Unique Places in Beijing

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During my 2011 trip to Beijing, I was staying near the Temple of Heaven. On 8/10/11, I had a morning walk to the Temple of Heaven Park. Temple of Heaven is one of the must-see attractions in Beijing, but most tourists are most likely to miss the Park and Fasting Palace on the west side of Temple of Heaven. The park is so huge with so many trees, gates, walls, benches, pavilions, buildings, etc. The locals love to come here to hang out with their friends doing sport like Tai Chi, dancing, Ping Pong Tennis, and etc. You can either hide yourself inside the tree forests surrounded by trees or enjoy public performances or singing in the crowd at Temple of Heaven Park. I continued to wonder around, and managed to see the following favorite sites:

1) Fasting Palace - In my review.
2) Divine Music Administration - In my review.
3) Double-Ring-shaped Longevity Pavilion - In my review.
4) Fan-Shaped Pavilion - In my review.
5) Column Foundation of the Sacrificial Hall -In my review.

Admission to the Park without any attractions: Y15

In Chinese: 天坛公园 (Tian Tan Gong Yuan)

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Fan-Shaped Pavilion is located right opposite to Double-Ring-Shaped Longevity Pavilion. This Fan Shaped Pavilion is small, but has unique shape to enhance the beauty of Temple Of Heaven Park.

The signboard was written as:

" In a unique and grotesque shape with the front narrow and the rear broad, the pavilion is refined and complex in structure. Its structure shows the form of an ancient foldable fan. It is one of the unique structure in the traditional garden of ancient Chine. "

In Chinese: 扇亭 (Shan Ting)

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As I walked around the Temple of Heaven Park, I noticed this beautiful Pavilion with interesting roofs like the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It matches so well with the surrounding green trees and plants.

The signboard was written as:

" The Double-Ring-Shaped Longevity Pavilion, strict and unique in structure, and gracious and elegant in style, is composed of two linked-up round pavilions each with a double eave and malachite blue glazed tile roof. A masterpiece of ancient architecture, it is unique among the ancient architectural structures in China. It was originally located in the Middle and South Seas. It is said that Hongli, Emperor Qianlong, had it built in 1741 (the 6th year of Qing Emperor Dowager's 50th birthday. Its plane shape symbolized a pair of peaches and the stairways in front of the pavilion look like the tips of the two peaches-all symbolically meaning "Harmony, auspiciousness and longevity". It was transferred here in 1975. "

In Chinese: 双环万寿亭 (Shuang Huan Wan Shou Ting)

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After visiting the museum at Divine Music Administration, I found the history of this place is very interesting as a music training institution in the ancient China. The signboard was written as:

" The Divine Music Administration is one of the major architectures of the Temple of Heaven. Located on the west side of the temple, it served as a place for rehearsing music used in sacrificial ceremonies during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was praised as the highest institution of the ceremonial music in the two dynasties. The Divine Music Administration was first built in the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (A.D 1420). At that time it was called the Taoist Temple of Divine Music, also known as the Taoist Court of the Temple of Heaven. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Taoist Temple of Divine Music boasted many grand halls with beautiful environments. There were even tea houses and drug stores in the temple. In the 8th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong (A.D. 1743), the Taoist Temple of Divine Music was renamed "Institute of Divine Music," then again renamed as "Divine Music Administration" in 1754. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, it was ravaged by the Eight-Power Allied Forces and Japanese aggressor troops. Nearly all the buildings in the Administration were destroyed. After the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, the Administration's courtyard was occupied by residents from the surrounding neighborhood. They built many makeshift buildings in the courtyard. The Divine Music Administration was thus lost amid the residential houses.
Over recent years, various social circles have shown concern over the state of the Divine Music Administration. Many experts and scholars called for the rescue of the Administration. Also some leading officials of the Beijing Municipal Government went on inspection tours of the Administration to solve relevant problems. In August 2004, the rebuilt Divine Music Administration was renamed Exhibition rooms of Ancient Imperial Music" and officially opened to the public. "

" In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Divine Music Administration was the place for training ritual servicemen and performers of Zhonghe Shaoyue music. All the officials and servicemen were expected to attend exacting rehearsals at the Divine Music Administration so that imperial sacrificial ceremonies would be disciplined in ritual, music, song and dance. The Divine Music Administration kept many different types of tutors to train the performers. During the Ming and early Qing dynasties the performers were Taoists, but performers were selected from clever Manchu children of the Eight Banners., a hereditary elite guard servant to the Emperor and imperial princes. They were called the " Heaven-Worshiping Children."

