Temple of Heaven Park - Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest

After the Circular Mound, you will enter the core scenic spot of the Temple of Heaven, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. This Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the symbol of Chinese tourism.

The Temple of Heaven is for worshipping the heavens, while the Temple of Earth is for worshipping the earth, so most of the buildings in the Temple of Heaven are circular, as the sky is round and the earth is square. The traditional circular building of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is really beautiful, but you are not allowed to visit it inside, and can only visit it from outside through the railings. However, there are guides every once in a while, and the introduction is very detailed.

For friends who are visiting the Temple of Heaven for the first time, it is recommended to buy a combined ticket (including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound). The attractions in the combined ticket are all on the central axis. Generally, you enter from the South Gate, and the order of visiting is the Circular Mound-Echo Wall-Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and then the Seven-Star Stone (near the East Gate, free). However, I entered from the West Gate this time, and there is also a place to eat vegetarian food here. The buildings here are very magnificent, especially the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, which is so beautiful and worth seeing. There is also the Circular Mound. From my childhood memory, the emperors in TV dramas all offered sacrifices to the heavens here. The Echo Wall doesn't echo much now, and it is all fenced off. Many children shouted at the Echo Wall trying to get an echo. In short, it is worth a look here, and every place and every corner is a great place to take pictures. Thumbs up 👍🏻

The Temple of Heaven is located in the southern part of Beijing, on the east side of Yongdingmennei Street in Dongcheng District. It covers an area of ​​about 2.73 million square meters. The Temple of Heaven was first built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420), and was rebuilt during the reigns of Emperors Qianlong and Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty. It was a place for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship the emperor of heaven and pray for a good harvest. The Temple of Heaven is the general name for the Circular Mound Altar and the Prayer Hall Altar. There are two altar walls, forming the inner and outer altars. The altar walls are round in the south and round in the north, symbolizing the roundness of the sky and the squareness of the earth. The main buildings are in the inner altar, with the Circular Mound Altar in the south and the Prayer Hall Altar in the north. The two altars are on the same north-south axis, separated by a wall in the middle. The main buildings in the Circular Mound Altar are the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, etc. The main buildings in the Prayer Hall Altar are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Hall, the Gate of Prayer for Good Harvests, etc.

Going further, along the long corridor, you can enter the "Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests". In addition to the 10 yuan entrance ticket, if you want to visit the "Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests", "Echo Wall" and "Circular Mound", you need to pay 20 yuan, and the combined ticket is 28 yuan.

Today is an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, and there are not many tourists. Especially since I entered here, I ran directly to the north of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, that is, behind it, and there were few tourists, so it was quiet.

On the steps behind the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, many old carvings (red wall stone carvings) have been protected by glass covers.

I don't know, understand, or have any interest in the unique architectural features of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Anyway, it must be a work of exquisite craftsmanship, right? It must be a good thing, and the craftsmanship must be correct. If you cut corners in a place built for the emperor, you will lose your head!

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is located in the north of the Temple of Heaven. It was formerly known as the Great Hall of Prayer. It was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). In the 24th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1545), it was rebuilt into a three-story round hall named "Daxiang Hall". After renovation in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1751), it was renamed "Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests". It was destroyed by thunder and fire in the 15th year of the Guangxu reign (1889) and was rebuilt in its original form several years later. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a circular building with a diameter of 32.72 meters. It has a gilded top, blue tiles, a three-story eaves, and a pointed roof. The total height is 38 meters. There are 28 large golden nanmu pillars in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The four pillars in the inner circle represent the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The 12 pillars in the middle circle represent the twelve months. The 12 pillars in the outermost circle represent the twelve hours and the constellations in the sky.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the Temple of Heaven is finally open to senior citizens with a free card. Go and see it again, and try to revisit the feeling of being able to enter and exit the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests for free. Unfortunately, the door of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is blocked by an iron fence, so you can't go in and see the main hall and the exquisite caisson. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the center of the Temple of Heaven and the dragon head of the Danbi Bridge. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is also a symbol of Beijing.

