Antique Chinese Carpets
Temple of Heaven Beijing, China
The magnificent and colorful Temple of Heaven (TianTan) was where
emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices to
heaven and pray for good harvests. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
Introduction to the Temple of Heaven The Temple of Heaven was
constructed between 1406 and 1420 during the reign of Ming Emperor
YongLe (1403-1424), who also oversaw the creation of the Forbidden
City during the same period. The Temple of Heaven was originally
established as the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but was given its
current name during the reign of Ming Emperor JiaJing (1522-1567),
who built separate complexes for the earth, sun and moon. The
Temple of Earth (DiTan) can be found in north Beijing. The temples
of the sun and moon are in the east and west of Beijing. The Temple
of Heaven was renovated again during the reign of Qing Emperor
QianLong (1736-1795). In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was added
to the UNESCO World Heritage List. In early 2005, the Temple of
Heaven underwent a 47 million yuan (6 million USD) renovation
that was completed on May 1st, 2006. Architecture and Layout of
the Temple of Heaven The architecture and layout of the Temple
of Heaven is based on elaborate symbolism and numerology.
In accordance with principles dating back to pre-Confucian times,
the buildings in the Temple of Heaven are round, like Heaven (one
can imagine the sky as like a rounded dome), while the foundations
and axes of the complex are square (or 2 dimensional - that is,
flat), like the earth (appears to be). Thus, the buildings and
their settings reflect ancient Chinese religious beliefs that
imagine heaven as round and earth as square. The main buildings
in the Temple of Heaven are constructed on a central north-south
axis. The altar and temple are round and sit within square shaped
areas. Similarly, the northern part of the park is semicircular
in shape while the southern part is square. The two parts are
divided by a wall that has a semi-circular obtrusion in the middle
around the Imperial Vault. This echos the shape of the park as
a whole. Similarly, the roofs of the important structures in the
Temple of Heaven are tiled in blue, the color symbolizing heaven
and sky (just as golden yellow symbolizes the emperor and green
Buddhism). The symbolism at the Temple of Heaven was necessary
because it served as the place where the emperor, as the 'Son
of Heaven', directly beseeched Heaven to provide a bountiful harvest
throughout the land. This was of great importance because during
the imperial period agriculture was the foundation of China's
wealth. The Temple of Heaven, with its ancient cosmological basis,
in turn helped to reinforce the legitemacy of the emperor's role
as head of a feudal system with a mandate from Heaven. In showing
respect to Heaven through prayer and sacrifices, the emperor effectively
emphasized the source of his authority. Map of the Temple of Heaven
The Three Main Structures of the Temple of Heaven Three principle
structures lie along the primary north-south axis of the Temple
of Heaven complex. The Altar of Heaven (YuanQiuTan) The Altar
of Heaven from above. At the southern end is the Altar of Heaven,
an empty three-tiered plinth that rises 5 meters from a square
yard. Constructed in 1530 and rebuilt in 1740, it is made of white
marble. The altar was used to worship heaven at the winter solstice.
The Altar of Heaven. The number of stones in the various tiers
are all multiples of three and/or nine - a prevailing numerological
theme at the Temple of Heaven. The number nine, being the highest
value digit, symbolically represented the emperor. On top of the
Altar of Heaven. The first ring of consists of 9 stones, the 'magical'
highest value digit. Then 18, 27 etc. The Echo Wall and the Imperial
Vault of Heaven (HuangQiongYu) In the center of the north-south
axis of the Temple of Heaven are the Echo Wall and the Imperial
Vault of Heaven. The Echo Wall. The Echo Wall surrounds the Imperial
Vault. It has a height of 3.7 meters and a circumference of 193
meters. It is named for its acoustical properties - a whisper
spoken at one end can be heard clearly from the other. The Triple
Echo Stones in the courtyard return various numbers of echos depending
on which stone one stands on while facing the Imperial Vault.
The Imperial Vault of Heaven. The Imperial Vault of Heaven sits
in the center. It is a round building with a roof that resembles
the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, though smaller and with
only one gable of eaves and a single tier marble base. The back
half of the building is constructed with bricks. In the past,
the vault contained memorial tablets of the emperor's ancestors.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (QinianDian) At the north
end of the Temple of Heaven is the majestic Hall of Prayer for
Good Harvests, an impressive three-tiered wooden structure that
sits on a large, three-tiered marble plinth, 6 meters high. Although
initially constructed in 1420, it burned down in 1889 and was
rebuilt soon after. The hall itself is 38 meters high (32 meters
from the plinth). Remarkably, not a single nail was used in its
construction - a feat that required a high level of craftmanship.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Inside the Hall are 28 tall
pillars, each made from a single tree trunk. The four posts around
the inner circle represent the four seasons. The 12 posts around
the middle circle represent the 12 months. The 12 posts of the
outer circle represent 12 ShiChen. In ancient China, one ShiChen
equalled two hours so that a complete day was divided into 12
ShiChens. The interior of the hall is magnificently decorated
and contains a large south facing ceremonial throne. One approaches
the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests along a 360 meter raised
walkway : 'Vermillion Steps Bridge' (DanbiQiao). In doing so,
one ascends almost imperceptibly, denoting progression from Earth
to Heaven. The path is 1 meter high at the start and 4 meters
high at the end. It is called a bridge because at one point there
in a tunnel under it. The walkway is almost 30 meters wide and
has three distinct paths marked out. The central path was reserved
for the gods. The path on the left was reserved for the emperor
while the path on the right was used by the empress and court
officials. The walkway is flanked by centuries-old cypress trees.
Approaching the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Historical Role
of the Temple of Heaven A bi-annual procession consisting of thousands
of eunuchs and ministers, plus the emperor (the Son of Heaven),
would make its way from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven.
Ordinary citizens were not allowed to watch, or even see, the
procession. Among the gods worshiped at the Temple of Heaven originally
were the god of earth, the god of water, the god of agriculture
(who has his own hall - the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests),
the god of the military, the god of religion and the god of civilians.
At the Temple of Heaven, the emperor would perform sacrifices
and other rituals. First, the emperor would fast in the Hall of
Abstinance for several days. Offering sacrifices was a serious
task - the entire empire relied on the emperor for good fortune
and abundant harvests so he had quite a responsibility. News of
the ceremony was then disseminated throughout China. Flower display
near the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The Temple of Heaven
Today The Temple of Heaven has been converted into a park that
is popular both with tourists and residents alike. The park was
first opened to the public in 1912 and commoners who had previously
been banned from even watching the emperor's procession pass through
the city to Tiantan, were now permitted to visit the Temple of
Heaven themselves. Part of the extensive and beautiful grounds.
The Temple of Heaven is a very large park, more than twice the
size of the Forbidden City. As this was to be the space representing
Heaven on Earth, symbolically it needed to be bigger than the
Forbidden City. It is about 2 kilometers from north to south.
The inner walled area that houses the main structures covers 275
Hectares (2.75 million square meters). Indeed, it is the largest
group of constructions for worship in the world.
