Temple of Heaven – Sacred Sacrificial Altars for Good Harvest

Temple of Heaven is one of the sacrificial altars in Beijing for worshipped heaven and prayed for the good harvest. In hundreds of years, emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties have the tradition and ritual for hold a sacrificial ceremony in this temple. Become the largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings in China, Temple of Heaven consisted of many main important areas.

1. Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian)

 

It has become the place where emperors come to pray for good harvest on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year.  It was built on a three-tiered white marble terrace, which is six meters high and occupies more than 5900 square meters in area. It is also provided with blue glazed tiles on the roof and the whole structure is made of brick and wood. Three layers of the roof covered with deep blue glazed tiles to symbolize the colour of the sky. The roof is even one tier higher than the Taihedian, the central palace in the Forbidden City.
Inside, it painted with patterns of colorful imperial paintings, looks splendid, stunning and elegant. It is the main and most majestic building in Temple of Heaven.

2. Imperial Vault of Heaven

 

Located in the south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, it is a single-gabled circular building built on a white marble stone base. Just seems like the small size of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest building. The Imperial Vault of Heaven is a structure made of bricks and timber that is surrounded by the Echo Wall. In the Imperial Vault of Heaven, there also located The Three Echo Stones. People said, if they speak or clap facing it, then it can be hear on another place inside Temple of Heaven. Some of visitors will interest and exciting to try it!

3. Echo Wall (Huiyinbi)

 

Echo Wall is a beautiful white wall around the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It is about 3.72 meters high, 90 centimeters thick and 65.1 meters in diameter.  An interesting fact about Echo Wall, it believed could transmit sounds over large distance. If one person stands on one side of the wall and whispers something, their voice will be transmitted around the wall and can be heard on the other side. Local visitors and even foreigners tourists will have strong interest to prove that.

4. The Circular Mound Altar (Huanqiutan)

 

In the south of Imperial Vault of Heaven, there sits Circular Mound Altar. This empty circular platform was built on three layered terraces with white marble. It was built in 1530, rebuilt in 1740 and had become the sacrificial altar for ceremonies held on winter solstice. At the centre of the mound, there located round stone called Tianxingshi (Heaven's Heart Stone). It said when the people stand above that stone and screams, the sound waves will spread quickly to the edges of the mound and reflect back towards you. So this altar is also called as the other part inside Temple of Heaven which believed connected to the heaven.
Temple of Heaven is one of the major symbols of Beijing, famous for its large scale and amazing stunning architecture.