The Temple of Heaven is a must-see in the city. The architectural structure is world-class and is one of the representative features of ancient Chinese architecture.

As the landmark of the Temple of Heaven, it is a must-see.

It has the momentum of rising from the ground and supporting the sky, magnificent and grand.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is also a place where it is easy to take photos, and you can get good photos when there are few people.

It is quite suitable for taking large panoramic views, and the pictures are very atmospheric.

The Temple of Heaven Park is very large. When I was a child, I always thought that the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was the Temple of Heaven, but in fact it is only a part of it.

After checking the ticket, I entered the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The red walls of the building, coupled with the white snow, are like Beijing in the snow. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a must-see landmark in every promotional video of the Temple of Heaven. There are many birds flying over the hall. ~ When I was about to leave the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, I saw the staff of the Temple of Heaven laying linen on the stairs to prevent slipping.

There weren't many people on the side, much better than from the front, so my husband and I posed here.

When taking photos, you don't have to focus on the "Qinian Hall" sign in front. You can be amazed by the ancient people's technology. It's OK to take photos from anywhere. Generally, there are more tourists in the front, so you can take photos from the left or right back.

The Temple of Heaven Park has four gates: east, south, west and north. The east gate is very close to the subway, the south gate is the main gate, the north gate is the back gate and is near the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and the west gate is the farthest from the Circular Mound, but I personally think it is the most beautiful and comfortable way, where you can feel the green trees and the breeze blowing on your face.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is what I usually see in promotional brochures. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is indeed very grand. Speaking of this, I have to admire the wisdom of the ancients and my erudite Baidu ability.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the main building of the Temple of Heaven. It has an exquisite structure, is gorgeous and luxurious, and the hall is very magnificent.

The Temple of Heaven opens at 6am, but the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has to wait until 8am. In order to take a picture of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests without anyone around, I arrived at the Temple of Heaven at 6am. I have to sigh here that the grandparents who took a morning walk got up really early... So yes, if you want to take a picture of the Temple of Heaven without anyone around, please wait at the door at least at 7am (I did it at 6am) and quietly watch the first ray of sunlight sprinkle on the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. I waited outside the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests for two hours in the cold. Finally, when the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests opened and the golden Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests appeared before my eyes, I knew that I had seen the most beautiful Temple of Heaven. The shock was indescribable.

The most magnificent single building I have ever seen. I have known the Temple of Heaven since I was a child, and I was very excited when I finally saw it. The white jade platform, with a blue tile roof, stands tall, trying to communicate with the sky. The caisson of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is even more magnificent, and the most shocking thing inside is the big red pillars! The four central pillars are 19.2 meters high, representing the four seasons of the year, and the two outer rows have 12 pillars each, representing the twelve months and twelve hours. This is probably the tallest wooden pillar I have ever seen.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is located in the north of the Temple of Heaven. It was formerly known as the Great Hall of Prayer, and was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). In the 24th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1545), it was rebuilt into a three-story round hall named "Daxiang Hall". After renovation in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1751), it was renamed the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was destroyed by lightning and fire in the 15th year of the Guangxu reign (1889), and was rebuilt in its original form several years later.



The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a circular building with a diameter of 32.72 meters. It has a gilded roof, blue tiles, a three-tiered eaves and a pointed roof, which are gradually reduced in height. There are 28 large golden nanmu pillars in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The four pillars in the inner circle represent the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the 12 pillars in the middle circle represent the twelve months, and the 12 pillars in the outermost circle represent the twelve hours and the constellations in the sky.

The Temple of Heaven is a special altar for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to offer sacrifices to heaven, pray for rain and a good harvest. It is worth a visit.

The Temple of Heaven is a famous ancient building in China. It is a special altar for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to offer sacrifices to heaven, pray for rain and a good harvest. The altar is round in the north and square in the south, implying "the sky is round and the earth is square". The whole Temple of Heaven is divided into two parts: the inner altar and the outer altar.

