The upper terrace of the Circular Mound Altar is surrounded by nine concentric rings of paving stones, with the central circular stone slab known as the “Heart of Heaven Stone.” Around it are nine stones in the first outer ring, eighteen in the next, increasing by nine each time until the outermost ring of eighty-one stones — symbolizing the “Nine Heavens.” When a person stands on the Heart of Heaven Stone and speaks, their voice sounds particularly deep and resonant. …
Zhongshan Guild Hall is located at No. 5 Zhuchao Street and is listed as one of the third batch of municipal-level cultural heritage conservation units in Beijing. The layout is rigorous, and the architecture is exquisite. The front hall and the corridor are relatively well preserved. …
The Beijing Ancient Observatory is located at the southwest corner of the Jianguomen Overpass and is one of the oldest observatories in the world, boasting a history of over 500 years. It is renowned for its well-preserved architecture, intact instruments, and long-standing legacy. It served as the royal observatory during the Ming and Qing dynasties and is now a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.
Nanluoguxiang is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Beijing and is also included in the planned 25 historic preservation zones. Running from north to south, it starts at East Gulou Street in the north and ends at East Di’anmen Street in the south, stretching 786 meters in length and 8 meters in width. Built around the same time as the Yuan Dynasty capital (1267), it is China’s only well-preserved traditional residential area that retains the original layout of Hutongs and courtyard homes from the Yuan Dynasty.
Liuyin Park is located at No. 8 Huangsi Street, Anwai, Dongcheng District, Beijing. Covering an area of 17.47 hectares, including 6.25 hectares of water surface, it is the only park in Beijing that offers a rustic mountain-village charm. The site was originally a group of kiln pits, transformed into a lake in 1958, and then turned into a park in 1948. This park has two major features.
As a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing, the former residence of Lao She is an ordinary Beijing-style courtyard home. It features a flush-gable roof with purlins, is entirely made of wood, and has a compact overall layout. The main gate faces east and is located on the west side, with a gray-tiled gatehouse and black-painted doors. Upon entering, the first thing you see is a brick screen wall in the center of which a large red “Fu” (good fortune) character is displayed as decoration. Moving further inside
is one of the three main halls outside the Forbidden City in Beijing, located between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City. It served as a place where the emperor would rest and receive obeisances from officials before attending grand ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. On days when the emperor personally conducted rituals, such as worship at the Temple of Heaven or the Temple of Earth, he would review the sacrificial texts at the Hall of Central Harmony the day before. Before personally plowing the field at the Altar of Agriculture, the emperor would also inspect the seeds and farming tools here.
The Hall of Martial Valor is a Han-style palace structure originally built in the early Ming Dynasty. It is located to the west of the Xihemen (Gate of Harmony) in the Outer Court of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The main hall, the Hall of Martial Valor, faces south, is five bays wide and three bays deep, and features a yellow-glazed tile hip-and-gable roof. Its Sumeru pedestal is enclosed by white marble railings, with a front terrace and a pathway leading directly to the Gate of Martial Valor. The rear hall, the Hall of Reverent Thought, has a similar layout to the main hall, and the two are connected by a covered walkway. The side halls to the east and west are respectively the Hall of Moral Cultivation and the Hall of Glorious Transformation, with a total of 63 corridors on the left and right. In the northeast corner of the courtyard is the Hall of Eternal Longevity, and in the northwest is the Bathing Virtue Hall. The Hall of Martial Valor corresponds to the Hall of Literary Glory (located to the east of the Outer Court), representing the pairing of civil and martial functions.
The Hall of Imperial Ancestors, located on the eastern side of the Inner Court of the Forbidden City, was the imperial family’s ancestral temple for worshipping their forebears during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty followed the Ming system, reconstructing it in the 14th year of the Shunzhi reign (1657) and carrying out multiple renovations thereafter. The Hall of Imperial Ancestors is an H-shaped structure built atop a white Sumeru pedestal, surrounded by high walls. The front section is the main hall, and the rear is the bedroom hall. The front hall
The museum is located on the north side of the main thoroughfare of East Chang'an Avenue in Beijing, with a construction area of approximately 35,000 square meters. As a museum themed around women and children, the China Women and Children Museum focuses on collecting, exhibiting, and researching cultural relics related to women and children, promoting the development of women and children's causes, and serving women and children at large.
