Beijing - The Temple of Heaven & surrounding Park

The Temple of Heaven is inside a walled 267 hectare park with a gate at each compass point. We arrived in the morning to catch glimpses of the morning activities within the wonderful park - group exercises of various types, games, music, and plenty of people walking around the gardens. The park is a great place to hang out either being active or relaxing & people watching. The Temple originally was a vast stage for solemn rites performed by the Son of Heaven, who prayed for good harvests and sought divine clearance & atonement for the sins of the people. The halls are round and the bases are square to symbolize heaven and earth.

The twirling banner group.

The dancing group

Some of the musicians

Chinese checkers?

A paddle and ball game Joey played.

Video of a string-spinning-noise-making top toy

Joey in a tree in the park

John and I at the Temple of Heaven

Joey in another "chamber pot"

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests - every inch is decorated and brightly colored - the pillars support the ceiling without nails or cement.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

I find the colors and detailed woodwork fascinating.

Zhaoheng Gate (the southern gate) was the traditional approach to the temple.

The Temple of Heaven with the carved stone in the middle of the stairway.

Another gate.

Heavenly Center Stone: the uppermost terrace of the Circular Mound on the Round Altar is paved with 9 concentric rings of stone slabs; the slab in the middle is the Heavenly Center Stone; it is surrounded by 9 stones in the first ring, 18 in the second ring, up to 81 in the 9th ring symbolizing the 9 Heavens. Odd numbers possess heavenly significance and 9 is the highest single-digit odd number. Each terrace and set of stairs of the Circular Mound are composed in multiples of 9.

Some of the side buildings have sacred texts on turning wood blocks.

Imperial Vault of Heaven - contains tablets of the emperor's ancestors, employed during the winter solstice ceremonies.