The inner altar is divided into two parts, north and south, by the palace wall. The northern part is the "Qigu Altar", where the emperor held the prayer ceremony in spring. This is naturally the focus, so please take a detailed tour.

The southern part is the "Circular Mound Altar", an open-air three-story circular stone altar where the emperor offered sacrifices to the sky on the winter solstice. The main buildings include the Circular Mound, Imperial Vault of Heaven, etc., and one must walk to each of them in the scorching sun.

Connecting the two altars is a brick and stone platform 360 meters long, 28 meters wide and 2.5 meters high, called the "Shendao", also known as the "Hai'an Avenue" or the "Danbi Bridge", which symbolizes the long road to heaven.

In the Temple of Heaven, in addition to admiring the exquisite architecture of the various halls and tracing the grand scenes of the ancient emperors offering sacrifices to heaven, exploring the ingenious mysteries of the design of the Echo Wall, Three-Sound Stone and other attractions is also an interesting thing that you must try.

On the stone slab road from the front of the Imperial Vault of Heaven to the middle of the gate, there are three stone slabs from north to south called the Three Sound Stones. If you stand on the first stone slab and clap your hands, you can hear one echo; if you clap your hands on the second stone slab, you can hear two echoes; if you clap your hands on the third stone slab, you can hear three echoes. At this point, tourists will try it, but the effect does not seem to be that magical, because the premise is that the doors and windows of the Imperial Vault of Heaven are closed and there are no obstacles nearby. There are too many tourists and the noise is mixed, it is really hard to hear.

The Echo Wall is the wall of the Imperial Vault of Heaven. The wall is 3.72 meters high, 0.9 meters thick, 61.5 meters in diameter and 193.2 meters in circumference. The wall is made of polished bricks with seams, and the top of the wall is covered with blue glazed tiles. It is said that when people stand behind the east and west side halls and talk quietly close to the wall, although the distance between the two parties is very far, they can hear each other's voice very clearly. This is because the circle is very smooth and refracts sound waves. But this is even more impossible to try. First of all, the two of us are together when we travel together, and there was no mobile phone to contact each other at that time. Secondly, with so many tourists, how can we make them all shut up and let the two of you talk?

Besides, the most impressive thing about the Temple of Heaven is the color matching of the building. First of all, when I first arrived in Beijing, I saw the names of the ancient buildings, which were written in blue with gold. I immediately felt that it was a perfect match! The Temple of Heaven is the same, as well as the blue glazed tiles, the paintings in the hall, the ceiling patterns and the patterns on the columns, all of which are so bright and full of imperial spirit.

The most famous building in the Temple of Heaven, there were really a lot of people, especially at the front. I went in at an off-peak time, at 11:30, and there were still a lot of people. Fortunately, there were not too many people on the side, so I took a group photo at the side (there was no one there, unfortunately there was no plaque). It was impossible to take a photo from the front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, there were too many people and many cameras in front of you.

The chrysanthemum culture exhibition themed "Ancient Altar, Beijing Charm, Chrysanthemum Fragrance" held by the Temple of Heaven has opened. The park will set up six exhibition rooms for tourists to enjoy. The exhibition site is located in the southwest of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The solemn and magnificent Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is surrounded by lush ancient cypresses. Now with the presence of chrysanthemums, it looks even more ancient. There are 4 exhibition sheds in the exhibition, with the themes of "Ancient Altar Charm, Centennial Park, Sisters Celebrate Together, and Chrysanthemum Fragrance in the Prosperous World", which can be independent scenes or interrelated.

A must-visit place for taking photos. The Temple of Heaven is really very clean, with a beautiful environment, quiet and pleasant. It is a favorite place for grandpas and grandmas.

It can be said that this is my favorite and most distinctive Ming and Qing Dynasty building I have ever seen. It feels like a car designed fifty years ago. It is not at all outdated compared to the new cars now, and it is even more beautiful. This feeling is actually a great compliment to the building itself. In fact, not only the Chinese, but also foreign tourists are full of praise for this building.

