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Temple of Earth
Built in 1530, the Temple of Earth is located in the northern part of Beijing, a little way off Andingmenwai Street. Extending over an area of 37 hectares (91.43 acres), it was surrounded by a double square enclosure. The outer enclosure no longer stands but its west gate remains.
The temple was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by Emperor Jiajing and was used for rituals during the summer solstice for such things as favorable weather and good harvests. The altar shapes are mostly square, mirroring the ancient Chinese belief that the Earth was square. The squares also react with the heavenly circles, featured in the Temple of Heaven which it sits directly opposite to on the city's north-south axis. The temple itself serves mainly now as a park, and is not as impressive as the Temple of Heaven, but noteworthy nonetheless.
Temple of Earth Location, Architecture and Construction
The Temple of Earth (also referred to as the Ditan Park) was constructed in 1530 by Emperor Jia Jing during the Ming Dynasty. The park covers a 40 hectares space outside of Beijing's second ring road. This places the park in the middle of a heavily populated area. The park features lush gardens and tree lined paths. During the Cultural Revolution of China, the temple was damaged; however, the site has been restored and renovated since then.
For thousands of years, the Chinese have believed that important cosmic things could be symbolized using common shapes and directions. Because the Temple symbolizes the Earth, its footprint is square in shape. The square is a powerful symbol in Chinese culture and mythology which can mean Earth or the ground. The Temple's construction mirrors these beliefs with its many square walls and altars. The Temple of Earth is also located in the north of Beijing, north being the direction associated with the Earth. In contrast to this, the much larger Temple of Heaven is circular in shape, symbolizing the heavens and sky, and is located in the south of Beijing. These two temples, along with the Temples of the Moon and Sun (located in the west and east, respectively), interact with each other in spiritually important ways. The Chinese government has listed the Earth temple as one of the most important historical monuments under special preservation.
Ditan Park Today
It is rare to see foreign people or tourists in the actual Temple of Earth in the park. The Temple itself is actually a very small (and underwhelming - when comparing with the Temple of Heaven) portion of the park. Aside from the Temple, the park offers a children's play arcade, water calligraphy (where tourists can purchase over sized brushes and "paint" with water on the cement.), food, and other attractions. The park is frequented by joggers and runners, and is a very popular place to do Tai Chi. Since the 1980s, traditional temple fairs have been held regularly during the Chinese lunar new year.
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