North China

Beijing Temple of Heaven

Beijing Temple of Heaven

     In the south-east of the Forbidden City, covers an area of 273 hectares. 4 times larger than the Forbidden City, is the Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors in the winter solstice to sacrifice the emperor God and the first moon on the Xin-Day prayer valley ceremony place. The layout of the Temple of Heaven is "back" glyph, divided into two parts of the inner altar and the outer altar by the two altar walls. The total length of the outer altar wall is 6416 meters, and the total length of the outer altar wall is 3292 meters. The southernmost wall is square, symbolic, the northernmost wall is semi-circular, symbolizing the sky, the north high south low, which not only means the sky low, but also means "the sky round place." The main buildings of the Temple of Heaven are concentrated at the north and south ends of the axis of the inner altar, which is connected by a wide Danji Bridge, from south to north, such as the Temple of the Emperor, the Emperor's Dome, the Temple of Prayer and the Emperor's Temple, and other buildings and monuments such as the God's Kitchen, Eid al-Adha pavilion and Jai Palace. Clever design, color harmony, architectural lying.