The feeling I had when I first saw the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was the same as the feeling I had when I later visited the Chengqi Tower in Fujian Tulou, which was a shock and love from the bottom of my heart. Later, I went to the Temple of Heaven many times, and I might not visit other attractions, but the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a attraction I have to visit over and over again. The style of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is very beautiful and has a royal style and luxury.

In fact, before I saw the Temple of Heaven, I had seen too many photos of it. In the photos, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a heavy dark blue, with a dark blue plaque and a copper-gold frame, which always gave me a solemn and dignified impression. But when the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests really appeared in front of me, that amazing moment made me suddenly realize how thin the photo was, and that it could only show one percent of its temperament. I guess the LCD screen has no ability to show its indigo color at all. It seems to be picked up from mountains and oceans, light but not floating, fairy but not empty. It stands there like heaven on earth, and it is beautiful no matter how you take a picture, but you can't take a picture of how beautiful it is. Although there are far more buildings in the Temple of Heaven Park than the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and attractions such as the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound are also famous relics, it must be said that the shock and surprise brought by the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is really not easily comparable to other attractions.

I had always thought that the iconic temple was the Temple of Heaven, but it was actually called the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The first sight of this grand building under the blue sky and white clouds was indeed very shocking.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the iconic building of the Temple of Heaven. It has always been the place where the emperor prayed. Its most distinctive feature is the blue tiles matched with the red walls. As a designer, I personally like this color combination very much. You must have seen this building often on TV, hahaha!

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held spring prayer ceremonies. It is also the most famous core attraction of the Temple of Heaven, so there are a lot of tourists. When I took a travel photo for my wife and children, there were inevitably other tourists.

In fact, you are most likely to take photos of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests without tourists in the morning before the first group of tourists arrive or before the scenic spot closes.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests looks particularly majestic and solemn against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds. It is not easy to encounter such good weather in Beijing.

The most central palace has doors on all four sides, which is spectacular.

The most famous Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, one of the most popular check-in spots in Beijing

The Temple of Heaven is a special altar for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to offer sacrifices to heaven, pray for rain and a good harvest. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Circular Mound are really spectacular. It is a great place to take photos. Friends who have a SLR camera should really bring it.

Tip：

1. Here is a transportation suggestion for entering the Temple of Heaven. Although there is a subway that goes directly to the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven, considering the convenience of leaving the Temple of Heaven Park, it is recommended that you enter the park from the South Gate and exit from the East Gate.

There are too many people and it's too crowded. Very bad experience

When I first arrived, the main entrance of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was still crowded with people, but most people quickly took pictures and left without staying for long. I walked around the hall a few times. There were not many people at the back of the hall. The orange hue in the sky connected with the blue sky. The air here was a little away from the noise. Everything seemed solemn and serious. Silence was its original appearance.

I secretly thanked myself for arriving here in the evening, when the crowd had gradually dispersed. I took pictures of the empty scene and felt very satisfied.

The architectural structure of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is very unique, and it was built without a single nail.

The Temple of Heaven was first built in the 18th year of Emperor Yongle's reign in the Ming Dynasty (1420), and was rebuilt during the reigns of Emperors Qianlong and Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. It was the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to the gods and prayed for a good harvest. It is the largest building complex for offering sacrifices to the gods in the world. The most attractive part of the Temple of Heaven is of course the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound. In addition, the Temple of Heaven Park is relatively large, with dense ancient trees and a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, which is another major attraction.

There were so many people that I was more interested in people than scenery. Unfortunately, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was under maintenance when I went there. It still looked quite large and magnificent from the outside.

