Temple of Heaven was initially built as the Temple of Heaven and Earth in 1420, the 18th year of Emperor Yongle's reign, Ming Dynasty. Moving his capital from Nanjing to Beijing in the early days of the Ming, Emperor Yongle built in Beijing the Temple of Heaven and Earth on the model of the one in Nanjing, which was used for offering sacrifices to both heaven and earth.
The early version of the building was not as large as the present one. The southern half was added in 1530, the ninth year of Emperor Jiajing's reign in the same dynasty, forming two altars with the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests in the north and the Circular Mound Altar in the south, linked up by a long platform called "Dianbiqiao". The platform, 30 meters in width, paved with large bricks, stretches 360 meters from north to south.
The historical value of the Temple of Heaven lies also in over 3000 cypresses of about 600 years old, which are full of life. When you touch and feel the knars and traces left on barks due to long years of weathering and erosion, you will admire their tenacity of life.
Temple of Heaven Park covers an expansive 2.73 kmē (270 acres). The entire site is filled with symbolism, centered on the main idea that Earth is square and Heaven is round. The temples and altars are round (with blue tiles further representing Heaven) and stand on square bases. The whole park has the shape of a square surmounted by a semicircle in the north.
The park contains three main groups of buildings, all constructed according to strict feng shui requirements: the Earthly Mount, the House of Heavenly Lord, and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Although most visitors approach the park from the north or west, the ceremonial route begins in the south.
The central pathway leads straight to the Round Altar , a platform of three marble tiers representing Man, Earth and Heaven. Each tier is made of blocks in various multiples of nine, which was seen as the most powerful odd number, symbolizing both Heaven and Emperor.
The platform is now bare, but in imperial times the Throne of Heaven was placed at the very center. This was considered to be the middle of the Middle Kingdom and the very center of the earth. To the east are ruins of a group of buildings used for the preparation of sacrifices.
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