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Photo: Temple of Heaven in Beijing
(Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests)
Built in 1420 (the
18th year of the Yongle reign period
of the Ming Dynasty), the Temple of Heaven was
the place where the emperors of the Ming and
Qing dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for
good harvests and it is located at the southern
end of Beijing. Well known for its precise
outlay, unusual architectural structures and
spectacular architectural decorations, the
Heaven Temple is the
largest temple complex for praying in China.
This grand temple has two main sections namely
the inner altar and outer altar. Found in the
inner altar are the Circular Mound Altar and the
Imperial Vault of Heaven in the south and the
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and Imperial
Heavenly Hall in the north. A circular wall
known as the Echo Wall surrounds the Imperial
Vault of Heaven.
Located in the 267
hectare Temple of Heaven Park with four gates at
the compass points and bounded by walls to the
north and east, it is round in shape with square
bases deriving from the ancient Chinese belief
that heaven is round and the earth is square.
The
Temple of Heaven is open to the public as a
park. It is classified under the UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage Site
List.
Admission: 30 yuan
Transport: It
can be reached by public bus Nos. 6, 17, 20, 35,
39, 54, 106, 116, 120, 122 or 803 and Te 3.
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