The Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven was constructed between 1406 and 1420, during the period of which Ming Emperor Yongle reigned. During the same period of time, the Forbidden City was also created. The Temple of Heaven (called “Tiantan” in Chinese) was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for good harvests.

The Temple of Heaven was originally established as the Temple of Heaven and Earth. During the reign of Ming Emperor Jiajing, it gained its current name. Emperor Jiajing 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 respectively. The Temple of Heaven was renovated again during the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795). In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site. In early 2005, the government allocated 47 million yuan (6 million USD) for its renovation ompleted on May 1st, 2006.

Based on its ancient cosmological theory, the Temple of Heaven can help to reinforce the legitimacy of the emperor's role as the head of a feudal system with a mandate from Heaven. In showing respect to Heaven through prayer and sacrifices, the emperor effectively empty. The Temple of Heaven has been changed into a park attracting both tourists and residents. In 1912, the park was first open to the public. Previously, commoners have been banned from watching the emperor's procession passing through the city to Tiantan, letting alone permitted to visit the Temple of Heaven themselves. The Temple of Heaven is a very large park, more than twice the size of the Forbidden City. Since this was the space representing Heaven on Earth, it needed to be bigger than the Forbidden City. It is about 2 kilometers from north to south. The inner walled area housing the main structures covers 2.75 million square meters. Indeed, it is the largest group of constructions for worship in the world.

The Temple of Heaven is a delightful and exquisite place to visit. Arriving in the early morning, travelers can enjoy the performance of Tai Chi experts. The park is lively all day and even in the evening, it is with kite flyers, musicians, singers, dancers and games players (from badminton to Chinese chess).