|
The Temple of Heaven is very popular among the local people. If you go to the Temple of Heaven in the early morning, you can see groups of people singing, dancing, practicing Taiji or do special mental exercise such as writing on the ground in water with brush. You can also practice with them if you are so inclined.
Located in the southern part of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven is the place where the emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties held sacrificial ceremonies to heaven and prayed for good harvests. Built in 1420, the 18th year of Emperor Yongle’s reign, covering an area of 273 hectares, it is the largest and the best-preserved sacrificial building complex in the world.
The Temple of Heaven consists of two important parts: the Circular Mound Altar in the south and the Hall of Prayers for Good Harvests in the north. The main buildings include the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Hall of Imperial Zenith, the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Hall of Abstinence, the Sacred Music office, the Long Corridor, the Sacred Kitchen, the Sacred Storeroom, and the Slaughter House.
The precisely lay out in the whole complex, the strange echoing effect in the yard of the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the mysterious number of nine used at the Circular Mound Altar, the beamless structure of the Abstinence Hall, the unique design in the Hall of Prayers for Good Harvest, the gorgeous paintings on the buildings and thousands of cypresses of hundreds years old, all of which attract the tourists from all over the world.
What is worth mentioning is the implication of rich historical and cultural connotation of the Temple of Heaven. To offer sacrifices to heaven has a long history in China that can be traced back to thousands of years ago. The spiritual and material civilization achieved and richly accumulated at different stages, which is embodied in the cultural history of offering sacrifice to heaven. As you visit the place and dig deep into history you will feel how wonderful are the great contributions made by the Chinese people to development of the world civilization and culture. What they have achieved is truly marvelous and all embracing: astronomy, climatology, physics, mathematics, ritual system, ethics, philosophy, agriculture, animal husbandry, costume making, culinary art, music, dance and fine arts.
 |
 |
The
Hall of Prayers for Good Harvest |
The
Emperor Offering Sacrifice to Heaven |
 |
 |
The
Circular Altar |
The
Imperial Vault of Heaven |
 |
 |
People
are singing in the Temple of Heaven Park |
People
are singing in the Temple of Heaven Park |
Offer Sacrifices to Heaven
Sacrifices were very popular in human’s history everywhere as well as
in China. According to the “Record of Rites”, even 3,000 years ago in
Zhou Dynasty, our ancestors began to offer sacrifices to heaven and the
sacrificial ceremony to heaven for grain was officially made a state ceremony.
In China the emperors called themselves the sons of heaven and they believed
everything in the world owed its origin to heaven. So they showed great
respect to heaven.
In feudal China, the worship of gods and defense of the nation by armed
forces were two major responsibilities of the monarch. In medieval China,
as in medieval Europe, both monarchical authority and religious authority
were regarded as supreme. The Pope could enthrone the monarch in Europe,
but the religious leaders in China had nothing to do with the enthronement
of an emperor. However, the emperor was required to offer sacrifices to
gods at the time of enthronement. Monarchial authority and religious authority
relied on each other for support. From the standpoint of ancient Chinese
philosophy, religious authority should be the subject and monarchial authority
the object. Thus the emperor was called the “son of heaven”. But in reality
the order was reversed. For instance, some emperors dared to suppress
Buddhism and destroy its scripture. In China, monarchial authority was
supreme and religious authority subsidiary.
As Chinese people believed god was in everything, many sacrifices had
to be made. Like human beings, the gods were divided into classes, and
the sacrifices offered to them were also graded. A “major sacrifice” conducted
by the emperor in person was presented to the God of Heaven, of Earth,
of the Ancestral Temple, of Land and of Grain and to Confucius; an “less
important sacrifice”, conducted by either the emperor or by an official
on his behalf, was presented to the God of Sun, of the Moon, of Farming
and of Silk worm; and a “group sacrifice,” conducted by an emperor’s official,
was presented to the God of Medicine, of Fire, of Towns, of Jade Springs.
A god might be upgraded under certain circumstances. For instance, Emperor
Qianlong upgraded the God of Drought and offered a “major sacrifice” to
him when he prayed for rain during a dry spell that had lasted many years.