The most iconic building in the Temple of Heaven,

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, also known as the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, is the venue for the grand ceremony of praying for good harvests in the first month of spring. It was first built in 1420 and rebuilt into a three-story round hall named "Daxiang Hall" in the 24th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1545). It was renamed "Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests" after renovation in the 16th year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1751). However, it was destroyed by lightning and fire in the 15th year of Guangxu (1889) and was rebuilt as it was several years later.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the landmark of the Temple of Heaven. The altar is a circular building that combines the altar and the hall. It was built according to the ancient saying of "offering sacrifices to the emperor under the house". The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has a diameter of 32.72 meters, a gilded roof, a three-layered eaves with a pointed roof, and a total height of 38 meters. The four "Dragon Well Pillars" in the inner circle symbolize the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the twelve "golden pillars" in the middle circle symbolize the twelve months of the year; the twelve "eaves pillars" in the outer circle symbolize the twelve hours of the day; the twenty-four pillars in the middle and outer layers together symbolize the twenty-four solar terms of the year; the total of twenty-eight pillars in the three layers symbolize the twenty-eight constellations in the sky; plus the eight copper pillars on the top of the pillars, a total of thirty-six pillars, symbolizing the thirty-six celestial beings. In the middle of the floor of the hall is a round marble with natural dragon and phoenix patterns, which echoes the Panlong caisson on the top of the hall and the dragon and phoenix and seal patterns painted in gold around the perimeter. The Thunder God Pillar under the Six Treasures symbolizes the emperor's "unification of the world." The caisson in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is composed of two layers of brackets and one layer of ceiling, with a golden dragon and phoenix relief in the middle. The structure is exquisite and magnificent, and the whole hall is very magnificent. It has to be said that the Feng Shui of this location is very good. Why? Because there are many swallows flying around in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Don’t Chinese people believe that swallows can bring good luck to themselves? So I think the place that is favored by swallows must have good Feng Shui.

I particularly like the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, which has a dignified and elegant architectural style. The blue glazed tiles are unique in the capital city, which is dominated by yellow glazed tiles. The layout of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests contains profound meanings, and I admire the wisdom of the ancients.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the main building of the Temple of Heaven, also known as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties prayed for good harvests in the first month of spring. It is the most familiar building in the Temple of Heaven.

In the Temple of Heaven Park, there will be sacrificial performances in the first month of the year.

A very beautiful scenic spot. If you can see blue sky and white clouds (don't be fooled, there are still many days with clear blue sky in Beijing), the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests will be able to show its charm to the fullest. Don't miss it!

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the most representative building in the Temple of Heaven. It represents the Temple of Heaven and also represents the Temple of Heaven in our hearts (free explanations are available, perfect!)

Although it was a little cloudy, it did not affect his momentum or his status at all.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the main building of the Temple of Heaven. It is also known as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties prayed for good harvests in the first month of spring. It is a three-story, double-eaved circular hall with a gilded top, blue tiles and red pillars, and magnificent paintings. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests adopts the structure of an upper hall and a lower house. The main hall is built on a three-story white marble round platform surrounded by a 6-meter-high white stone carved railing, which is the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests. It has a momentum of rising from the ground and supporting the sky, and is magnificent. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a brick and wood structure. The hall is 38 meters high and 32 meters in diameter. The three-story double-eaved eaves shrink upward layer by layer like an umbrella. The building is unique, without beams, long purlins or iron nails. Twenty-eight giant nanmu pillars are arranged around it to support the weight of the roof of the hall. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was designed in accordance with the idea of ​​"respecting heaven and worshiping gods". The hall is round, symbolizing the roundness of the sky; the tiles are blue, symbolizing the blue sky.

The off-season also has its advantages. It is rare to be able to take photos with so few tourists.

There are many tourists outside the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and there is a young lady giving explanations every 20 minutes. You may want to stop and listen.

The quiet and cool blue, the circular building from the “round sky and square earth”. It is a place closer to the gods in heaven.

