LadiesandGentlemen:
WelcometothetempleofHeaven.(Afterself-introduction)preservedculturalheritagesofChina.Therearebasicallytwokindsofvisitorswhocomehere:localpensionerswhodoexerciseshereinthemorningandeveningandsightseersbothfromhomeandabroad.Allinall,thereare12millionvisitorsveryyear.Nowwearegoingtogoalongtheroutethatleadstothealter.Itwilltakeroughlyonehour.Mindyou,theemperoralsowalkedalongthisroutetopaytributetotheGodofHeaven.
(AlongtheSouthernSacredRoadleadingtotheCircularMoundAltar)
ThelargestgroupofarchitecturesevertobededicatedtoHeaven,theTempleofHeavenservedasanexclusivealtarforChinesemonarchsduringtheMingandQingdynasties.ItwasdecreedthatrulersofsuccessivedynastieswouldplacealtarsintheirowncapitalstoworshipHeavenandprayforgoodharvest.Butwhy?
TheancientChinesebelievedthatHeavenwasthesupremeruleroftheuniverseandthefateofmankind,andthusworshipingritesdedicatedtoHeavencameintobeing.
TheHeaventheancientChinesereferredtowasactuallytheUniverse,ornature.Inthosedays,therewerespecficritesofworship.ThiswasespeciallytrueduringtheMingandQingdynastieswhenelaborateceremonieswereheld.
TheTempleofHeavenwasbuiltin1420duringthereignofEmperorYoungleoftheMingDynasty.Situatedinthesouthernpartofthecity,thisgrandsetofstructurescoversanareaof273hectares.Tobettersymbolizeheavenandearth,thenorthernpartoftheTempleiscircularwhilethesouthernpartissquare.Thewholecompoundisenclosedbytwowalls,asquarewalloutsidearoundone.Theouterareaischaracterizedbysuburbanscenery,whiletheinnerpartisusedforsacrifices.TheinnerenclosureconsistsoftheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvestandtheCircularMoundAltar.
(AlongtheImperialPassageleadingfromtheSouthernLatticeStarGateinfrontoftheCircularMoundAltar)
theCircularMoundAltarisenclosedbytwowalls,eachcontainingfourgroupsofSouther
nLatticeStarGate,eachinturnconsistingofthreedoors,with24marbledoorsaltogether.Standingonthepassagefacingnorth,youwillnoticethatwitheachpairofdoorsonisnarrowerthantheother.Thisreflectsthefeudalhierarchy:thewiderdoorwasreservedformonarchs,whilethenarroweronewasusedbycourtiers.
Onthedayoftheceremony,theemperorwoulddonhisritualcostumeandbeusheredinbytheofficialinchargeofreligiousaffairs.Heascendedthethreeterracesintheforefronttopaytributeatthealter.
(AtoptheCircularMoundAlter)
wearenowonthetopterraceoftheAltar,orthethirdterrace.Eachterracehasaflightof9steps.Atthecenterofthisterraceliesaroundstonesurroundedby9steps.Atthecenterofthisterraceliesaroundstonesurroundedby9concentricringsofstone.Thenumberofstonesinthefirstringis9,inthesecond,18,upto81inthe9thring.Eventhenumberofcarvedbalustradesontheseterracesisamultipleeof9.Butwhy?
AccordingtoancientChinesephilosophy,yinandyangweretwoopposingfactors.HeavenandtheoddnumbersbelongedtoyangwhiletheEarthandevennumbersbelongedtoyin.Ninewasthelargestheavenlynumberaccessibletoman.Whatismore,theancientpeoplealsobelievedthatheavenconsistedofninelayersandthattheemperor`sabodewasontheuppermosttier.