On the northwest terrace of the Wu Ying Dian architectural complex on the western side of the Outer Court, there is a distinctive remnant of a Turkish-style "bathroom" known as the Bathing Virtue Hall. Its name originates from the phrase "bathe virtue and cleanse the body" in the Book of Rites. During the Qing Dynasty, it served as an office for literary officials tasked with proofreading books, specializing in book printing and binding. The Bathing Virtue Hall faces south and has three bays, with a yellow-glazed tile hipped-gable roof.
was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived and handled daily state affairs in the Forbidden City. It is the foremost of the Three Rear Palaces, located inside the Gate of Heavenly Purity. "Qian" means heaven, and "Qing" means clarity. The first meaning symbolizes a perfectly clear sky, untainted and unclouded, representing national stability; the second symbolizes the emperor's conduct being as open and aboveboard as the clear sky, without any hidden wrongdoings.
The main gate to the outer court palaces of the Forbidden City. It is the largest gate in the Palace Museum in Beijing. Originally built during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, it was initially called the Gate of Heavenly Praise, and was once renamed the Gate of Imperial Supremacy. Beyond the gate lies the Hall of Supreme Harmony (commonly known as the Hall of Golden Chimes), making it arguably the highest-ranking gate in ancient Chinese architecture. The existing structure was rebuilt in the 15th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty. It is nine bays wide and three bays deep, with a floor area of
The Palace of Longevity and Health is located north of the Palace of Longevity and Peace on the Outer Western Road of the Inner Court, and south of the Hall of Literary Glory. It was first built during the Ming Dynasty and was originally named the Hall of Auspicious Harmony. In the fourth year of the Jiajing era (1525), it was renamed the Hall of Peaceful Harmony. In the early Qing Dynasty, the original Ming structure was retained. During the Yongzheng reign, the Hall of Peaceful Harmony Official School was established here. In the 16th year of the Qianlong reign (1751), the school was relocated. In the same year, to celebrate
The Beijing Mumingtang Ancient Porcelain Specimen Museum is located at No. 1, Donghuashi Beili East Area, Dongcheng District, Beijing. It is a unique folk museum that combines traditional Chinese tea art performances and appreciation with the study and hands-on experience of ancient Chinese ceramic specimens. This museum integrates visiting with leisure. The total area of the museum is 428 square…
A national industrial tourism demonstration site located on Anlelin Road, Yongdingmen Outer Street, Chongwen District, Beijing, between the Second and Third Ring Roads in the southern part of the city. It is about 5 kilometers from the city center. Visitors can reach it by walking just 500 meters south from the south gate of Temple of Heaven, making it highly accessible. Beijing Enamel Factory Co., Ltd. is a distinctive tourism brand enterprise integrating R&D, design, production, and commerce of cloisonné.
Zhushikou Church is a Christian church established in Beijing by the Methodist Episcopal Church (Methodist Church), and it is one of the few Christian churches in Beijing still in active use. The Zhushikou Church is located at No. 129 Qianmen Street, Dongcheng District, at the intersection of Guang’an Avenue and Qianmen Street, two bustling thoroughfares. The church was first built in 1904.
South Hall Park is located inside Dongzhimen. During the Ming Dynasty, this area was a copper smelting factory. In 1956, the Municipal Planning Bureau approved the site for green space development and named it South Hall Park based on the local residents' common name. The park faces the Russian Embassy to the north, neighbors the famous Tongjiao Temple to the west, connects to Beizhong Street to the east, and borders Xiyangguan Hutong to the south. The entire
Zhongcui Palace, an architectural complex on the eastern side of the Inner Court of the Forbidden City in Beijing, is one of the Eastern Six Palaces. It is located west of Jingyang Palace and north of Chengqian Palace. Built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), it was initially named Xianyang Palace. In the 14th year of the Jiajing reign (1535), it was renamed Zhongcui Palace. In the 5th year of the Longqing reign (1571), the front hall of Zhongcui Palace was renamed Xinglong Hall, and the rear hall
The Lingxing Gate is an ancient ceremonial gate at temples, symbolizing the gateway to the heavens. Its name is derived from the star "Lingxing" in traditional Chinese astronomy, which was believed to be the star of education and enlightenment. Flanked by two stone walls inscribed with ancient texts, there are nine arches in total, with four on each side, known as the "Four Cloud Gates Standing Like Jade"...