In fact, there is a lot of information about the architecture of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the ancient priests. If you are interested, you can see very detailed information in the side hall.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is located in the north of the Temple of Heaven. It was formerly known as the Great Hall of Prayer, and was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). In the 24th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1545), it was rebuilt into a three-story round hall named "Daxiang Hall". After renovation in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1751), it was renamed the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was destroyed by lightning and fire in the 15th year of the Guangxu reign (1889), and was rebuilt in its original form several years later.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a circular building with a diameter of 32.72 meters. It has a gilded roof, blue tiles, a three-tiered eaves and a pointed roof, which are gradually reduced in height. There are 28 large golden nanmu pillars in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The four pillars in the inner circle represent the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the 12 pillars in the middle circle represent the twelve months, and the 12 pillars in the outermost circle represent the twelve hours and the constellations in the sky.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the landmark building of the Temple of Heaven, is extremely majestic and exquisite against the backdrop of the blue sky.

The place where the emperor worshipped is also one of the must-see attractions in Beijing.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests! Pray for peace and prosperity for the nation and the people! World peace!

The iconic building, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, will have explanations every 20 minutes.

I also saw birds building nests on the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It seems the feng shui is really good.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is built on a three-story white marble platform. The white marble railings are so cold that they don’t even warm up in the sun.

The Temple of Heaven - originally a holy place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed for good harvests, is the largest existing complex of buildings for offering sacrifices to heaven in the world.

As a place for offering sacrifices to heaven in ancient China and a symbol of modern China, it is worth a visit. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests will have regular live explanations.

To the north of the Imperial Vault of Heaven, past Chengzhen Gate, is the Altar of Praying for Good Harvests, where the grand ceremony of praying for good harvests in the first month of spring is held. After entering the gate, there is a wide, high and straight road to the north that leads directly to the Altar of Praying for Good Harvests. The road is made of bricks and stone strips, and is more than 3 meters above the ground. It is called the Divine Road, also known as the Danbi Bridge. In the middle of the Divine Road, there is a rectangular platform protruding to the east, called the Jufu Platform, with carved stone railings on three sides. It is the place where the emperor washed and changed clothes during sacrifices. Every year when the prayer ceremony is held in the Hall of Praying for Good Harvests, a round tent is first set up on this platform, called the "Yueci", commonly known as the "Little Golden Hall", which is a movable house. The emperor went from the Zhai Palace to the Hall of Praying for Good Harvests to perform the ceremony, and first went to this "Little Golden Hall" to change his formal dress. When the emperor of the Ming Dynasty came here, he had to take off his shoes and then perform the ceremony in the Hall of Praying for Good Harvests. This means cleanliness and not bringing dust to the altar. After taking off the shoes, the Divine Road (i.e. the Danbi Bridge) passed by is a walkway covered with brown carpets. This wide corridor leads directly to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

Enter the Temple of Heaven from the south gate, go north along the central axis, pass the Circular Mound, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Danbi Bridge, and you will reach the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. This is my favorite building! I went to the Temple of Heaven three or four times for this reason. There are few people in this building and it is relatively quiet. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was designed according to the idea of ​​"respecting heaven and worshiping gods". The hall is round, symbolizing the roundness of the sky; the tiles are blue, symbolizing the blue sky. No beams or long purlins are used, only nanmu columns and rafters are connected to each other to support the roof. According to the first guide's introduction, the number of columns in the hall is also said to be built according to astronomical phenomena. The four "Longjing columns" in the inner circle symbolize spring, summer, autumn, and winter in the four seasons of the year; the twelve "golden columns" in the middle circle symbolize the twelve months of the year; the twelve "eaves columns" on the outer circle symbolize the twelve hours of the day. The twenty-four columns in the middle and outer layers together symbolize the twenty-four solar terms in a year. The three layers have a total of twenty-eight columns, symbolizing the twenty-eight constellations in the sky. Add the eight copper columns on the top of the columns, a total of thirty-six columns, symbolizing the thirty-six celestial beings. In the middle of the hall floor is a round marble with natural dragon and phoenix patterns, which echoes the dragon caisson on the top of the hall and the dragon and phoenix and seal patterns painted in gold around it. If I have the chance, I will definitely go there again!

