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The Temple of Heaven
Tiantan or the Temple of Heaven (Chinese: 天坛; Pinyin: Tiān tán) was built about
600 years ago for worshiping the heaven. It is best known for the perfection of
Chinese traditional architecture and is the grandest of its kind.
Overview:
Inside a huge park complex, the Temple of Heaven, or Tian Tian Gongyuan in
Chinese, is an enjoyable way to spend a leisurely morning or afternoon. The site of
imperial offerings and rites to the heavenly gods during Ming and Qing dynastic
times, it now offers visitors a view of imperial gardens and interesting architecture.
UNESCO listed the Temple of Heaven as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1998.
Truly unique in layout and architecture, a visit to the Temple of Heaven will stay with
you as it will be like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The main buildings are round,
painted red on the bottom with intricately painted beams supporting large round blue-
tiled roofs.
History:
Ming emperor Yongle began construction of the temple in 1420, the eighteenth year
of his reign. Yongle moved China’s capital from Nanjing to Beijing and modeled the
temple on a similar site in Nanjing. The site was rebuilt and expanded in Qing times
under emperor Jiaqing in 1530.
The site was used by emperors annually to worship the God of Heaven and pray for
good harvests. The first visit took place on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month
and the second on the winter solstice. A third visit might be required if the summer
saw a drought, the emperor would go and perform rituals to bring on rains.
Since Chinese emperors considered themselves direct descendents from heaven, it
was important for them to placate their ancestral home by performing worship rituals.
The Chinese government opened the park to the public in 1918.
Features:
• Cypress Grove: A grove of over 3,000 cypresses, the oldest of which is 600
years, surrounds the temple complex. Visitors can stroll through the trees, play chase
and hide-and-seek with the kids and generally appreciate local Chinese at play and a
break from the busy city outside the gates.
As you move toward the main complex from the cypress grove, you’ll find that the
main temples in the park are circular shaped, representing heaven, surrounded by a
square wall, representing earth. You’ll find this pattern repeated throughout the
complex.
• The Imperial Vault of Heaven: is a small round building and housed the
tablet of the God of Heaven and the emperor’s ancestors tablets. It was built in 1530
as part of Qing emperor Jiaqing’s improvements and rebuilt in 1752.
Surrounding the buildings is a semi-circular wall called Echo Wall, Huiyinbi.
Supposedly if someone whispers something at one end, a person at the other end
can clearly hear it. While technically feasible, your guide has never been there on an
occasion where there weren’t crowds of tourists doing just that so can’t vouch for the
legend’s validity.
In front of the building is a similar spectacle, the Triple Sound Stone, Sanyinshi. As
you step up the stairs toward the building, supposedly your echo will be heard once
on the first stair, twice on the second and thrice on the third. For reasons stated
above, your guide hasn’t been able to test it, but now you’ll know why there are so
many people pausing on each step as they walk toward the hall.
• Circular Mound Altar: Huanqiutan in Chinese, lies on the south axis of the
complex. This was the site of sacrifices on winter solstice. Two walls contain the alter,
the first a circle representing heaven, the second a square representing earth.
The number nine, the supreme odd number in Chinese cosmology, is utilized over
and over in the Circular Mound Altar. For example, on the top tier, a round stone
called Heaven’s Heart Stone, Tianxingshi, is surrounded by nine concentric circles. It
is lucky to stand on the center stone and you’ll have to push your way or wait in a
long line of Chinese tourists for a brief chance to stand upon it and have your photo
taken.
• The Red Stairway Bridge: or Dianbiqiao, is a long platform connecting the
Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of the Prayer of Good Harvests. It is 30m wide and
360m long and acts as a fairway for tourists walking between the two buildings. It’s
breadth and height are impressive and it’s almost possible to imagine Ming and Qing
emperors parading along the passage surrounded by an entourage.
