If Tiantan's significance were to be summarized in one sentence, it would be that it is a cultural symbol of Beijing and, along with the Forbidden City and Tiananmen, one of the most representative architectural structures of China. Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties conducted rituals here to worship heaven and pray for abundant harvests. It embodies the Chinese concept of nature and the universe that has been transmitted for 5,000 years. It is one of the architectural complexes in Chinese history with the highest artistic quality and strongest ideological content. It is a carrier of the ancient Chinese philosophy of heaven and earth and a concentrated expression of the ancient Chinese idea of "harmony between man and nature" and the scientific concept of construction, making the ancient Tiantan a cultural symbol of China.
History of Tiantan
Tiantan was first built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420), simultaneously with the Forbidden City. Originally named the "Temple of Heaven and Earth," it was a place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped heaven and earth and prayed for abundant harvests. During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing's imperial sacrificial buildings were collectively known as the "Nine Altars and Eight Temples." When Tiantan was first built, it included the Great Sacrifice Hall (later renamed the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests), which was used for sacrificing to heaven and earth. In the ninth year of Jiajing (1530), Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty implemented a system of separate sacrifices to heaven and earth, converting the Great Sacrifice Hall into the Great Hall of Sacrifice and dedicating it solely to sacrificing to heaven, while constructing another altar, the Circular Mound Altar, to the south for sacrificing to heaven. Tiantan, built in the later feudal society, is the most representative work among China's numerous sacrificial buildings and the largest existing imperial building for sacrificing to heaven.
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: The core building of Tiantan, it was the place where emperors prayed for good harvests. With a triple-eaves cuspidal roof structure and a roof covered with blue glazed tiles, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has undergone four versions, and the one we see today was rebuilt in the fifteenth year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1889), making it the newest of the Ming and Qing buildings in Tiantan that have been preserved to this day. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a building that embodies time the best. Its circular shape represents both the beginning and the end. It ingeniously incorporates elements such as the solar terms and monthly orders that guide agricultural production into its design, symbolizing the continuous flow of time.
Circular Mound Altar: The Circular Mound Altar is a magnificent construction, with its main building, the Circular Mound, located to the south of the original Temple of Heaven and Earth. It is a three-tiered circular platform facing south, with exits on all four sides, each with nine steps. The surrounding railings and columns are made of blue glazed porcelain. To the north of the Circular Mound is the Tai Shen Temple (later renamed the Hall of Heavenly Vault), which was used for enshrining the tablets of the Heavenly God and the ancestors of the emperor. During this period, the layout of Tiantan's buildings became more reasonable, and the rituals for sacrificing to heaven became more solemn and grand.
Echo Wall: Another acoustical masterpiece in the buildings of Tiantan is the Echo Wall, located in the courtyard of the Hall of Heavenly Vault. The Echo Wall in Tiantan is 3.72 meters high, 0.9 meters thick, and has a diameter of 65.2 meters. The wall is built with bricks that are smoothly fitted together, with blue glazed tiles covering the top, and the surface is very smooth and orderly. The sound echoes wonderfully on the circular wall, and when standing at a specific location and clapping or speaking, the sound can reverberate between the walls.
Hall of Heavenly Vault: The Hall of Heavenly Vault is where the tablets of the Heavenly God and the emperor's eight generations of ancestors are placed. Built in the ninth year of Emperor Jiajing's reign in the Ming Dynasty, it is the main hall of the Circular Mound Altar and is used for enshrining the tablets of gods during ordinary times and the great sacrifice ceremonies. It was renamed the "Hall of Heavenly Vault" in the seventeenth year of Emperor Jiajing's reign and was rebuilt into its current form in the seventeenth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty. The Hall of Heavenly Vault is 19.5 meters high and 15.6 meters in diameter, with a wooden arch structure. The dome inside the hall has a centrally located gold-plated dragon well, gold-plated double-dragon ceilings, gold-plated lotus-twined columns, and internal and external gold dragon and seal color paintings. The flowering藻井 inside the hall is a gold dragon well with a greenish hue, and the center features a large gold dragon pattern, making it a masterpiece of ancient architecture.
Danbi Bridge: Connecting the two core buildings of the Circular Mound and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Danbi Bridge gradually rises from north to south, resembling a journey to purify the soul before ascending to heaven.
Basic Information
Opening Hours:
Peak Season (April 1st - October 31st): The park opens at 6:00 and closes at 22:00 (last entry at 21:00).
Off-Peak Season (November 1st - March 31st): The park opens at 6:30 and closes at 22:00 (last entry at 21:00).
Location:
Address: No. 1 Tiantan Road A, Dongcheng District, Beijing (or No. 7 Tiantannei Dongli).
★Ticket Information
Ticket Prices: Adult Ticket: 15 yuan (including the main entrance ticket)
Combined Ticket (main entrance ticket + Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests + Echo Wall + Circular Mound): 35 yuan
Recommended Touring Routes:
1.Classic Route:
Entering from the East Gate: Seven-Star Stone → Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests → Danbi Bridge → Hall of Heavenly Vault → Echo Wall → Circular Mound → Exiting from the South Gate
Or visit in the opposite direction, entering from the South Gate and visiting the Circular Mound, Echo Wall, Hall of Heavenly Vault, Danbi Bridge, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in sequence, and finally exiting from the East Gate.
2.Half-Day Route:
Entering from the West Gate: Double-Ring Longevity Pavilion →斋宫 (Zhai Palace) → Circular Mound → Echo Wall → Hall of Heavenly Vault → Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests → Seven-Star Stone → Exiting from the East Gate
Experiences and Activities
1.Hanfu Experience: At the Hanfu Experience Hall in Tiantan, visitors can experience wearing Hanfu and makeup, feeling the charm of ancient culture.
2.Heavenly Sacrifice Music and Dance Performance: Located in the Heavenly Sacrifice Music and Dance Hall in the east annexe of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the exhibition introduces the historical evolution and performance scenes of the Neutral and Harmonious Music of the Qing Dynasty through musical instruments such as chimes and stone chimes, combined with text and images.
Best Time to Visit:
Tiantan has distinctive scenery in all four seasons, but spring and autumn are the best times to visit, with pleasant weather and beautiful scenery.
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