As the emperors worshiped so many kinds of gods, lots of temples were
built accordingly. The Temple of Heaven was built in the southern part
of the city, the Temple of Earth in northern part, the Temple of Sun in
eastern part, the Temple of Moon in western part, the Ancestral Temple
and the Temple of Grain and Land beside the Forbidden City and so on.
In the old times, the heaven and the earth were worshipped together as
well as separately. In Qing Dynasty they were worshipped separately, but
when the emperors worshipped the heaven they also worshipped their ancestors
in the Temple of Heaven, because that originated the idea of “Offering
Tribute to Heaven and Respecting Ancestors” of ancient Chinese people.
In olden days the belief was held that “everything under heaven owes its
origin to heaven and human beings find their root in ancestors”. The emperors
also believed that their ancestors lived in heaven after died. In the
Temple of Heaven you can see the tablet of Heavenly King flanked by the
tablets of the first eight Qing Dynasty emperors from Nurhachi to Daoguang.
As you know the tablets represented the Heavenly King and the emperor’s
ancestors.
As the times of worshipping to heaven, it was different according to different
dynasties. In 732AD, the 20th year of Emperor Xuanzong’s reign In Tang
Dynasty (618AD—917AD), it was made explicitly that the sacrifices to heaven
were to be held four times a year. For example, offering sacrifice to
heaven to pray for good harvest in the early spring, to pray for timely
rain in the early summer, to offer sacrifice in the late autumn and on
winter solstice. The succeeding dynasties followed this practice.
Preparations for the Sacrifice
In feudal China, The emperors attached great importance on worshipping
heaven and the
Sacrificial rites were very complicated. So much work would be prepared,
take the example in the Qing Dynasty as follows:
1. Choosing the sacrificial day In ancient time,
the sacrificial day would be set by divination. The “Book of Rites” says:”
to define a day for sacrifice to heaven by divination means to receive
the will at the ancestor’s temple by divination on tortoise shell. This
showed reverence, honor and filial piety to ancestors.” As the monarchs
believed that their ancestors were the massagers between the heaven and
human beings. “On the day of divination the king would stand by waterside
to hear it, thereby getting admonishment from above”. The practice of
choosing a date by consultation prevailed in the Qing Dynasty. To offer
sacrifice on the Winter Solstice was fixed. As the time to offer sacrifices
to heaven, to pray for good harvest or timely rain depended on the 24
solar terms of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
2. Informing god after the date was
set, the emperors would send the officials of Rites to inform the Heavenly
King and other gods by writing invitation cards and burned them in the
temple in order that the Heavenly King and other gods could participate
on time.
3. Inspection of sacrificial animals, utensils, tablets,
sacrificial address Before sacrifice the emperors would inspect the animals
including calf, ram, pig, deer, rabbit etc. Then the officials from five
ministries and five departments will be posted on duty by turns to keep
watch on the animals to ensure everything is correct. At the same time
the emperors and the officials would check the utensils and food containers
to ensure they were clean. The emperors would review the sacrificial address
in the Hall of complete harmony in the Forbidden City and check the tablets
in the Temple of heaven.
4. Having rehearsals of sacrificial rites like a dressed
rehearsal of major celebrations of today it was necessary to have rehearsals
before the formal sacrificial ceremony took place. In the Qing Dynasty
it was regulated that a rehearsal of music and dance must be carried out
in the Sacred Music Office ten days before the ceremony. All related officials
must take part in it.
5. Taking oath and making pledges at ritual ceremony
Oath taking was necessary for the grand sacrificial ceremony. Originating
from the rites of the Zhou Dynasty oath taking was to remind those who
took part in ceremony of their obligations so as to show reverence to
heaven and filial piety to ancestors. The practice was followed since
the Zhou Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty the oath was written down on a little
board with dragon decorations, reads: “on this day such an official had
his oath taking. He must adhere to the rules and rites. If breached he
would published without fail according to the law of the state”.