• The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: or Qiniandian lies to the north of the
Red Stairway Bridge. It is the last building you come to on a visit to the temple
complex and is probably the most interesting architecturally. Mirroring the
circular/square pattern, the round red wooden building supports a three-tiered blue-
tiled roof atop of which sits a gilded orb. Impressive in design, the large vault is
supported solely by twenty-eight wooden pillars: no beams or nails are used in its
construction.The hall was first built in 1420 as a rectangular building but in 1530 was
replaced with the current circular building.
Tiantan or the Temple of Heaven (Chinese: 天坛; Pinyin: Tiān tán) was built about
600 years ago for worshiping the heaven. It is best known for the perfection of
Chinese traditional architecture and is the grandest of its kind.
Overview:
Inside a huge park complex, the Temple of Heaven, or Tian Tian Gongyuan in
Chinese, is an enjoyable way to spend a leisurely morning or afternoon. The site of
imperial offerings and rites to the heavenly gods during Ming and Qing dynastic
times, it now offers visitors a view of imperial gardens and interesting architecture.
UNESCO listed the Temple of Heaven as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1998.
Truly unique in layout and architecture, a visit to the Temple of Heaven will stay with
you as it will be like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The main buildings are round,
painted red on the bottom with intricately painted beams supporting large round blue-
tiled roofs.
History:
Ming emperor Yongle began construction of the temple in 1420, the eighteenth year
of his reign. Yongle moved China’s capital from Nanjing to Beijing and modeled the
temple on a similar site in Nanjing. The site was rebuilt and expanded in Qing times
under emperor Jiaqing in 1530.
The site was used by emperors annually to worship the God of Heaven and pray for
good harvests. The first visit took place on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month
and the second on the winter solstice. A third visit might be required if the summer
saw a drought, the emperor would go and perform rituals to bring on rains.
Since Chinese emperors considered themselves direct descendents from heaven, it
was important for them to placate their ancestral home by performing worship rituals.
The Chinese government opened the park to the public in 1918.
Features:
• Cypress Grove: A grove of over 3,000 cypresses, the oldest of which is 600
years, surrounds the temple complex. Visitors can stroll through the trees, play chase
and hide-and-seek with the kids and generally appreciate local Chinese at play and a
break from the busy city outside the gates.
As you move toward the main complex from the cypress grove, you’ll find that the
main temples in the park are circular shaped, representing heaven, surrounded by a
square wall, representing earth. You’ll find this pattern repeated throughout the
complex.
• The Imperial Vault of Heaven: is a small round building and housed the
tablet of the God of Heaven and the emperor’s ancestors tablets. It was built in 1530
as part of Qing emperor Jiaqing’s improvements and rebuilt in 1752.
Surrounding the buildings is a semi-circular wall called Echo Wall, Huiyinbi.
Supposedly if someone whispers something at one end, a person at the other end
can clearly hear it. While technically feasible, your guide has never been there on an
occasion where there weren’t crowds of tourists doing just that so can’t vouch for the
legend’s validity.
In front of the building is a similar spectacle, the Triple Sound Stone, Sanyinshi. As
you step up the stairs toward the building, supposedly your echo will be heard once
on the first stair, twice on the second and thrice on the third. For reasons stated
above, your guide hasn’t been able to test it, but now you’ll know why there are so
many people pausing on each step as they walk toward the hall.
• Circular Mound Altar: Huanqiutan in Chinese, lies on the south axis of the
complex. This was the site of sacrifices on winter solstice. Two walls contain the alter,
the first a circle representing heaven, the second a square representing earth.
The number nine, the supreme odd number in Chinese cosmology, is utilized over
and over in the Circular Mound Altar. For example, on the top tier, a round stone
called Heaven’s Heart Stone, Tianxingshi, is surrounded by nine concentric circles. It
is lucky to stand on the center stone and you’ll have to push your way or wait in a
long line of Chinese tourists for a brief chance to stand upon it and have your photo
taken.
