship of heaven, earth, sun, and moon. The original Temple of Heaven and Earth was dedicated to worshipping heaven and was renamed the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is a combination of the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Altar of Heaven. It covers an area of 273 hectares, with a building layout in the shape of a "U," surrounded by two walls, forming the inner and outer altars. The southern wall is square, while the northern wall is round, symbolizing the round sky and square earth. The main buildings are concentrated at both ends of the north-south axis of the inner altar. The Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests is located south, while the Altar of Heaven is located north. The two altars are connected by a 360-meter-long, 30-meter-wide, and approximately 4-meter-high bridge called the Rainbow Bridge, creating a harmonious and unified whole. On the west side of the central axis, there is the Palace of Abstinence, where emperors stayed to perform abstinence before sacrificial rituals. 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 Palace of Abstinence, the Long Corridor, and the Pavilion of Longevity. There are also scenic spots such as the Echo Wall, the Three Sound Stones, the Seven-Star Stones, 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 such as the locations of six altars in Beijing, transportation, ticket prices, opening hours, and contact information to make your trip as convenient as possible.