The Temple of Heaven, due to its perfection of form and popularity, has become one of the main symbols of Beijing.
Initially, the Temple of Heaven served as a universal temple: prayers to Thunder, Clouds, Heaven, Earth, etc. were held there. Subsequently, it was decided to divide one large-sized temple into several smaller ones. Thus, the Temple of Heaven was left on the outskirts of the city on the south side. The rounded shapes became the symbol of heavenly forces.
The Temple of Earth was erected on the outskirts on the north side, and its square shapes became a personification of the forces of Earth. This is in a sense connected with the beliefs of the ancients that the heavens are round and the earth is square. Only a small part of the temple was taken for altars and buildings, and the rest of the temple area was made into a park.
The name of the Tiantan Temple is correctly translated as "Altar of Heaven". Its construction was completed in 1421, just like the imperial palace. The temple was once the place where emperors offered gifts to Heaven and prayed fervently for the harvest.
The Temple of Heaven stands a short distance away from the imperial palace itself. For five centuries, on the winter solstice, the emperor, at the end of a three-day fast, visited the temple to offer gifts to Heaven. Since ancient times it is believed that only emperors, who, according to local beliefs and traditions, are of divine origin, are worthy to talk to Heaven - that is why only he is allowed to address Heaven with a prayer for the prosperity of the country.
Unlike the yellow-red buildings of the Gugong Palace, here the colour blue prevails, the shape of the altar is round - all this symbolises Heaven, with which the emperor communicates. The main buildings of the complex can be called Qinyandyan (Shrine prayers), Huangqiongyu (Great Heaven), Zhaygun (Palace for fasting), etc.
Huangqiongyu Temple includes the famous "Stone of Threefold Echo". And the "Wall of Returning Sound" is notable for the fact that no matter how quietly you speak at the wall, your interlocutor on the other side of it can clearly hear every word.
The adjacent park is a wonderful place: coming here in the early morning, you can watch the fans of traditional gymnastics, and in the evening you can meet musicians, singers, locals entertain themselves at games - from cards to badminton.
The park is a wonderful place.