• The Red Stairway Bridge: or Dianbiqiao, is a long platform connecting the
Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of the Prayer of Good Harvests. It is 30m wide and
360m long and acts as a fairway for tourists walking between the two buildings. It’s
breadth and height are impressive and it’s almost possible to imagine Ming and Qing
emperors parading along the passage surrounded by an entourage.
• The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: or Qiniandian lies to the north of the
Red Stairway Bridge. It is the last building you come to on a visit to the temple
complex and is probably the most interesting architecturally. Mirroring the
circular/square pattern, the round red wooden building supports a three-tiered blue-
tiled roof atop of which sits a gilded orb. Impressive in design, the large vault is
supported solely by twenty-eight wooden pillars: no beams or nails are used in its
construction.The hall was first built in 1420 as a rectangular building but in 1530 was
replaced with the current circular building.
| Location in southeastern Beijing Address: Yongdingmen Dajie (South Gate), Tiantan Lu (North Gate), Chongwen District, Beijing Chinese Address: 北京市崇文区天坛路天桥东 侧 （北入口）; 永定门内大 街东侧 （南入口） Transportation bus: 6, 15, 17, 20, 35, 36, 39, 105, 120, 103, 106, 110 or 116 Subway: Line 2 at Chongwenmen or Qianmen The main tourist entrance is at the south gate (nan men) so that you end your tour with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Admission fee 30RMB ($4.2) (Nov. 1 to Mar. 31) 35RMB ($4.9) (Apr 1 to Oct 31) Opening hours 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Time for visit half a day Top Features Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests Imperial Vault of Heaven Echo Wall Circular Mound Altar Hall of Abstinece Map of the Temple of Heaven |
| Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest Build in 1420, this circular tower sitting atop three tiers of marble with a conical roof of blue tiles and a gold finial, is the most beautiful building in Beijing. |
The Imperial Vault of Heaven and Echo Wall
Circular Mound Altar
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
天坛公园
天坛公园概况:
天坛是世界文化遗产、国家5A级旅游景区、全国重点文物保护单位。距市中心3公里，位于北京正阳门东南方向，为明、清两朝皇帝
祭天、求雨和祈祷丰年的专用祭坛，是世界上现存规模最大、最完美的古代祭天建筑群。总面积273万平方米。1918年作为公园正式
对外开放。
早在春秋战国时期，北京即建有“沮泽”，是统治者郊祀并兼游猎的处所。金时对“南郊坛在丰宜门外”、“冬至日合祀昊天上帝、皇地祗
于圜丘”，均有明确记载。元朝的郊坛在元大都丽正门东南七里，坛为三层圆形石台，坛区占地20万余平方米。因此，明清时期北京
的天坛与历朝历代郊坛有着一脉相承的渊源关系。明成祖朱棣定都北京后，于永乐四年（1406 年）开始营建宫殿城池。同时，在南
郊兴建郊庙，历时14年（1420年）建成，初名天地坛。嘉靖九年（1530年）嘉靖皇帝朱厚（骢）注熜：此字应是“火 ”字边，需单
造。改天地合祀为分祀。天地坛遂改称为天坛。清沿明制，天坛一称沿用至今。从乾隆八年（1743年）起，对天坛建筑进行了多次大
规模的改、扩建及修缮。天坛终于形成了南北两坛，规制严谨的盛朗风貌。
天坛是祈谷、圜丘两坛的总称，有两重坛墙环绕，将坛域分为内、外坛两部分，均为南方北圆。坛内祭祀建筑集中于内坛，内坛四面
设门。连接两坛的的轴线，是一条长360米、宽28米、高2.5米的砖石台，称为“神道”又称“海墁大道”，也叫 “丹陛桥”。它寓意着上天
庭要经过漫长的道路。圜丘坛建筑群位于中轴线的南端，是明清两代皇帝祭祀皇天上帝的祭坛。圜丘坛之北是皇穹宇。祈谷坛位于中
轴线的北端，主体建筑即祈年殿，坛中还有祈年门、皇乾殿、东西配殿、燔柴炉、瘗坎、砖门等建筑，附属建筑有七十二连房、神
厨、宰牲亭等。圜丘坛、祈谷坛的附属建筑多在其东，这种布局使天坛西部坛域开阔。内坛西天门内偏南位置建有一城濠环绕的宫
城，名“斋宫”，是皇帝祭祀把前“斋戒”期间居住的宫室。
天坛古松柏及古槐3600多株，多植于明清两代，少数为元代种植。大片常绿树木营造出的广袤苍茫的氛围，形成天坛独特的园林意
境。每年4月中旬可到天坛公园赏丁香花>>
天坛收藏文物逾万件，多与祭祀有关，礼器、乐器占据相当大比例，分别陈列在皇穹宇祭天文物展览、祈年殿历史原貌恢复展览、祈
年殿西配殿祭天礼仪馆展览、祈年殿东配殿祭天乐舞馆展览当中。
天坛公园必赏景观:
圜丘：是圜丘坛的主体建筑，是明清两代皇帝举行祭天大典的神坛。圜丘为3层圆形汉白玉须弥坐石，各层坛面具墁以艾叶青
石，环以汉白玉围栏，上层坛中心有天心石，也称“太极石”。
皇穹宇：是存贮祭天正位及配位、从祀位神版的场所，又称天库。有正殿、配殿、围垣及券门等。正殿为供奉皇天上帝及配祀诸
神位之处。
祈年殿：是一座木结构圆攒尖顶三重蓝色琉璃瓦檐建筑，是清王朝举行祈谷典礼的神殿，是祈谷坛的中心建筑。
斋宫：是明清两代皇帝祭祀前在天坛内举行斋戒仪式的宫殿，有皇帝居住的寝宫、举行活动的无梁殿及宫门、钟楼、值房、膳
房、河廊等建筑
景区服务
无障碍设施与服务：
公园主要门区无障碍，主要游览干线无障碍，公共卫生间无障碍，无障碍标识准确、规范。
坡道、无障碍售票口、无障碍卫生间、低位售货口、低位电话、无障碍车位、轮椅服务、手语服务。
电 话：010-67028866-8271
门 票：旺季15元（联票35元），淡季10元（联票30元），65周岁及以上老年人凭本人老年优待证游览公园免收门票费（不含园
中园，大型活动期间除外），残疾人免收门票
地 址：北京市崇文区天坛路天桥东侧
交通路线：乘公交2、6、7、17、20、25、34、35、36、39、43、53、69、71、105、106、110、116、120、122、504、 525、
610、684、685、687、707、723、729、743、800、803、814、826、958、快速公交1线、特3、运通102路天坛站；地铁5号线
