In the latest of her series, Fiona Vella explores two of Beijing ’s temples that have survived armies wreaking havoc between their magnificent buildings and surrounding gardens

Temple of Heaven

Located in the southeast of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven was where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for good harvests.

It was originally built for Ming Emperor Yongle between 1406 and 1420; the same emperor who had ordered the construction of the Forbidden City.

At the time, this structure was intended to serve as the Altar of Heaven and Earth.

However, subsequent emperors continued to develop and add more buildings until eventually it was turned into a temple that covered an area of 2,730,000 square metres.

Now the temple is divided in two parts that consist of the internal and the external altars.

Tianxinshi (heavenly heart stone) or Yuanxinshi (round-heart stone), as it is also known, is at the centre of the upper terrace of the Yuanqiutai, and this was where the emperor used to stand to read his prayers.

The temple’s remarkable structures were popular for pre-wedding photoshoots

It is believed that any utterances said while standing on this stone can be heard from afar.

On the other hand, Qiniandian (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests), is the main building of the Altar of Prayer for Grain.

The 32-metre-high hall was constructed on a circular, triple-tiered white marble terrace and it is one of the most splendid sections within the temple.

Among its delicate decorations, this cone-shaped structure with triple eaves is covered in blue glazed tiles and the top is crowned by a gilded ball. Yet its most outstanding feature is that this vault is solely supported by 28 massive wooden pillars and a number of bars, lathes, joints and rafters, which are integrated into a reinforced frame to keep up the bulk of the hall.

No beams, crossbeams or nails were used to set it up, and this distinguishes it as one of the most exceptional structures of all Chinese wooden buildings.

The Temple of Heaven is surrounded by a long wall, which takes the shape of a square at its southern side and a semi-circular one at the north.

This represents the ancient belief that heaven was round while earth was square.

The site’s layout has been created in such a way as to embody the traditional Chinese philosophy of complete harmony between man and nature.

Along the years, this temple was considered as a masterpiece that blends architecture with scenery. Moreover, the structure was also considered to reflect profound Chinese culture in terms of politics, philosophy, astronomy, music, painting and gardening.

During the second opium war between 1856 and 1860, the temple was taken over by the British and French empires that were fighting the Qing Dynasty in China.

In 1900, amid another rebellion, the complex ended up under the control of the Allied Forces of the Eight Powers, where it was turned into a military centre.

In the following year, the occupation led to the site’s desecration and much damage was inflicted both on the buildings and the surrounding gardens.

It was also reported that several precious artifacts were stolen.

Once the Qing Dynasty ended, the Temple of Heaven was abandoned. This resulted in further deterioration and some of the halls collapsed.

In 1914, Yuan Shikai, the first President of the Republic of China, organised a religious ceremony in this temple in an attempt to declare himself emperor of China.

Access to the zone was prohibited until, in 1918, this place was turned into a garden and it was opened to the public.

In 1961 the Temple of Heaven was included in the List of the Historical Monuments and Cultural Relics under State Protection, and soon restoration works started on it. Eventually, in 1998, it was recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.

Today, this temple is very popular both with local people and with tourists.

During my visit, hundreds of people of various ages and races were enjoying this wonderful area by taking part in dancing, singing and playing different games.

I also observed that the remarkable structures were popular for pre-wedding photos and for fashion shoots.

Another attractive section in this temple contains a huge cypress which is believed to have been living for the past 1,000 years.

This tree is known as the Nine Dragon Cypress, due to its twisting and coiling trunk.

Yonghegong Lamasery

Known also as the Palace of Harmony and Peace, this structure at the northeast corner of Beijing was built in 1694 .

Originally, during the Ming Dynasty, this structure was planned to serve as the official residence for court eunuchs.

Yet in 1725, this site was upgraded to a palatial residence and emperors of the Qing Dynasty used it for short breaks from the Forbidden City.

Indeed, its red walls, the yellow tiles and the stone lions are clear signs this site had accommodated an imperial family member.

It was finally in 1744, during the Qing Dynasty, that the role of this palace was changed into that of a temple when this site began to act as a lamasery and as a national centre of Lama administration.

The architecture, design and decorations of this lamasery are quite impressive.

Its dimensions are elegantly subdivided into seven adjoining courtyards which are decorated with various halls, pavilions and towers that harmoniously combine the traditional Han, Tibetan, Manchu and Mongolian features.

Nowadays, this place is accessible both for tourists who would like to visit and also to Buddha worshippers who attend to pay their respects to a wide selection of statues that are found within.

Among these figures is a gigantic Buddha that is 26 metres high and was carved out of a single trunk of sandalwood. It is believed to be the largest statue of its kind in the world.

The Yonghegong Lamasery is an epi-tome of the religious art of China. It is also the ideal place for visitors to experience rituals of other cultures and societies.