6. Fasting Performing fast was very important for the
sacrifice to the Heavenly King and ancestors. Like other formal ceremonies
it had strict rules and requirements. The rules of the Zhou Dynasty stipulated,
“the person who participated in sacrificial ceremony must abstain from
sleeping with wife, listening to music, etc. for seven days and restrict
diet for three days to purify the body, mind and conscience.” This is
the way to show sincerity, piety, holly and purity before men were able
to make interchanges with the heavenly god. In the Qing Dynasty the rules
for fasting were as follows:” during the days of fasting one must not
handle any criminal cases, nor attend to court duties with the exception
of important issues. Do not listen to music. Do not sleep with wives.
Do not inquire after sick person. Do not offer condolence to the dead.
Do not drink wine and enjoy meat. In addition one must not eat onion,
garlic, leek and the like. Do not sweep the tomb, etc. On the day prior
to keeping fast one has to take a bath. Those who were disabling or have
ulcers are not allowed to participate in the fast. Otherwise, that would
be blasphemous to the gods in heaven and impious to ancestors. In different
dynasties the period of fasting were different. In the Qing Dynasty the
emperors would have 3 days fast, two days in the Forbidden City and one
day in the Temple of Haven.
7. Placing the tablets of the Heavenly King, other gods
and emperors’ ancestors Quite near the sacrificial ceremony all kinds
of tablets would be placed in dragon pavilions and carried to the Circular
Mound Altar of the Hall of Prayers for Good harvests.
8. Waiting for the time of the ceremony the emperors
in the Qing Dynasty would have two days fast in the Forbidden City and
then he would move to the Abstinence Hall for another day. When the emperor
left his palace, the road leading to the Temple of Heaven would be well
decorated. But the people in the city were not allowed to watch the emperor.
The civilians were ordered to stay at home with windows closed. The emperor
would live in the Abstinence Hall in the night before the worshipping
ceremony. At 5:15 a.m. the Supreme Harmony Bell in the Abstinence Hall
would ring. Then the emperor would get up to go for the ceremony. On the
way to the Circular Mound Altar or to the Hall of Prayers for Good Harvest
he would change clothes into sacrificial robe on the Costume Platform.
When everything was ready the ceremony would begin.
Procedures of Sacrificial Ceremony
The procedures of formal sacrifice are very complicated, which are as
follows:
1. Welcoming the heavenly god The ushering official said
loudly:” Set ablaze the Fanchai stove to welcome the heavenly King. Music
starts.” The official in charge of the stove would light the stove and
the “middle harmony splendid music” would begin. The emperor ascended
the first tier of the Altar and knelt down to offer incense-sticks and
kowtow to the tablets of gods and his ancestors. The emperor faced north,
kneeling down three times and kowtowing nine times.
2. Offering jade and satin The ushering official said
loudly:” Now offer jade and satin. Start music.” The emperor went to his
worshipping place in front the tablets. Holding up a basket containing
green jade and satin he laid it on the table in front of the tablet of
the Heavenly King. He did the same before other tablets.
3. Offering the roasted calf The ceremonial official
chanted loudly:” Presenting roasted calf. Start the music.” Then the official
poured boiling hot broth over the roast calf in the container to treat
the Heavenly God.
4. Three presentations of wine Wine would be presented
three times when the official read the prayers. At this time dance and
music would be performed.
5. Removal of offerings After the three presentations the offerings would
be taken away. Music would be played again. The emperor knelt down three
times and kowtowed nine times.
6. Sending off the heavenly god The sacrificial ceremony
was an exchange between heaven above and men below. Sine heavenly god
was invited to come down, it should be sent off after the ceremony. When
the music began to play, the emperor must kneel down three times and kowtow
nine times to see the heavenly god off to heaven.
7. Watching the stove Watching the stove to burn the
sacrificial objects was the last process. It was the most spectacular
and exciting event. All the prayer boards, satins, jades and so on would
be taken to the “fanchai” and ‘liao” stoves to burn. When the event began
the band would play melody. With face to the east the emperor stood at
his own place. The officials were gathered according to rank. The person
in charge would set ablaze the fire in the stoves and all calves, satins
and incense-sticks would be burnt to ashes in the stove. It was said the
Heavenly King could enjoy the offerings by this way. Up to then, the whole
ceremony was finished. The emperor would go back to the Forbidden City
accompanied by the officials.
