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Tuesday, March 11, 2025
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The Temple of Heaven
Situated in a vast park a mile southeast of Tian’anmen Square
Beijing
Beijing
China
Type: Historical Interest
Addmission Fee: ¥35 or ¥15
Hours: Open daily 8 am-5:30 pm
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Beijing
Beijing
China
Type: Historical Interest
Addmission Fee: ¥35 or ¥15
Hours: Open daily 8 am-5:30 pm
Comments ( 0 )
Rating (0 Votes)
Situated in a vast park a mile southeast of Tian’anmen Square, the Temple of Heaven is unmissable and its Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is seen as the pinnacle of Ming architecture. The temple was constructed in 1420 under Emperor Yongle, when Beijing was designated the imperial capital, at a place deemed the meeting point of heaven and earth, which is reflected in its design.
Heaven was thought to be circular and the earth square, so the principal heavenly buildings are round and are set above their square earthly emplacements. As the Son of Heaven, the emperor was the primary medium between heaven and earth.
Three days before the winter solstice, the emperor would abstain from meat, “stimulating” foods and spices and on the third he would travel from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven’s Fasting Palace. During the procession, all commoners retreated indoors to avoid laying eyes on the emperor – a crime which carried the death penalty.
The following day, the emperor would move to the Imperial Vault of Heaven to meditate, before continuing to the grand domed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and then emerging to ritually sacrifice animals at the Round Altar and pray for a good harvest in the coming year.
The temple was continually used during the Ming and Qing dynasties and was solely the preserve of the emperor and his staff until it was declared open to the public on the first Chinese National Day in October 1912.
Today, the simple grandeur of the temple makes it a must-see on any tourist’s itinerary, but despite this, the size and tranquility of its grounds makes it seem less crowded than the Forbidden City. The Echo Wall and main prayer hall have both recently undergone restorations and the latter’s paintwork and tiles now gleam resplendently in the sunlight.
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