Temple of Agriculture

Temple of Agriculture

The Temple of Agriculture is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Destination Introduction

The Temple of Agriculture is located on Yongdingmen Street in Xuanwu District. It was the site where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to the God of Agriculture. Built during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566), its main surviving structures include the Temple of Agriculture, the Observation Platform for Plowing, the Divine Granary, the Hall of the God of Year, and the Hall of Celebration.

The altar is made of brick and stone, square-shaped with one level, approximately 15 meters in both length and width, and 1.5 meters high, with eight steps on each of its four sides. To the north of the altar is a main hall with five bays that houses the spirit tablet of the God of Agriculture. The east wing served as the Divine Storehouse, the west wing as the Divine Kitchen, and the northwest corner as the Animal Slaughtering Pavilion. There is a well pavilion south of both the Divine Storehouse and Divine Kitchen. In the early years of the Republic of China, the Temple of Agriculture was briefly converted into South City Park. In the 1930s, the southeastern corner was turned into a sports field, while the northern part became a market and streets. The sacrificial altar for the God of Agriculture is just one part of the complex. The southern area was originally the Mountain and River Altar built in 1420 during the Ming Yongle reign, which was reconstructed in 1530 during the Jiajing reign into two separate altars for the Heavenly Deities and Earthly Deities.

The Temple of Agriculture includes structures such as the Hall of the God of Year, the Divine Kitchen, the Dressing Chamber, the Animal Slaughtering Pavilion, and the Observation Platform for Plowing. It was listed as a Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1979.

The Hall of the God of Year, also known as the Altar of the God of Year, is located northeast of the Temple of Agriculture. It was a place for worshipping the God of Year and other celestial deities such as the Generals of the Moon. The main hall has seven bays and faces south, housing the spirit tablet of the God of Year. The east side hall has eleven bays, dedicated to the Generals of Spring and Autumn, while the west side hall, also with eleven bays, is dedicated to the Generals of Summer and Winter.

The Observation Platform for Plowing is situated southeast of the Temple of Agriculture. It features a square platform paved with square stones and is surrounded by white marble railings. There are eight steps on the southeast, southwest, and northwest sides. In front of the platform lies a one-acre-and-three-tenths field, where the emperor would personally plow the land.

On the day of the plowing ceremony during the second month of spring (Hai Day), the emperor would perform the sacrificial rites at the Temple of Agriculture and then proceed to the Observation Platform for Plowing to till the land himself and observe the nobles and ministers doing the same.

The Hall of Celebration is located east of the Temple of Agriculture. It is enclosed by walls, with a three-bay gate facing south. Within the walls are a main hall with five bays, a rear hall with five bays, and several auxiliary buildings.

The Temple of Agriculture is an outstanding example of imperial sacrificial architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a largely intact architectural complex from the Ming Dynasty’s royal constructions and serves as physical evidence of the feudal systems of ancient China. It holds significant historical and artistic value. Transportation Information

Transportation: Take bus routes 17, 20, 36, or 54 and get off at the Temple of Agriculture stop.

Address: No. 21 Dongjing Road, Xuanwu District, Beijing

Type: Historical Architecture & Heritage Site

Opening Hours:

8:30-19:00

Transportation:

Take bus routes 17, 20, 36, or 54 and get off at the Temple of Agriculture stop.

Admission:

Free

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units in Beijing

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units