Introduction to the Temple of Heaven
The magnificent and colorful Temple of Heaven (TianTan) was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for good harvests.
The Temple of Heaven was constructed between 1406 and 1420 during the reign of Ming Emperor YongLe (1403-1424), who also oversaw the creation of the Forbidden City during the same period.
The Temple of Heaven was originally established as the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but was given its current name during the reign of Ming Emperor JiaJing (1522-1567), who built separate complexes for the earth, sun and moon. The Temple of Earth (DiTan) can be found in north Beijing. The temples of the sun and moon are in the east and west of Beijing.
The Temple of Heaven was renovated again during the reign of Qing Emperor QianLong (1736-1795).
In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In early 2005, the Temple of Heaven underwent a 47 million yuan (6 million USD) renovation that was completed on May 1st, 2006.