Tian Tan (Temple of Heaven or Altar of Heaven) 天坛, built from 1406 to 1420 was visited by Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasty to perform ceremonies of prayer to heaven for good harvest.
The Temple of Heaven is a very large park, more than twice the size of the Forbidden City. As this was to be the space representing Heaven on Earth, symbolically it needed to be bigger than the Forbidden City. It is about 2 kilometers from north to south. The inner walled area that houses the main structures covers 275 Hectares (2.75 million square meters) which makes it the largest group of constructions for worship in the world.
This sacred ground was once only accessible by the emperor and his officials is now open for everyone to enjoy. Arriving in the morning, you can see many elderly people doing Tai Chi, drinking tea and enjoying a game of Weiqi while others crowd around them.
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿)
This magnificent triple-gabled circular building is 36 metres in diameter and 38 metres tall, built on three levels of marble stone base, where the Emperor prayed for good harvests. The building is completely wooden and no nails were used to construct this.
Look at the magnificent architecture!
Hall of Imperial Zenith (皇乾殿)
Balustrade of carved white marble
Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇)
The Imperial Vault of Heaven is the place to lay the memorial tablets to the heaven. This is a single-gabled circular building, built on a single level of marble stone base located south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and resembles it but smaller. It is surrounded by a smooth circular wall, the Echo Wall, that can transmit sounds over large distances.
Echo Wall (回音壁)
The Echo Wall is 3.72 meters high, 61.5 meters in diameter and 193 meters in circumference. If a person whispers close to the wall at any point, its voice can be heard distinctly at any other point along the wall. I have to awe in amazement at the intelligence of ancient China with its ingenious way of utilising sound waves more than 600 years ago.
Dragon Sculpture on Lingxing Gate (棂星门)
Circular Mound Altar (圜丘坛)
The Circular Mound Altar is a three-tier white marble terrace enclosed by two walls where the Emperor prayed for favorable weather.
Heavenly Centre Stone (天心石)
As the surface of the uppermost terrace of the Circular Mound is paved with nine concentric rings of marble stone slabs, the round stone slab in the centre is called the Heavenly Centre Stone. It is surrounded by 9 stones in the first ring, 18 in the second and up to 81 in the 9th ring. symbolising the Nine Heavens.
This geometric design allows ones voice to sound louder and more resonant when stood on the Centre Stone as the sound waves reflected by the balustrades are bounced back to the center by the round wall. This is done so when the Emperor stands on the stone, it is believed to allow his voice be heard by the Heavens.
After a rushed and tedious morning, we caught the bus, then subway to Xidan (西单) for some very rushed shopping and lunch.
The food in China is so cheap so it is easy to go over board...
These for two people...*hic*
Ohhh colourful congee!
From Left to Right: Icy Fruit Congee 什锦水果冰粥, Icy Green Tea Congee 绿茶冰粥 and Icy Hawthorn and Tremella Congee 山楂银耳冰粥
Icy Fruit Congee什锦水果冰粥 ￥5 (approx $0.82)/bowl
A cool, refreshing and filling fruit congee with a hint of sweetness and sourness to let you regain your appetite on a scorching hot day!
Minced Beef Pancake and Minced Lamb Pancake 牛肉馅饼 羊肉馅饼￥2 (approx $0.33)/ea
With these two babies the size of our heads, it is already enough to fill us up!
Aiwowo 艾窝窝 ￥1 (approx $0.17)/ea
Steamed rice cakes with red bean filling. This one is slightly out of the original as it is made with black sticky rice and coated with sesame while traditionally it is a white sticky rice coated with coconut.
The dessert on the whole was a little disappointing as it is dry and hard when it is meant to be a soft, gooey and gummy mochi like texture.
Cake with Minced Pork in Salty Sauce 肉饼￥4 (approx $0.67)/ea
More meat pancakes? Yes please!
Sweet Potato Cake 红薯饼 ￥2 (approx $0.33)/ea
Mmm...sticky rice
Look at the sweet sweet red bean sandwiched between gummy sticky rice then deep fried to form a layer of crispy and golden shell *drools*.
Tianfu Beancurd House - Xidan Branch 西单天府豆花庄
Location: B1 Xidan Cultural Square, 180 North Xidan Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 西城区西单北大街180号西单文化广场B1楼Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm
Phone: 010-66068123
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