architecture, circular mound altar, hall of prayer for good harvests, heavens will, temple of heaven

The Temple of Heaven: An Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

Since ancient times, the Chinese people greatly valued praying to gods for blessings and protection. Therefore, worshiping Heaven became a crucial and solemn national ceremony in ancient China. The Temple of Heaven was where the emperor worshiped Heaven and held a ritual to pray for good harvests. Heaven is one of the core concepts in ...

Helen London

Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China.

The Lost Secrets of Color in China

Different cultures assign different symbolic meanings to colors. While in the West, wearing black is considered ideal during mourning and funerals, in Eastern countries, white clothes are worn on such occasions. The Chinese have their own culture and view of color. Knowing them will come in handy if you ever visit China or attend Chinese ...

Armin Auctor

The Chinese imperial throne.

The Architecture of the Temple of Heaven and Its Meaning

The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, is a stately building that was used by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to make annual prayers to Heaven. The entire area is four times larger than the Forbidden City. Designed with the concept of ...

Helen London

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

Interesting Facts About the Temple of Heaven

Located in Beijing, the Temple of Heaven was where the ancient emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties came to hold heaven worshiping ceremonies. First built in the year 1420, it was rebuilt during the Qing period. The Temple of Heaven has inner and outer parts, with the main buildings located in the ...

Raven Montmorency

The Temple of Heaven.