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| The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is one of the best kept monuments in the city and it is certainly the most inspiring. |
"If the idea was to express the sublime the Temple of Heaven in Beijing can be rightly said to be the gateway to heaven, reaching high to the sky as nothing else seems to be able to do it so softly in Beijing".
You should absolutely keep for your last day in the Chinese Capital a visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is one of the best kept monuments in the city and it is certainly the most inspiring.
Locals are still playing cards and other cardboard games under the long terraced garden surrounding The Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
Wonderful centenary cypresses ornate the gardens around The Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
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| The colours, the style and the architecture of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing immediately remind you of the other monuments of the Chinese Empire area in the city. |
Certainly, when you visit The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, it is immediately evident the strong connection between this religious building and the impressive building of the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, the other two most important relics of the Chinese Empire in Beijing.
The colours, the style and the architecture of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing immediately remind you of the other monuments of the Chinese Empire area in the city.
Even the now faded red on the walls of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing are of the exact same shade of the red of the walls of the Imperial Palace.
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| the temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor. |
The famous echo wall of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is sadly out of service (so says -litterally - the sign on the wall) .
Chinese authorities are maybe right in preserving the wall of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing that already shows the scars left by the arrive of the daily hordes of tourist from all over the world.
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| The Connection with the Summer Palace in Bejing is immeditaely evident, click here to read more about the Summer Palace. |
If two people stand at the east and west extremes of the circular "Echo Wall "and speak softly, the sound will be propelled around to the person on the opposite side. This is the reason why the Echo Wall is also known with the name of "Whispering Wall".
The explanation of this wall is not easy to give. it is supposed that it is the shape and the material used for the construction to make this rare effect possible.
If you are so lucky to be able to try the effect of this unique feature of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing you will be amazed.
More amazed you will be if you think that the temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor.
So left without the chance to experience this magical feature of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing I can only concentrate my attention on the holy mound of the temple.
Again something magic seems to be in store.
The heaven is round and it is surrounded by squared walls in the representation given by The Temple of Heaven in Beijing. the squared walls are the metaphoric symbol of the Earth, represented in the Chinese symbolism as a square in contrast with the perfection of the round shape of the heaven.
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| The famous echo wall of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is s adly out of service (so says -litterally - the sign on the wall) . |
More larger circles are around, the second ring of 18, the third of 27 and forth until you get to the last one made of 81 stones (9 multiplied 9).
The good omen of the number nine is highly celebrated for the benefit of the emperor and the empire.
Finally is the temple itself to visit: the gem of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing complex.
Tall, imposing, majestic, The Temple of Heaven in Beijing in its cobalt blue roof and its red walls, surrounded by strong walls and a beautiful port, their design is again reminiscent of the forbidden city.
If the idea was to express the sublime the Temple of Heaven in Beijing can be rightly said to be the gateway to heaven, reaching high to the sky as nothing else seems to be able to do it so softly in Beijing.
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If you like Imperial China, here some posts you will probably enjoy reading:
The Summer Palace represents a great example of Chinese classical architecture, heavily influenced by the architecture of the now destroyed Nanjing Palace of the Emperor... Read more
The Imperial Ming Tombs are maybe the most amazing feature of Nanjing. They are called also Ming Xiaolin and it is with this name that they are signalled in the few road signs in English. The Imperial avenues leave you amazed as you really feel you are entering in the burial place of some imaginary emperors of the world.... Read more
The Palace, popularly known as the Forbidden City is certainly the most wonderful building in Beijing. The dark pink walls, the orange pagoda roofs , the emerald green decorations and the white stone sculptures are a wonderful mix producing an effect of majesty I have never experienced visiting any other royal or imperial palace around the world... Read more
Are you planning to travel to China?
Read my page My China Project where you can find the list of all of my posts and the destinations covered in this blog in China.
Read also the page Visit China and the page What to know before to travel to China.
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