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Divine Music Administration (Shenleshu) is located west of Temple of Heaven, next to Fasting Palace. I was not known this place, but the ticket (Y10) is included with Fasting Palace. So, I walked along the imperial river outside of Fasting Palace, I saw the gate into this Divine Music Administration. I was amazed with views of ancient buildings, walls, rivers, and gates around the neighborhood. After I entered the gate, I saw many locals doing exercises, dancing, Tai chi, singing, and other local activities at the square. There were ancient music instruments as decoration at the square. Based on the signboard, there were more than one buildings in the site, but I could only see the main buildings restored. Other buildings were either under restored or had been destroyed.

The signboard was written as:

" Constructed in 1420 during the 18th year of the Ming Emperor Yongle's reign with original name of the Temple of Divine Music under the administration of Ministry of Rituals, the construction was the administration institution in charge of the teaching and training of the ceremonial music " zhonghe Shaoyue". Inside it are buildings such as the Nixi Hall, Xianyou Hall, Zhaoxiu Hall, Muxiu Hall, Linren Hall, and Garment Warehouse. "

In Chinese: 神乐署 (Shen Le Shu)

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Living Hall is located north of the Fasting Palace, behind Beamless Hall. This was the place where the emperor exercised abstinence, met with officials and guests. During my visit, the hall was closed, so I was not able to see inside.

The signboard was written as:

" The Living Hall, constructed in an antique style and bearing two characters " Respectful Abstinence" at the lintel, is a place where the emperor used to exercise abstinence before he held the sacrificial rites. The Hall is composed of five rooms. The middle room with a throne bed and a flower table served as the emperor's reception room where he gave audience to officials. The third room in the north was the bed chamber during the abstinence in winter. There was a bed with a thick canopy, and an underground fireplace and charcoal burners for heating the chamber. The third room in the south was used as a living room during the abstinence in Summer. The two annex chambers served as a living room and s study respectively, where Emperor Qianlong wrote dozens of poems in eulogy of Heaven worshiping. "

In Chinese: 寝殿 (Qin Dian)

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In the Beamless Hall, there are several ancient items that were used during ritual ceremonies. They include the following:

1) Dragon Pavilion of Censer: "It is also called Five Offerings Pavilion. It is the biggest one of all the Dragon Pavilions in the Temple of Heaven." (Notes from signboard)

In Chinese: 香炉龙亭 (Xiang Lu Long Ting)

2) Dragon Pavilion of Prayers tablet: " It was used to carry prayers tablets from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven during worshiping heaven ceremony. it is the finest Dragon Pavilion in the Temple of Heaven. There are altogether thirty-seven gold-plated engraved dragons in it. The Algae Well of the Dragon Pavilion is also splendid. " (Notes from Signboard)

In Chinese: 祝版龙亭 (Zhu Ban Long Ting)

3) Time Pavilion: " It is also known as Reporting Pavilion. Before the ceremony, officials from the Ritual Administration and Celestial Administration would deliver their report on the ritual schedule to officers in the Pavilion who would forward it to the emperor." (Notes from Signboard)

In Chinese: 时辰亭 (Shi Chen Ting)

4 Brass-figure Stone Pavilion: " The brass figure was placed here before the ritual was held. The figure has an abstinence tablet in hands to remind the emperor of loyalty during abstinence, hence the name of the pavilion. " (Notes from Signboard)

In Chinese: 铜人亭 (Tong Ren Ting)

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Beamless Hall is the main building at the Fasting Palace, where emperor began the ritual ceremonies here before going to Temple of Heaven. The building is not that big, but it displays some important historical items in the hall, including the Dragon Pavilion of Censer and Dragon Pavilion of Prayers Tablet. Outside the hall, there are Time Pavilion and Brass-figure stone Pavilion which have significant function during the ritual ceremonies.

The signboard was written as:

" The Beamless Hall, main hall of the Fasting Palace, was built 1420 (the 18th year of Ming Yongle's reign). The name is derived from the fact that the hall is supported by a brick dome without any beam. The emperor used to hold ceremonial rituals here in his arrival and departure. Now the Hall displays all the furniture in the original place during Emperor Qianlong's reign. The placard board on the lintel bears the inscription "Admirable as Heaven" in Qianlong's handwriting; the articles such as the throne, the screens and eve Qianlong's ink brushes are all original objects and hence very precious. "

In Chinese: 无梁殿 (Wu Liang Dian)