The Temple of the Sky

Dendro of the helmet of the city of Peking, admires an old architectonic complex: it is the Temple of the Sky. When entering his enclosure, it notices one that the main buildings take almost all vidriadas roofing tiles of intense blue color. Does not remember such color the depth, the vastness of the sky? Indeed the effect persecuted by the architects of the temple.

Comstruído in 1420 under the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), was in the beginning baptized like “ Temple of Cielo and the Earth ". It was the place where the emperors offered sacrifices to both. In 1530 under the Jiajing reign (Ming), with the conclusion of the Earth Temple, in the northern outskirts of the capital, its name was replaced by the one of Temple of the Sky. Since then, the sovereigns came here every year, in the winter solstice, a determined day of the first lunar month and the first month of summer: They offered sacrifices to the Sky, they prayed by the good harvests, or rendered cultured to the Sun, the Moon and the stars, and to the Gods of the Wind, the Thunderclap, the Cloud and Rain.

The Temple of the Sky is the major enters the architectures dedicated to the religious ceremonies that subsist in China. It is surrounded by a double wall, that divides the enclosure in two zones: inner temple and outer temple.

The North zone appears in round form and the one of the south, squared. They symbolize Cielo and the Earth according to old conceptions.

The main works of the Temple of the Sky are: The Temple of the rogativas by the Good Harvests and the Altar of the Circular Terrace. Respectively located in the north and the south of the zone of the inner temple, they are connected by a long way made of stone and brick. Divine Route “, “ Sea lane”, or “Red Bridge of the Emperors” are denominated “. In allegorical sense it indicates: In order to arrive at the Paradise, it is necessary to cross one long distance.

Extended Construído in 1530 and in 1749, Altar of the Circular Terrace is also called “ Terrace To pay Tribute to the Sky ". “ Terrace To offer Sacrifices ". Under the Ming, it was decorated with bricks glass finishes of blue color and white marble. But in the days of the dynasty qing, these were replaced by stony blocks of off-white color.

One is made up of three superposed terraces. The blocks in the form of fan cover that them, the balustrades surround that them and the steps that it lead, are nine or multiple ones of nine. A really ingenious design! In old times, the Chinese took the odd numbers like “ numbers yang or lots ". The “9” are the maximum. Such design symbolizes “ Sky of Nine Layers”. In the terrace superior a round slab is seen, popularly well-known like “ Heart of the Sky”. If it strikes it to one or it speaks aloud thence, the sounds are reproduced by the echo.

To the north of the Altar, is the Temple of the Imperial Vault of the Sky, are placed small boards of the Gods. The main room of the same name, in round form, is guarded by five rooms to east and five to the west. The wall that surrounds east temple calls “ Wall of the Echo ", since the polish of its inner side, transmits with clarity the voice. She is another one of the architectonic wonders of the Temple of the Sky.

The Temple of the Rogativas by the Good Harvests, concluído in 1420, is a circular structure with tiled triple that finishes off member state a estfera sea bream. In the beginning, it was of individual colors. From top to bottom: Blue, yellow and green, that represented the Sky respectively, to the emperor and the town. Later, in 1752, these colors were unified with the blue one. Destroyed by a ray in 1889, quickly it was recovered to the sieguiente year. Cielorraso – vaulted and with nine dragoons that the room of this temple ornaments is truly refining. The columns maintain that it are 28 altogether. The four interiors, that take painted dragoons and fénices, symbolize the four stations of the year; the 12 intermediaries, the 12 months of the year; and the 12 Terrestrial exteriors, the 12 Branches. Here, in company of courteous and general, the sovereigns prayed in the first lunar month by the good harvests.

To the north of the room, is the temple of the Celestial Emperor. With five pieces, it had a ceiling covered with vidriadas roofing tiles of yellow color and served like place where sacrifices were offered to the Gods. Construído also in 1420, was called at the outset “ Warehouse of the Sky ". In 1545, with their rebuilding, these roofing tiles were changed by those of blue color, and since then it takes the name of “ Temple of the Celestial Emperor ". On the stone altar, in the main room, the niche rests that conserves the small board pertaining to “ Celestial Emperor ". To both sides of the altar, small ones are aligned eight to install the niches of the ancestors of the eight generations of the imperial family Aisin-Goro. These niches were transferred in 1921 to another place.

Another important construction is the Palace of Abstinence. There, the emperors took bath and spent the night that preceded to the day of the sacrifices to the Sky. In the terrace, on which the room is based, they are appraised a Viewpoint of the Abstinence and the Kiosk of the Table of the 12 Terrestrial Branches. To the northeast it is the Tower of the Bell. This one was touched since the oficiantes left their residence until their arrival to the Altar of the Circular Terrace of the Sky. Concluída the ceremony, the bell was tolled again.

In antig – age, the temples to venerate spirits and Gods was throughout in China. But a so huge architectonic complex and with as careful disposition as the Temple of the Sky is almost the unique one in the country.

In addition, in the neighborhood of these main constructions, are auxiliary buildings like the House of Divine Music, the Divine Kitchen, the Kiosk To kill the Cattle –

The Temple of the really incomparable Sky – joint architectonic, appears today in the List of the UNESCO of Cultural Patrimonies of the World.