The Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven in the southern part of Beijing is China's largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings. Occupying an area of 273 hectares, it is three times the area of the Forbidden City. It was built in 1420 for emperors to worship Heaven. Surrounded by lush vegetation, these lovely old temples and shrines are set out in two sections – one rectangular; the other semi-circular – which together symbolize Heaven and Earth. The principal buildings include the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, Imperial Vault of Heaven, and Circular Mound Altar.

The Altar of Prayer for Good Harvest, 38 meters in height and 30 meters in diameter, stands on a round foundation built with three levels of marble stones. This towering triple-eave hall is under a three-story, cone-shaped glaze-tile roof in blue color crowned with a gilded knob. A circular wall of polished bricks known as the Echo Wall encloses the Imperial Vault of Heaven. The Circular Mount Altar, south to the Imperial Vault of Heaven, is where the Emperor prayed to Heaven. A round stone called the Center of Heaven Stone lies at the center that echoes when a visitor speaks loud when standing on the rock.

It was here that, on the day of the winter solstice, the Emperor would ascend the Heavenly Altar in a solemn ceremony to pray for a good harvest and offer sacrifices in the brightly decorated Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qinian Dian). The hall sits on a three-tier marble terrace with railings and a roof covered with 50,000 blue glazed tiles (a marble plaque on the floor represents the dragon and the phoenix stone, symbols of the Emperor).

Another highlight is the Hall of the Vault of Heaven (Huangqiong Yu). It was built in 153 with a blue-tiled conical roof and was used to store the ceremonial plaques of Heaven and the Officials. Be sure also to visit the temple's Echo Wall, which echoes to even the quietest of voices, an effect exaggerated by three unusual echoing stones.

Address: 1 Tiantan E Road, Dongcheng Beijing