Temple of Earth

Temple of Earth

The Temple of Earth is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Also known as the Square Moat Altar, the Temple of Earth is the second largest of the five altars in Beijing, the ancient capital. Built in the ninth year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1530 AD), it was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped the “God of Earth,” and it is also the largest existing altar for earth worship in China. The temple covers a total area of 37.4 hectares and has a square shape. The entire structure, from overall design to details, follows traditional Chinese concepts and symbolic legends such as “round heaven and square earth,” “blue heaven and yellow earth,” “south heaven and north earth,” “dragon and phoenix,” and “Qian and Kun.” Existing structures within the Temple of Earth include the Square Moat Altar, the Imperial Vault of Earth, the Slaughter Pavilion, the Hall of Abstinence, and the Divine Warehouse.

Temple of Earth Park is located on the east side of Andingmen Outer Street in Beijing, adjacent to the North Second Ring Road and facing the Lama Temple across the river. The Beijing Wax Museum, built in 1990, is housed inside the Hall of Abstinence. At the time of its construction, the altar was surrounded by a protected area of 1,476 mu, with the total area of the altar itself being 640 mu. It is now a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing.

Temple of Earth Park covers an area of 37.4 hectares and receives 5 to 6 million visitors annually. It is a historic, solemn, and world-renowned imperial altar and temple garden. The park’s predecessor, the Temple of Earth, also known as the Square Moat Altar, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, which is 1530 AD. It was the site where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped the earth and is the largest and the only existing altar for earth worship in China.

Existing ancient structures in the Temple of Earth include the Square Moat Altar, the Imperial Vault of Earth, the Slaughter Pavilion, the Hall of Abstinence, and the Divine Warehouse.

The western gate’s ornamental archway is grand, majestic, and spectacular. It was rebuilt based on the style from the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty and is the largest of its kind among Beijing’s archways. With green glazed tiles, it features paintings of single phoenixes, double phoenixes, and peony patterns. The front center is inscribed with the characters for “Temple of Earth,” while the back center reads “Guanghou Street.” It is one of the main attractions of Temple of Earth Park.

The Square Moat Altar, also called the Worship Platform, is the main structure where emperors worshipped the “God of Earth.” Covering an area of 17,689 square meters, it is divided into upper and lower levels. This grand and spacious altar for earth worship is not only the foremost in China but also stands out globally.

The park is home to 116 species of plants, with over 114,000 square meters of lawn, achieving a green coverage rate of 72%. There are 168 ancient trees over 100 years old, including 80 that are over 300 years old.

From the 30th day of the 12th lunar month to the 7th day of the first lunar month each year, the Temple of Earth Temple Fair is held. Based on the ancient altar’s ambiance, a series of events rich in ethnic, folk, and traditional cultural characteristics take place. Additionally, four seasonal book fairs held throughout the year are a major highlight here.

Suggested Duration

2–3 hours

Transportation

South Gate of Temple of Earth: Metro Line 2 and Line 5, Yonghegong Station; Buses 13, 116, 62, 44, 130, 684, 909, 75, 特12, and 特2

West Gate of Temple of Earth: Metro Line 2, Andingmen Station; Trams 104, 108, 124; or Buses 27, 127, 119, 407, 328, 18, 113, 430, 558, and 特11

North Gate of Temple of Earth: Buses 125, 127; Metro Line 5, Hepingli Beijie Station

East Gate of Temple of Earth: Bus 117

Ticket

Admission: 2 RMB; Imperial Vault of Earth: 5 RMB

Opening Hours

May 1 – October 31: 6:00–21:30

November 1 – April 30: 6:00–20:30

Imperial Vault of Earth in Temple of Earth Park: 8:00–17:00

Location

No. 2A, Andingmen Outer Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units in Beijing

·The sixth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites