For a long time, the Temple of Heaven has been regarded as one of the architectural symbols most representative of China, with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvestanding out as a landmark of Beijing. On May 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Temple of Heaven with U.S. President Donald Trump. This World Cultural Heritage sit again trended on social media, becoming the focus of domestic and international media attention.

Why is the Temple of Heaven considered an irreplaceable presence among ancient Chinese architecture? A reporter iniewed Li Weiwei, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Cultural Heritage (Beijing Academy of Archaeology), specializing in architectural history, to interpret the cultural codes and architectural wisdom embn the Temple of Heaven.

Masterpieces of Architecture: Embodiment of the Chinese Understanding of the Universe and Nature
Since ancient times, China has had theional custom of worshipping heaven and earth. This activity can be traced back to the earliest archaeological evidence, the circular altar at the Niuheliang site of the late Nehic Age. The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 (the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), modeled after the layoutg. Initially serving as the Altar of Heaven and Earth, it underwent subsequent expansions and renovations. It is the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial sacrificial complex dedicated to heaven n the world, highlighting its unique status and significance.
Located in the southeast of the Outer City of the old Beijing city and on the east side of the Beijing Central Axis, the Temple is symmetrically positioned with the Altar of Agriculture to the west, emphasizing the respect for and emphasis on ritual in traditional Chinese capital city planning. The Temple of Heaven consists inner altar and an outer altar. The two concentric walls are round in the north and square in the south, with rounded corners in the north and right angles in the south.s symbolizes the cosmological view of "a round heaven and a square earth," representing the spatial expression of the philosophical concepts of ancient Chinese people.
Li Weiwei stated that the Tempaven carries the state sacrificial rituals and cultural traditions of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It embodies the Chinese understanding of the universe and nature, as well as the Chinese understarelationship between humanity and nature.
He explained that the state sacrificial architecture of the Qing Dynasty was collectively referred to as the "Nine Altars and Eight Temples," and tle of Heaven includes two of these: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, where the ritual for praying for a good harvest is held, and the Circular Mound Altae the ritual for worshipping heaven is held. Because it is necessary to follow the natural laws of heaven, earth, and all things, sacrifices are held here every year to pray to heavens for favorable weather in the coming year: the ritual for praying for a good harvest is held on the first Xin day of the first lunar month at the Altar of Prayer for ood Harvests, praying for a bumper crop of the five grains; and the ritual for worshipping heaven is held on the Winter Solstice at the Circular Mound Altar, praying tional peace and prosperity.
The Temple of Heaven is one of the 15 heritage components of the Beijing Central Axis. At the same time, it forms its own central axis through the Vermilion Steps Bridge, ingeniously connecting the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and the Hall of Impce, creating a harmonious and magnificent picture.
"Numbers" in the Architectural Art of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: Reflecting the Ancient Chinese Emphasis on Agriculture
ll of Prayer for Good Harvests, situated on the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, combines a circular architectural form with numbers, imbuing it with profound philosophical depth. It dies the cyclical passage of time and the spirit of the "unyielding movement of heaven" and the "circularity of the celestial way."
Inside the Hall, there  large beams or long purlins; the roof is supported solely by interlocking Phoebe zhennan columns, lintels, and brackets. The four central large columns lled "Dragon Well Columns," symbolizing the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Beside them are twelve slightly thinner columns known as "Golden Columns," symbolizinwelve months of the year. The twelve outermost columns are called "Eave Columns," symbolizing the twelve double hours of a day. Adding the central and outer columns together t twenty-four, symbolizing the Twenty-Four Solar Terms. Including the four Dragon Well Columns, the total is twenty-eight, symbolizing the Twenty-Eight Mansions of the Chinnstellations. If the eight "Child Columns" supporting the roof beams are also counted, the total is thirty-six, symbolizing the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits.
Li Weiweited that the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests itself reflects the ancient Chinese emphasis on agriculture, with its name expressing the meaning of praying for a bountiful harvest. In thes of the ancients, favorable weather was considered the greatest blessing for the people.
It is worth noting that during the Ming Dynasty, the three-tiered eaves of the Hall were coveredglazed tiles in three colors: blue on the upper tier, yellow in the middle, and green on the lower tier, representing heaven, earth, and all living things respectively. ing the Qianlong reign, they were uniformly changed to blue glazed tiles.
The Beauty of the Circular Mound Altar: Reverence for "Heaven" Embodied in the Details
In addition the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Circular Mound Altar also embodies reverence for "Heaven" in its design and construction details.
During the Qianlong reign, t effort was put into the "numbers" when the Circular Mound Altar was renovated. Li Weiwei discovered in historical records that during the Qianlong era, the balus panels were initially intended to be 360, as ancient Chinese believed the celestial sphere was 360 degrees. However, if one counts the balustrade panels ahe Temple of Heaven today, they will find there are 216 instead: 36 on the upper tier, 72 on the middle tier, anon the lower tier. This was done because if 360 panels were laid, each would be too small, making the altar appear less grand and beautiful; thus, it was rgned to have 216 panels.
In fact, the number 216 is also "of great significance." Li Weiwei points out that most numbers used in the architef the Temple of Heaven are related to "9," and 216 is exactly 24 times 9, representing the sum of heaven and earth in ancient philosy. The *I Ching* records: "The number of the lines of the *Qian* hexagram is two hundred and sixteen; that of the *Kun* hexagram is hundred and forty-four. Together they make three hundred and sixty, corresponding to the days of the year. The number of the lines in the two parts is eleven thousand five hundredorresponding to the number of all things."
Beyond the architecture, the Temple of Heaven is extensively planted with pine and cypress trees, allowing it to maintain a verdant and solemn atmhere even in winter, creating a landscape characterized by naturalness, solitude, and mystery. This unique architectural planning technique makes the Temple of Heaven stand out among ancient buildings, becoming rreplaceable existence.