Instantly recognizable as a symbol of Beijing and built in 1420, the Temple of Heaven served as a place of ritual for Ming and Qing emperors. Every year at the time of the winter solstice the emperor would come here in a magnificent procession lasting several days, in order to honor his ancestors and to pray for a good harvest in the season to come.
In the middle of the first lunar calendar, the emperor prayed once more in the Temple of Heaven, this time in the "Hall of Prayer and Good Harvests. The observation of such ritual was more than a mere formality. According to the Chinese, natural catastrophes, bad farming practices, failing harvests, and increasing corruption were all signs that the emperor had lost the favor of heaven and of his ancestors. In such circumstances, it was a considered a legitimate act to overthrow him.
So as you can imagine, the emperor took these rituals very seriously. The structure itself is built on a three-level marble terrace, each level surrounded by a balustrade. The pointed roof, with its three levels, its 50,000 blue-glazed tiles - blue symbolizes heaven - and its golden point, was constructed without using a single nail and has no beams. It is supported by 28 wooden pillars that represent the 4 seasons, the 12 months of the calendar, and the 12 divisions of the day.
Before the winter solstice ritual, the emperor would fast and then by the first rays of the sun on the day of the solstice, he would offer sacrifices and prayers at the "Altar of Heaven." This is the best of the city's imperial altars, consisting of a stone terrace of three levels. The lowest level symbolizes earth, the second, the world of human beings, and the last heaven. The altar is built from stone slabs and its construction is based on the number nine and its multiples.
In earlier times, odd numbers were considered the attribute of heaven or "yang." Nine, as the highest odd number was the most important number of all, and therefore became associated with the emperor. The inner most circle on the top level consists of nine stone slabs, the second of 18, the third of 27, and so on until the lowest level, which, as the 27th circle contains 243 slabs. The stone in the center of the top circle is considered by the Chinese to be the most holy place in the Chinese empire. All I know is that the Temple of Heaven is one of the most colorful and beautiful spots in Beijing.
Instantly recognizable as a symbol of Beijing and built in 1420, the Temple of Heaven served as a place of ritual for Ming and Qing emperors. Every year at the time of the winter solstice the emperor would come here in a magnificent procession lasting several days, in order to honor his ancestors and to pray for a good harvest in the season to come. 
In the middle of the first lunar calendar, the emperor prayed once more in the Temple of Heaven, this time in the "Hall of Prayer and Good Harvests. The observation of such ritual was more than a mere formality. According to the Chinese, natural catastrophes, bad farming practices, failing harvests, and increasing corruption were all signs that the emperor had lost the favor of heaven and of his ancestors. In such circumstances, it was a considered a legitimate act to overthrow him. 
So as you can imagine, the emperor took these rituals very seriously. The structure itself is built on a three-level marble terrace, each level surrounded by a balustrade. The pointed roof, with its three levels, its 50,000 blue-glazed tiles - blue symbolizes heaven - and its golden point, was constructed without using a single nail and has no beams. It is supported by 28 wooden pillars that represent the 4 seasons, the 12 months of the calendar, and the 12 divisions of the day.
Before the winter solstice ritual, the emperor would fast and then by the first rays of the sun on the day of the solstice, he would offer sacrifices and prayers at the "Altar of Heaven." This is the best of the city's imperial altars, consisting of a stone terrace of three levels. The lowest level symbolizes earth, the second, the world of human beings, and the last heaven. The altar is built from stone slabs and its construction is based on the number nine and its multiples.
In earlier times, odd numbers were considered the attribute of heaven or "yang." Nine, as the highest odd number was the most important number of all, and therefore became associated with the emperor. The inner most circle on the top level consists of nine stone slabs, the second of 18, the third of 27, and so on until the lowest level, which, as the 27th circle contains 243 slabs. The stone in the center of the top circle is considered by the Chinese to be the most holy place in the Chinese empire. All I know is that the Temple of Heaven is one of the most colorful and beautiful spots in Beijing.
