Temple of Agriculture

　　Destination Introduction
　　The Temple of Agriculture is located west of Yongdingmen Street in Xuanwu District. It was a site where emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to the God of Agriculture. Built during the Ming Dynasty under the Jiajing era (1522-1566). The main surviving structures include the Altar of Agriculture, the Observation Platform, the Divine Granary, the Hall of the God of Year, and the Palace of Completion.

　　　　The altar itself is constructed of brick and stone, forming a square single-tiered structure about 15 meters long and wide, and 1.5 meters high, with eight steps on each of its four sides. To the north of the altar lies the main hall with five bays, which houses the spirit tablet of the God of Agriculture. The eastern wing room served as the Divine Storehouse, the western wing room as the Divine Kitchen, and the northwest corner as the Animal Slaughtering Pavilion. Both the Divine Storehouse and the Divine Kitchen have a well pavilion to their south. In the early years of the Republic of China, the Temple of Agriculture was briefly converted into South City Park. In the 1930s, the southeast corner was turned into a sports ground, while the northern part became a market and streets. The altar for sacrificing to the God of Agriculture is just one part of the complex. The southern part was originally the Altar of Mountains and Rivers built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), which was rebuilt in the ninth year of the Jiajing reign (1530) 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. It was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic 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 and was used to worship 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 eastern side hall consists of eleven bays and is dedicated to the Generals of Spring and Autumn, while the western side hall, also eleven bays, honors those of Summer and Winter.

　　　　The Observation Platform is situated southeast of the Temple of Agriculture. It features a square platform paved with square stones and is enclosed by white marble railings. Each of its three sides—southeast, southwest, and northwest—has a flight of eight steps. In front of the platform lies a one-acre-and-three-tenths field, which was where the emperor personally plowed the land.

　　　　On the day of the Hai hour during the second month of spring each year, after performing the sacrificial ceremony at the Temple of Agriculture, the emperor would proceed to the Observation Platform to till the land himself and observe the nobles and ministers doing the same.

　　　　The Palace of Completion is located east of the Temple of Agriculture. The palace is enclosed by walls, with a three-bay gate on the southern side. Inside the walls are mainly a five-bay main hall, a five-bay rear hall, and other auxiliary buildings.

　　　　The Temple of Agriculture is an outstanding example of imperial sacrificial architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties. With its largely intact layout, it represents a complete imperial architectural complex from the Ming Dynasty and stands as physical evidence of the feudal systems of ancient China, possessing 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.

　　 Beijing Xuanwu District

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