As the Son of Heaven, the emperor could intercede with the gods on behalf of his people. It was here that he would pray at the winter solstice for a good harvest. Off-limits to the common people during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the complex is now open to the public and attracts thousands of visitors daily, including many locals who come to enjoy the huge park in which the temple is set.
Tian Tan Dong Lu (East Gate), Chongwen • 6702 2483 • Subway: Tian Tan Dong Men • en.tiantanpark.com
Park: open 6am–10pm daily; adm ¥15
Temple: open 8am–5:30pm daily (Jul–Oct: to 6pm; Nov–Feb: to 5pm); adm ¥35, audio guides ¥40, plus deposit of ¥100
Built in 1420, then rebuilt in 1889, this circular tower, with a conical roof of blue tiles and a gold finial, is the most beautiful building in Beijing. One of the most striking facts about it is that it was constructed without the use of a single nail.
The circular ceiling of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has a gilded dragon and phoenix at its center. The wood for the four central columns was imported from Oregon, as at the time China had no trees tall enough.
Today, locals, inured to both the splendor of the buildings and the crowds of tourists, use the vast grounds to practice tai chi and to exercise.
A circular hall made of wood and capped by a conical roof, the Imperial Vault once held the wooden spirit tablets that were used in the ceremonies that took place on the nearby Round Altar.
The altar is formed of marble slabs laid out in nine concentric circles with each gray circle containing a multiple of nine pieces. The center of the altar represents the center of the world and it is where the emperor carried out sacrifices.
There are three rectangular stones at the foot of the staircase leading up to the Imperial Vault: stand on the first and clap to hear one echo; stand on the second stone and clap once for two echoes; clap once on the third for three echoes.
The Imperial Vault is enclosed by the circular Echo Wall, which has the same sonic effects found in some European cathedrals, where even a whisper travels round to a listener on the other side.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests sits atop three tiers of marble that form a circle 300 ft (90 m) in diameter. The balusters on the upper tier are decorated with carvings of dragons that signify the imperial nature of the structure.
A raised walkway of marble and stone that runs along the north-south axis of the complex, the Red Step Bridge connects the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests with the Round Altar.
A red-walled compound surrounded by a moat spanned by bridges, this hall resembles a mini Forbidden City. This is where the emperor would spend the last 24 hours of his three-day fast prior to partaking in the Temple of Heaven ceremonies.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, or Qinian Dian, which is the iconic structure at the heart of the complex, is often incorrectly called the Temple of Heaven. There is, in fact, no single temple building and the name, which in Chinese is Tian Tan – a more literal translation of which is Altar of Heaven – refers to the whole complex.
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