The Temple of Heaven was the exclusive altar for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to conduct rituals for heaven worship, rain prayers, and prayers for a bountiful harvest. It is a famous ancient architectural complex across the country. The northern part of the altar is circular, symbolizing ‘heaven’, while the southern part is square, symbolizing ‘earth’, reflecting the concept of ’round heaven and square earth’. The entire Temple of Heaven is divided into two parts: the Inner Altar and the Outer Altar. Well-known structures like the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Echo Wall are located within the Inner Altar. A quick look at the Inner Altar shows it is divided into northern and southern sections by a palace wall. The northern part, called the ‘Prayer for Grain Altar’, is where the emperor held the grand ceremony for praying for a good harvest in spring, hoping for good weather and abundant crops. The main structures include the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, eastern and western side halls, the Gate of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Divine Kitchen, the Slaughtering Pavilion, and the Seventy-Two Corridors, etc. The southern part, known as the ‘Round Mound Altar’, is an open-air, three-tiered round stone altar where the emperor performed the heaven worship ceremony on the Winter Solstice. The main structures include the Round Mound Altar, the Imperial Ceiling of Heaven and its side halls, the Divine Kitchen, the Three Stores, and the Slaughtering Pavilion.Connecting the two altars is a 360-meter long, 28-meter wide, and 2.5-meter high brick and stone platform, called the ‘Sacred Way’, also known as the ‘Sea Man Avenue’ or ‘Danbi Bridge’, symbolizing the long path to heaven. The exquisite design of the Echo Wall and the Three Sound Stones is also a marvel to behold. Apart from admiring the exquisite architecture of the various halls and tracing the grand scenes of ancient imperial heaven worship, the ingenious designs such as the Echo Wall and the Three Sound Stones also evoke admiration for the ancients’ wisdom.
On the stone path from the front of the Imperial Ceiling of Heaven to the main gate, there are three stone slabs from north to south called the Three Sound Stones. With the doors and windows of the Imperial Ceiling of Heaven closed and no obstacles nearby, clapping on the first stone slab results in one echo; on the second, two echoes; and on the third, three echoes.
For those who wish to understand the culture of heaven worship, a simple visit might not provide a concrete concept of the ancient imperial heaven worship ceremonies. Fortunately, the Heaven Worship Ceremony Museum, located in the western side hall of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, details the evolution of Chinese heaven worship ceremonies, with a focus on the Qing Dynasty’s grand ceremonies, including various ritual vessels and procedures. The ‘Qing Qianlong Thirteen Years Grand Procession Map’ is particularly fascinating and not to be missed.
The Heaven Worship Music and Dance Museum, located in the eastern side hall of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, uses actual instruments from the Qing Dynasty’s Zhonghe Shaoyue, such as chime bells and stone chimes, combined with text and images, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the history, music and dance system, management institutions, and the performance scenes during the Grain Prayer Ceremony.The Temple of Heaven is open from April 1st to October 31st from 06:00 to 22:00, and from November 1st to March 31st from 06:30 to 22:00.
Favorable policies:
– Free entry for visitors holding a valid ‘Beijing Tong – Elderly and Disabled Assistance Card’.
– Senior citizens aged 60 and above with a valid ID.
– Retired personnel with a valid retirement certificate.
– Children under 18 years old with valid identification.
– Disabled persons with a disability certificate.
– Military personnel, firefighters, and recipients of social security benefits enjoy free or discounted entry.
– Certain groups of youth from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan also receive discounted entry.
– Visitors holding a Taiwan Compatriot Certificate with an issuance number of ’01’ can enjoy a free first-entry policy to the Temple of Heaven Park (excluding separately charged scenic spots within the park, and not applicable to joint tickets or package tickets).
Free service facilities:
– Stroller rental: Reference price: Free with ID card. A deposit needs to be paid on site. Address: Tourist Service Center.
– Toilets: There are toilets in the scenic area, distributed in many places in the park.
– Mother and baby room: Address: The Temple of Heaven has an independent mother and baby room.
