The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is located in the Chongwen District of Beijing. Its main structure, Qinian Dian (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests), was first erected in 1420. With its auxiliary buildings and surrounding gardens, the whole complex occupies 273 acres of land.
The Temple of Heave was an imperial altar where Chinese emperors offered sacrifice to the Heaven and prayed for good fortune for the dynasty and its people, especially for good harvests, which was of paramount importance for an agriculture-based country. A grand ceremony would be staged on a fixed day in the first month of the lunar year, to ask for the blessing of the divine. Another ceremony would be held after autumn harvest, in which the emperor would thank the divine for the good fortune bestowed on China. In between these two major ceremonies, there was also an imperial service at the Temple of Heaven, held in the fourth month of the lunar year, the specific purpose of which was to pray for good weather, especially right amount rainfall for the growth of crops.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is situated at the center of the Temple of Heaven complex. It is round in shape, reflecting the traditional Chinese belief that Heaven is circular whereas earth is square (hence traditional Chinese phrases such as ¡°all under Heaven¡± or ¡°within the Four Seas¡± for the notion of ¡°whole world¡±). The prayer hall, measuring 114 feet in height, is supported by four major columns, which stand for the seasons in a year; there are then two loops of twelve secondary columns each, which respectively symbolize twelve months and twelve hours (the Chinese used to divide a day into 12, instead of 24, hours).
In addition to the Temple of Heaven, China¡¯s imperial dynasties also maintained other sanctuaries in Beijing ¨C the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Moon, and the Temple of Earth, which are respectively located in the east, west and north of Beijing. None of these shrines, however, rivaled the Temple of Heaven in importance.
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