I don't know why I am so fascinated by this place. Perhaps because it's used to be so restricted that only the Imperial family and his highest ranking officials can walk the grounds of this temple? As the name suggests, this is the place where the Emperor worships the gods for good harvests in the ancient days.
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| Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) |
I was reminded of the story of "the partying monks who were a donkey and a cow in their previous lives" when I entered the barriers of the temple park. The park is populated by locals who were practicing their calligraphy, playing cards, Chinese chess, knitting, etc. It's almost like a market.
The most important structures are the
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿), the
Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇)
& the Echo Wall (回音璧), and the
Altar to Heaven (圜丘). The bundled ticket is recommended and students get a discount when the student ID is presented. The parameters of the temple is huge so make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes when visiting this place.
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Even with the Beijing smog, I still recommend heavy sunblock, a hat,
and an umbrella when you visit the Temple of Heaven. |
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| The temple is heavily decorated. |
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| Next to the 祈年殿 is the 皇乾殿 |
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皇乾殿 is where they worship the reigning Emperor
and the ancestral tablets of the previous Emperors. |
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This door is especially built to allow the elderly aristocrats to worship
as everyone has to walk inside the temple ground |
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| the nine statues on the roof signifies this is a temple of the Emperor grade |
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The iron casts for burnt offering
They are everywhere in the park |
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The "firewood stove". For cow offerings.
It is ironic that people need to offer a "life" to the gods.
At least they are not offering a human... |
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This place is freaking huge...
I later found out it's 6 times bigger than the Forbidden City.
seriously!?!? |
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love tantrums throwing kids!
so funny! |
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a list of things that are not "allowed" in the park
we all know what happens when there is a sign that tells you what you can't do... |
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was tempted to buy this (only RMB20)
but I don't have the time to put it together and I don't have a place to put it... |
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| Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇) |
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| There were too many people so the Echo Wall malfunctioned. |
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| tell me why there are so many people!!! |
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| a masterpiece |
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| the Altar to Heaven (圜丘) |
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Everyone was fighting to stand on that stone in the middle
It's no regular stone, it's the Heavenly Centre Stone... |
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South Gate
Because we came by the subway (East Gate),
we had to walk back to the East Gate... T_T |
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| We took a different route to go back to the East Gate and it was very nice! |
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| Pine forest within the temple grounds... so lush! |
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