天坛东门站。
持公园年票者可直接刷卡进天坛公园
天坛斋宫2008年3月6日开放后并不单独售票，而是斋宫和神乐署进行捆绑，门票10元。并且免费配备双语导游。
天坛公园概况:
天坛是世界文化遗产、国家5A级旅游景区、全国重点文物保护单位。距市中心3公里，位于北京正阳门东南方向，为明、清两朝皇帝
祭天、求雨和祈祷丰年的专用祭坛，是世界上现存规模最大、最完美的古代祭天建筑群。总面积273万平方米。1918年作为公园正式
对外开放。
早在春秋战国时期，北京即建有“沮泽”，是统治者郊祀并兼游猎的处所。金时对“南郊坛在丰宜门外”、“冬至日合祀昊天上帝、皇地祗
于圜丘”，均有明确记载。元朝的郊坛在元大都丽正门东南七里，坛为三层圆形石台，坛区占地20万余平方米。因此，明清时期北京
的天坛与历朝历代郊坛有着一脉相承的渊源关系。明成祖朱棣定都北京后，于永乐四年（1406 年）开始营建宫殿城池。同时，在南
郊兴建郊庙，历时14年（1420年）建成，初名天地坛。嘉靖九年（1530年）嘉靖皇帝朱厚（骢）注熜：此字应是“火 ”字边，需单
造。改天地合祀为分祀。天地坛遂改称为天坛。清沿明制，天坛一称沿用至今。从乾隆八年（1743年）起，对天坛建筑进行了多次大
规模的改、扩建及修缮。天坛终于形成了南北两坛，规制严谨的盛朗风貌。
天坛是祈谷、圜丘两坛的总称，有两重坛墙环绕，将坛域分为内、外坛两部分，均为南方北圆。坛内祭祀建筑集中于内坛，内坛四面
设门。连接两坛的的轴线，是一条长360米、宽28米、高2.5米的砖石台，称为“神道”又称“海墁大道”，也叫 “丹陛桥”。它寓意着上天
庭要经过漫长的道路。圜丘坛建筑群位于中轴线的南端，是明清两代皇帝祭祀皇天上帝的祭坛。圜丘坛之北是皇穹宇。祈谷坛位于中
轴线的北端，主体建筑即祈年殿，坛中还有祈年门、皇乾殿、东西配殿、燔柴炉、瘗坎、砖门等建筑，附属建筑有七十二连房、神
厨、宰牲亭等。圜丘坛、祈谷坛的附属建筑多在其东，这种布局使天坛西部坛域开阔。内坛西天门内偏南位置建有一城濠环绕的宫
城，名“斋宫”，是皇帝祭祀把前“斋戒”期间居住的宫室。
天坛古松柏及古槐3600多株，多植于明清两代，少数为元代种植。大片常绿树木营造出的广袤苍茫的氛围，形成天坛独特的园林意
境。每年4月中旬可到天坛公园赏丁香花>>
天坛收藏文物逾万件，多与祭祀有关，礼器、乐器占据相当大比例，分别陈列在皇穹宇祭天文物展览、祈年殿历史原貌恢复展览、祈
年殿西配殿祭天礼仪馆展览、祈年殿东配殿祭天乐舞馆展览当中。
天坛公园必赏景观:
圜丘：是圜丘坛的主体建筑，是明清两代皇帝举行祭天大典的神坛。圜丘为3层圆形汉白玉须弥坐石，各层坛面具墁以艾叶青
石，环以汉白玉围栏，上层坛中心有天心石，也称“太极石”。
皇穹宇：是存贮祭天正位及配位、从祀位神版的场所，又称天库。有正殿、配殿、围垣及券门等。正殿为供奉皇天上帝及配祀诸
神位之处。
祈年殿：是一座木结构圆攒尖顶三重蓝色琉璃瓦檐建筑，是清王朝举行祈谷典礼的神殿，是祈谷坛的中心建筑。
斋宫：是明清两代皇帝祭祀前在天坛内举行斋戒仪式的宫殿，有皇帝居住的寝宫、举行活动的无梁殿及宫门、钟楼、值房、膳
房、河廊等建筑
景区服务
无障碍设施与服务：
公园主要门区无障碍，主要游览干线无障碍，公共卫生间无障碍，无障碍标识准确、规范。
坡道、无障碍售票口、无障碍卫生间、低位售货口、低位电话、无障碍车位、轮椅服务、手语服务。
电 话：010-67028866-8271
门 票：旺季15元（联票35元），淡季10元（联票30元），65周岁及以上老年人凭本人老年优待证游览公园免收门票费（不含园
中园，大型活动期间除外），残疾人免收门票
地 址：北京市崇文区天坛路天桥东侧
交通路线：乘公交2、6、7、17、20、25、34、35、36、39、43、53、69、71、105、106、110、116、120、122、504、 525、
610、684、685、687、707、723、729、743、800、803、814、826、958、快速公交1线、特3、运通102路天坛站；地铁5号线
天坛东门站。
持公园年票者可直接刷卡进天坛公园
天坛斋宫2008年3月6日开放后并不单独售票，而是斋宫和神乐署进行捆绑，门票10元。并且免费配备双语导游。
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Location Map of The Temple of Heaven - Beijing