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On
leaving the Forbidden City,follow in the footsteps of emperors, court ministers
and eunuchs and head south to the magnificent and colorful Temple of Heaven
(Tiantan). Although the bi-annual procession consisting of thousands of eunuchs
and ministers no longer takes place, The Temple of Heaven and Tiantan
Park are still a delightful place to visit.
The Temple was completed in
1420 and was originally a platform for the Son of Heaven (the emperor) to
perform sacrifices and solemn rites. Among the
gods worshiped were the god of earth,the god of water, the god of agriculture
(who has his own hall in the
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests), the god of the military, the god
of religion and the god of civilians. Offering sacrifices
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was a serious
task, as was atoning the sins of the people. The entire empire relied on the
emperor for good fortune and
abundant harvests so he had quite a responsibility!
The Temple was opened to the public in 1912 and commoners who had
previously been banned from even watching the bizarre
procession pass through the city to Tiantan, were now permitted to
visit the Temple
themselves.
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The Temple buildings and the parklands reflect ancient Chinese religious
beliefs that imagine heaven as round and
earth as square. Thus, the buildings in the temple are
constructed on a central axis. The temples themselves are round and
the bases square. Similarly, the Northern part of the park
is a semicircular shape and the south, a square. In the south of
the
Temple complex are the Altar of Heaven and the Echo Wall. The
parklands and the Temple are an exquisite place to spend
some time, especially in the early morning. Drag yourself
out of bed at dawn and watch the Taiji experts, kite flyers and
dance fans strut their stuff.
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