Historical Context
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing was built during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. Construction began in 1406 A.D. and took fourteen years to complete. The Temple is a complex of several buildings standing among gardens and cypress trees. It is enclosed by two walls dividing the site into inner and outer temple areas. Standing on 6,670 acres, it is far larger than the Imperial Palace, which was built at same time. The main structures in the Temple are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Circular Mound Altar.
The circular building shown in this photograph is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Here the Ming and Qing emperors went to worship the God of Heaven and to pray for good harvests. Built on three-tiered marble platform, the Hall is thirty-two meters in diameter. The blue tile roof symbolizing blue sky rises thirty-eight meters high. The structure is supported by twenty-eight pillars that represent the four seasons, the twelve months, and the twelve two-hour time periods into which the Chinese divided the day. More than twelve million people visit the Temple of Heaven every year.
Essential Question
How does geography and economy influence culture and architecture?
Check for Understanding
Describe the scene in the photograph and explain the link between geography, economy, and culture.