We went to the north end first, passed through the Qinian Gate, and then we could see the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests.

When talking about the Temple of Heaven, what comes to everyone’s mind is the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests and its main hall, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a very rare circular building in ancient Chinese architecture. It is designed to correspond to the "round sky" in the "round sky and square earth". When you approach the hall, the most eye-catching thing is the four large gold-painted pillars, which are said to be made of precious golden sandalwood.

For a more detailed introduction and legendary stories about the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, you can listen to the free scheduled lectures every 20 minutes.

The landmark building of the Temple of Heaven contains many implications of agricultural civilization. It is worth seeing and even more worth understanding in depth.

Good weather and good harvest



The Temple of Heaven (only the Great Sacrifice Hall, i.e. the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests) was built together with the Forbidden City when Zhu Di built Beijing. At that time, sacrifices to heaven, earth, sun and moon were all performed in the Great Sacrifice Hall. "Great Sacrifice" means "all sacrifices", and this hall is rectangular.



During the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, the rectangular Great Sacrifice Hall was changed to a cylindrical shape with three-color glazed tiles and named "Daxiang Hall" according to the traditional appearance of "round sky and square earth" and "Mingtang". Blue represents the sky; yellow represents the emperor (some say it represents the earth); cyan represents the people or all things.



Later, a new "Circular Mound Altar" was built not far from it to worship the heaven. Three altars were built on the north, east and west sides of Beijing to worship the earth, sun and moon respectively. The Daxiang Hall was only a place to pray for good weather and good harvests in the first month of spring.



During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the colorful "three-color" roof of the hall was replaced with blue glazed tiles, symbolizing heaven. That is, what we see today. At the same time, its name was changed to "Qinian Hall", which has been used to this day.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is really nice. I went there in winter, but it was too cold. In order to take pictures of the sunset at the Temple of Heaven, I waited from noon until dark. I was so cold that I couldn't stand it. Fortunately, I took satisfactory photos.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests began its mission in the Ming Dynasty. At that time, the royal family held sacrificial activities at the Temple of Heaven twice a year, once in spring and once in winter. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the place for the spring festival. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is also known as the Hall without Beams, because the entire building does not use beams, long purlins or iron nails, but is completely supported and connected by 28 pillars and numerous beams, wooden beams, rafters, and bolts. The ancients were really amazing!

More amazing than I imagined!

The whole park is great. The Temple of Heaven Park itself is only 5 yuan, so there is indeed a reason for these separate halls to be charged separately. It is quite nice to take pictures.

雄偉的建築.使我不停的拍照留下痕跡

This is a must-see attraction for hundreds of millions of Chinese people when they come to Beijing. Although it is crowded, it is still worth seeing. Buying a 30-yuan pass directly is 5 yuan cheaper than buying them separately.

Went there in May 2017, the tickets were not expensive, and it was great overall

It is very majestic and magnificent. As soon as I entered, I was attracted by it, as if I was in ancient times.

I love the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests the most. It is so beautiful from every angle!!!

In many promotional videos, you can see shots of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the earliest building in the Temple of Heaven. It was once destroyed by lightning and fire, but was later rebuilt according to its original appearance.

You can see it soon after entering the Temple of Heaven. For the history, you can search on Baidu. I won’t go into details.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Corner Tower, and the Tower of Buddhist Incense are all absolutely perfect buildings in my eyes.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is located in the north of the Temple of Heaven. It is the main building of the Temple of Heaven. It is also called the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties prayed for good harvests in the first month of spring. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was designed in accordance with the idea of ​​"respecting heaven and worshiping gods". The hall is round, symbolizing the roundness of the sky; the tiles are blue, symbolizing the blue sky.

The Forbidden City is a must-see attraction when traveling to Beijing. It is a representative architectural complex of the ancient royal family. The yellow brick and tile palaces are breathtakingly beautiful.