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Temple of Heaven Tiāntán ​天 坛

The was the imperial site of prayer to Heaven during the Ming (1368–​ 1644) and Qing (1644–​1912) . The Temple’s most spectacular structure is The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest 祈年殿, 38 meters (125 feet) tall, built entirely of wood without using a single nail.

he Temple of Heaven, or Altar of Heaven, was built between 1406 and 1420 in during the reign of Di 朱棣, the (reigned 1402–​1424). Zhu Di is also credited for oversee- ing the planning and construction of the . The Temple of Heaven served as the prayer site for the emperors of the Ming (1368–​1644) and Qing (1644–​1912) dynasties in . It is regarded as a Daoist temple, al- though Heaven worship was practiced before the rise of Daoism. Every year, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the emperor would come to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (祈年殿 Qi Nian Dian) to pay homage to Heaven and pray for a good harvest. He would honor View of the Temple of Heaven, the imperial site his ancestors as well, as he was regarded as the Son of of prayer to Heaven during the Ming and Qing Heaven. In early winter the emperor would come again to dynasties. thank Heaven for the good harvest. If a drought plagued China during the summer, the emperor would come to the temple to pray for rain. Accompanying the emperor Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven or the ceremo- on these visits would be his entourage of officials, all wear- nies that followed. ing special ceremonial robes. Ordinary Chinese were The temple grounds cover 2.7 square kilometers (1.5 not allowed to view the emperor’s procession from the square miles). On the site are three imperial sacrificial 2223 T © 2009 by Berkshire Publishing Group LLC 2224 Berkshire Encyclopedia of China 宝 库 山 中 华 全 书 sites: the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Circular Mound the four large ones represent the four seasons, the twelve Altar, and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. Within inner pillars represent the months in the lunar calendar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven is the Echo Wall, a marvel of and the twelve outer pillars represent the twelve ­two-hour​­ acoustical engineering that can carry sounds across long periods of a day. distances. The is the altar proper. The Temple of Heaven became a United Nations It is comprised of three rounded ­white-​­marble platforms. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization The bottom platform represents Hell; the middle, Earth; (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1998. Today the tem- and the top, Heaven. ple grounds are a popular exercise park for locals and visi- The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest lies at the center tors alike. of the grounds and is the most spectacular building on the Jian-Zhong LIN site. It is a ­tripled-​­gabled circular building 38 meters (125 feet) tall, built entirely of wood with no nails. It is con- sidered a masterpiece of traditional . Further Reading The hall was designed with many symbolic features. Of Yu Chen (Ed.) (1999). Great sites of Beijing. Beijing: Beijing the ­twenty-eight​­ pillars that support the domed structure, Arts and Crafts Publishing House.

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© 2009 by Berkshire Publishing Group LLC