Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven, completed in 1420 during the 18th year of the reign of the Ming Emperor Yongle, was a site where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to Heaven and prayed for bountiful harvests. Situated in the southern part of Beijing, the temple spans 2.73 square kilome- ters of parkland. The altar area is round in the north and square in the south, reflecting the belief that heaven is round and earth is square.
The Temple of Heaven is divided into the inner part and outer part, with the main buildings being in the inner area. The inner area is further divided into two architectural groups in the north and south. It is the largest existing imperial sacrificial building complex in China and the world's largest existing building complex for offering sacrifice to heaven. The Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests (qigu tan) is situated in the north and is used for praying for good harvests in spring. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (qinian dian), located at the center, is a circular, three-tiered building with a conical roof. Its four in- ner, 12 middle and 12 outer pillars, represent the four seasons, 12 months and 12 traditional Chinese hours, respectively. The Circular Mound Altar (yuanqiu tan), situated in the south, was used exclusively for emperors to offer sacrifices to heaven on the day of the Winter Solstice. It is a round terrace on marble stones. The number of its steps and slates all circular around the number nine, symbolizes the "nine circles of heaven,"
emphasizing the supremacy of heaven. The two altars are connected by a walkway, forming the central axis of the Temple of Heaven, which spans 1,200 meters from north to south.
The Temple of Heaven boasts a grand and magnificent construction style that showcases the pinnacle of architectural techniques from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The trees and shrubs surrounding the area contribute to a pleasant ecolog- ical environment. This reflects the ancient Chinese concept of "harmony between humanity and nature", apparent in how individual structures were designed and positioned as well as the overall layout of the temple complex was planned. In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
天坛
天坛始建于明代永乐十八年（1420），是明清两代皇帝祭祀上天、祈求五谷丰登的场所。天坛坐落在北京市南部， 占地约273万平方米，坛域北呈圆形，南为方形，象征"天圆地方"。
天坛分内坛和外坛，主要建筑集中于内坛，内坛分为南北两个建筑群，这是中国现存最大的古代祭祀性建筑群，也是世界上最大的祭天建筑群。天坛北为祈谷坛，用于春季祈祷丰年，其中心建筑是祈年殿，三层重檐的圆形宝顶独具特色，殿内中央的四根立柱寓意一年四季，外围两排各有12 根柱子分别代表十二月、十二时辰。南为圜丘坛，专门用于冬至日祭天。"圜丘"是一座巨大圆形石台，其台阶、石栏板数量均采用"九"和"九"的倍数，呼应九重天，强调天的至高无上。南、北两坛之间以甬道相连，共同形成贯通天坛建筑南北1200米的中轴线。
天坛建筑宏伟壮丽、庄严肃穆，集明清两代建筑技艺之大成，又以大面积树林植被营造良好的生态环境，从单一建筑到整体布局都展现着中国古人"天人合一"的宇宙观。1998年，天坛列入联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产名录。
