The Temple of Heaven (TianTan), Beijing, China (100 photos) part 2

Architecture, Layout and Map of the Temple of Heaven

天坛的平面布局

The architecture and layout of the Temple of Heaven is based on elaborate symbolism and numerology.

In accordance with principles dating back to pre-Confucian times, the buildings in the Temple of Heaven are round, like Heaven (one can imagine the sky as like a rounded dome), while the foundations and axes of the complex are square (or 2 dimensional - that is, flat), like the earth (appears to be).

Thus, the buildings and their settings reflect ancient Chinese religious beliefs that imagine heaven as round and earth as square. The main buildings in the Temple of Heaven are constructed on a central north-south axis. The altar and temple are round and sit within square shaped areas.

Similarly, the northern part of the park is semicircular in shape while the southern part is square. The two parts are divided by a wall that has a semi-circular obtrusion in the middle around the Imperial Vault. This echos the shape of the park as a whole.

The roofs of the important structures in the Temple of Heaven are tiled in blue, the color symbolizing heaven and sky (just as golden yellow symbolizes the emperor and green Buddhism).

The symbolism at the Temple of Heaven was necessary because it served as the place where the emperor, as the 'Son of Heaven', directly beseeched Heaven to provide a bountiful harvest throughout the land. This was of great importance because during the imperial period agriculture was the foundation of China's wealth.

The Temple of Heaven, with its ancient cosmological basis, in turn helped to reinforce the legitemacy of the emperor's role as head of a feudal system with a mandate from Heaven. In showing respect to Heaven through prayer and sacrifices, the emperor effectively emphasized the source of his authority.

天坛的建筑结构是在命理学的基础上建造的。

他的建筑原理依据要回到儒家学说时期，那时候的人认为天是圆的（想象中天空就像一个圆形穹顶）地是方的，所以天坛公园的布局是北圆（象征着天空）南方(象征着平地)，正像这地球显现出来的样子。

因此，建筑的造型和它们的地点设置都是遵循了古时中国人的信念。天坛的主要建筑物都是建在一个中央南北中轴线上。祭坛和寺庙都是座落在一个正方形区域里的圆形建筑。同样的道理，这个公园的外形北面是半圆形的，南面是正方的，两部分中间以一城墙分隔，在中间的地方是半圆形的围绕着皇穹顶。有关回声的这半公园做为一个整体呈现。

在天坛重要结构的屋顶是蓝色的象征这颜色象征着天空（就像黄色象征着统治者）。

隐喻在天坛是很必要的，因为它是让皇帝作为一个“天子”直接向老天爷祈求来年整个神州大地到处都丰收的地方。这个是非常重要的，因为在封建社会农业是整个中国的财富。

天坛，有着它古老的宇宙学原理，反过来也有助于强化皇帝身为一个受命于天的角色。通过敬拜和供奉祭品表面上的敬天，统治者有效的强调着他的权利的来源。

Burning vessels.