The Forbidden City has to step aside! Starry sky caisson ceiling, look up and see a millennium-old galaxy

In the Xiannongtan Temple next to the Forbidden City,
there is a "Chinese-style romance" more stunning than the Forbidden City itself.
Look up to see the Ming Dynasty celestial caisson with 1,427 golden stars,
the "Jade Tower and Jade Palace" described by Su Shi,
finally taking on a concrete form here!

1️⃣ Celestial Caisson (Center of the Taisui Hall)
A six-layer pavilion carved from golden Phoebe wood hangs overhead,
1,427 golden stars arranged according to the Tang Dynasty star chart,
even the Four Heavenly Kings statues "support" the jade tower with one hand,
surrounded by immortals and colorful clouds.
The moment you look up,
it feels like stepping into the heavenly court imagined by the ancients!

2️⃣ Coiling Dragon Caisson (Must-photograph in the Worship Hall)
The nation’s only "single-wood dragon caisson"!
A whole piece of golden Phoebe wood carved with a five-clawed golden dragon diving down,
the auspicious cloud patterns have not faded after thousands of years,
sunlight streams through the window lattice onto the dragon’s body,
even the scales seem to be glowing.

🚶‍♂️Efficient route to check all highlights

Tested to save the most time:

1. Divine Kitchen Courtyard:
Head here first upon entry!
Get a limited edition caisson fridge magnet
(600 per day, faster with Alipay advance reservation)
Also see the "black technology" of the ancient royal kitchen.

2. Worship Hall:
The best angle to photograph the coiling dragon caisson is in the middle of the hall,
tilt your phone up to capture the golden dragon and the entire roof panorama.

3. Taisui Hall:
Kneel on the cushion to photograph the celestial caisson (provided inside the hall),
using a wide-angle lens can capture the stunning feeling of "people under the galaxy."

4. Viewing Farming Terrace:
Stand at the emperor’s personal farming "center spot,"
you can see the Temple of Heaven’s Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the distance,
the new and old ancient buildings framed together create a great sense of layering.

Free in-depth tours:
New weekend sessions added in 2025!
Four sessions daily (10:00/11:00/14:00/15:00)
Follow the guide
to learn the secret of the caisson’s "earthquake resistance and load-bearing,"
10 times more interesting than wandering on your own.

Avoid pitfalls:
First 200 people on Wednesdays are free,
but you must reserve a spot one day in advance on the "Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum" WeChat official account.
Tickets released promptly at 9 AM, don’t be slow!

Address:
No. 21 Dongjing Road, Xicheng District, Beijing (inside Xiannongtan Temple)

Transportation:
Exit D of Tianqiao Station on Metro Line 8,
5-minute walk to the site.
Drive and navigate to "Xiannongtan Parking Lot,"
10 RMB/hour.

Hours:
9:00-17:00
(Last entry at 16:30, closed Mondays except public holidays)

Tickets:
Adults 15 RMB
Students 8 RMB
First 200 people free on Wednesdays (reservation required)

The moment standing under the celestial caisson and looking up,
you finally understand what "Chinese-style romance" means.
No fancy lights,
but with 1,427 golden stars and golden Phoebe wood,
the ancients’ imagination of the universe is carved into the architecture.