Beijing Outing: Visit the Temple of Heaven and feel the ancient reverence for heaven and earth

🔹Historically, emperors of each dynasty would hold grand ceremonies to worship heaven and earth upon ascending to the throne, demonstrating the legitimacy of 'divine right of kings' to the people. The Circular Mound Altar was the site where ancient emperors performed the winter solstice ceremony, also known as the Altar of Heaven. Originally named 'Altar of Heaven and Earth', it was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty (1420). During the winter solstice ceremony, the emperor had to pass through the western archway, walk the Spirit Way to the Zhaoheng Gate, and arrive at the Jufu Platform, where a temporary tent was set up for the emperor to wash and change into ceremonial robes for worshipping heaven. Then, moving forward to the Circular Mound Altar, he would step by step approach the Heart of Heaven Stone, symbolizing an ascent to heaven. The first joint ceremony of heaven and earth was held by Emperor Yongle at the Temple of Heaven in the 19th year of the Yongle reign (1421). The last ceremony was conducted in the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1907), with a total of 22 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties having held the ceremony there. 🔸Upon arriving here, people stand on the Heart of Heaven Stone or look up at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, imagining the solemn and grand scene of ancient people worshipping heaven and praying for a bountiful harvest. The awe and reverence for heaven and earth are truly staggering! The Temple of Heaven Park is quite large and may take several hours to explore, but it's worth a visit. In addition to learning about history and culture, you can also take photos. With its red walls, green tiles, and shaded trees, you'll find many tourists taking photos against the red walls, fully embracing the ancient style and grandeur. 📷Photography Tips: 1️⃣The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the main structure of the Temple of Heaven and the most popular photo spot. The best angles for photographing the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests include: From the north side, where the Imperial Vault of Heaven is located, use the door frame as a foreground to capture the architecture; There is a corridor on each of the east and west sides, which makes for a nice group photo; There is an open space to the west of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests with few people, where you can capture an unobstructed panoramic view. Since the plaque is only on the south side, there's no need to squeeze into the crowd as the view is the same from other angles. 2️⃣The Circular Mound Altar is the most sacred place in the Temple of Heaven and the site of the winter solstice ceremony. The best angles for photographing the Circular Mound Altar include: Standing on the center stone of the Circular Mound Altar and speaking or clapping hands, you can capture the echo and surprised expressions; Walking along the sub-wall below the Circular Mound Altar, you can capture the contrast of red walls and blue tiles and the beauty of curves; Finding a high point outside the Circular Mound Altar, you can capture the full view of the Circular Mound Altar and the sky's reflection. 3️⃣If you don't want to be in a crowd, you can find red walls or surrounding walls to block the crowd or use tree leaves as a foreground. - 📍Address: No.1 Jia, Tiantan East Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 🚇Transportation: Subway Line 5, Tiantan East Gate Station, Exit D (Southwest Exit) ⏰Hours: 6:00-22:00, last entry at 21:00 🎫Tickets: The Temple of Heaven Park has peak and off-peak seasons. The peak season is from April 1st to October 31st each year, and the off-peak season is from November 1st to March 31st of the following year. During the peak season, the combo ticket is 35 yuan per person, and the entrance ticket is 15 yuan per person; during the off-peak season, the combo ticket is 30 yuan per person, and the entrance ticket is 10 yuan per person. -