The Acoustic Phenomenon in the Temple of Heaven:
Two people stand widely apart by the side of the wall. If one of them
whispers towards it at one end the other will be able to hear clearly
on the other end. As if they were speaking over the phone. The Echoing
Wall is circular one with a compact structure built of polished bricks
and the face of the wall is very smooth. In addition, the wall is capped
with an eave, so the sound is neither easy to be absorbed by the wall
nor is it possible to slip away from the wall from top above. Such being
the case, the sound wave has to go along the wall from one end to the
other, thereby producing the echoing effect.
The scientific theory behind the Triple Sound Stone
As the first piece of stone is right in the center of the courtyard and
when you stand on it calling, the sound wave comes back from the wall
all at same time, so you can only hear one echoing sound. But if you stand
on the second or the third stone you can hear it twice or thrice due to
the different distances from the stone to the wall and the three buildings,
which require a different time for the sound wave to travel forwards and
backwards.
Sacrificial Music and Dance:
The sacrificial dance and music formed an important part of the grand
sacrificial ceremony to heaven. They were of the basic ritual type developed
side by side with the development of the sacrificial activities of the
people. The ancients held that “Rite” and “Music” were closely connected
with each other and inseparable. The “Record of Music in the Book of Rites”
described the relationship of rites and music in depth. “Music shows harmony
between heaven and earth, while rite shows the natural order between them.”
“Grand music must be harmonized with heaven and earth and everything will
be flourished. Sacrifice to heaven and earth should be offered. Music
performed at the ceremony for sacrifice to heaven before the Ming Dynasty
was called “Ya Yue” It was called the “Middle Harmony Splendid Music”
The Ya Yue or refined court music” had its root in the cult of nature
and totem, a sacrificial activity in primitive form in ancient China,
it was organized by the sorcerer. The performance put on bizarre costumes
and facial make-ups to imitate various types of gods and deities in singing
and dancing. The pleasant melodies embellished poems, graceful dances
acts of imitation and presentation had became rhythmically standardized.
Played at the grand ceremony for heaven it displayed a pious and solemn
spirit, with a pleasant atmosphere and an artistic combination of songs
and refined music. That was very important in the Chinese music and dance
culture.
Musical Instruments:
The musical instruments used for the worshipping ceremony were handed
down from the ancient time, which include wind instruments, stringed music
instruments and percussion instruments, such as big hanging bell, bells,
litho phone, xylophone, lyres, drum, zithers and flutes etc.
Dance performed:
When worshipping the heaven civil and military dances were performed to
express the reverences to heaven and ancestors. According to the rites,
when the ruler gained control over the country by means of virtuous deed,
he should offer sacrifice to heaven by civil dance. If he conquered the
country by military power he should offer military dance. The Ming and
Qing took control of the country by military prowess so military dance
was performed, followed by civil dance. The civil dancers held “Yue”,
a flute-like bamboo pole with six holes that were painted red in left
hand and “Yu’, the feathers of a tail of a pheasant fixed on a wooden
handle with dragon carvings in the right hand. The military dancers would
hold “gan” a shield in left hand and “qi” an axe in the right hand. The
civil dance and military dance expressed fully the unique spirit in combining
the military with civil administration of ancient China.
Sacrificial Costume:
The emperor for the sacrificial ceremony would wear the special robe and
crown. The upper part of the robe was black and the lower part red. The
sacrificial robe was decorated with twelve flowery patterns, the upper
part of which was painted and skirt below embroidered. The patterns included
the sun, the moon and the stars, which signified celestial bodies. The
dragons changed shape to symbol different gods. The mountain meant clouds
and rain, signifying the super abilities of the emperor to stabilize the
country. Fire was used to signify brightness and helped to guide the officials
and people to abide the mandate of heaven. Rice floor, which were white,
gave nourishment to people. There were twelve strings of pendants hanging
from the crown signifying twelve months in a year.
Mobile:(+86-1350 110 3837) Fax:(0086-10-6585 4230) E-mail: chinasilkrug@msn.com