北京导游词

LadiesandGentlemen: WelcometothetempleofHeaven.(Afterself-introduction)preservedculturalheritagesofChina.Therearebasicallytwokindsofvisitorswhocomehere:localpensionerswhodoexerciseshereinthemorningandeveningandsightseersbothfromhomeandabroad.Allinall,thereare12millionvisitorsveryyear.Nowwearegoingtogoalongtheroutethatleadstothealter.Itwilltakeroughlyonehour.Mindyou,theemperoralsowalkedalongthisroutetopaytributetotheGodofHeaven.

(AlongtheSouthernSacredRoadleadingtotheCircularMoundAltar)

ThelargestgroupofarchitecturesevertobededicatedtoHeaven,theTempleofHeavenservedasanexclusivealtarforChinesemonarchsduringtheMingandQingdynasties.ItwasdecreedthatrulersofsuccessivedynastieswouldplacealtarsintheirowncapitalstoworshipHeavenandprayforgoodharvest.Butwhy?

TheancientChinesebelievedthatHeavenwasthesupremeruleroftheuniverseandthefateofmankind,andthusworshipingritesdedicatedtoHeavencameintobeing.TheHeaventheancientChinesereferredtowasactuallytheUniverse,ornature.Inthosedays,therewerespecficritesofworship.ThiswasespeciallytrueduringtheMingandQingdynastieswhenelaborateceremonieswereheld.

TheTempleofHeavenwasbuiltin1420duringthereignofEmperorYoungleoftheMingDynasty.Situatedinthesouthernpartofthecity,thisgrandsetofstructurescoversanareaof273hectares.Tobettersymbolizeheavenandearth,thenorthernpartoftheTempleiscircularwhilethesouthernpartissquare.Thewholecompoundisenclosedbytwowalls,asquarewalloutsidearoundone.Theouterareaischaracterizedbysuburbanscenery,whiletheinnerpartisusedforsacrifices.TheinnerenclosureconsistsoftheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvestandtheCircularMoundAltar.

(AlongtheImperialPassageleadingfromtheSouthernLatticeStarGateinfrontoftheCircularMoundAltar)

theCircularMoundAltarisenclosedbytwowalls,eachcontainingfourgroupsofSouthernLatticeStarGate,eachinturnconsistingofthreedoors,with24marbledoorsaltogether.Standingonthepassagefacingnorth,youwillnoticethatwitheachpairofdoorsonisnarrowerthantheother.Thisreflectsthefeudalhierarchy:thewiderdoorwasreservedformonarchs,whilethenarroweronewasusedbycourtiers.

Onthedayoftheceremony,theemperorwoulddonhisritualcostumeandbeusheredinbytheofficialinchargeofreligiousaffairs.Heascendedthethreeterracesintheforefronttopaytributeatthealter.

(AtoptheCircularMoundAlter)

wearenowonthetopterraceoftheAltar,orthethirdterrace.Eachterracehasaflightof9steps.Atthecenterofthisterraceliesaroundstonesurroundedby9steps.Atthecenterofthisterraceliesaroundstonesurroundedby9concentricringsofstone.Thenumberofstonesinthefirstringis9,inthesecond,18,upto81inthe9thring.Eventhenumberofcarvedbalustradesontheseterracesisamultipleeof9.Butwhy?

AccordingtoancientChinesephilosophy,yinandyangweretwoopposingfactors.HeavenandtheoddnumbersbelongedtoyangwhiletheEarthandevennumbersbelongedtoyin.Ninewasthelargestheavenlynumberaccessibletoman.Whatismore,theancientpeoplealsobelievedthatheavenconsistedofninelayersandthattheemperor`sabodewasontheuppermosttier.

Oncemorelookattheroundstoneinthecenter.Theupperterraceisninezhang(aChineseunitoflength,onezhangequals3.3meters)incircumference,whilethemiddleis15zhang,thelower,21zhang.Classifiedasyangnumbers,thesumofthesenumeralsis45zhangwhichwasmeanttosymbolizedsuccess.Whatismore,byapplyingtheconceptofoddnumbersandstrengtheningnineanditsmultiples,theconceptofheavenwasthusillustratedandrealized.Theconceptofninewillalsobementionedwhenwevisitsomeotherbuildings.

NowIwillgiveyouabriefaccountofwhathappenedhereannuallyontheInterSolstice.ThememorialtabletdedicatedtoHeavenwouldbesetuponthenorthsideoftheterrace,whiletabletsdedicatedtotheemperor`sancestorswouldbeenshrinedontheflanks.Theservicewouldbeginaround4o`clockinthemorning.Allofthelanternswouldbelit.Intheforeground,asacrificialcalfisbeingbarbecued.Onthesquareinfrontofthealtar,theemperor,underheavyescortofnearlyathousandcourtiers,princesofroyalblood,musicians,dancersanduniformedsoldiers,wouldslowlyascendthealtartooffersacrificeandprayinhonorofHeaven.Whentheservicedrewtoaclose,thesacrificeofferedinfrontofthememorialtabletswouldbeincinerated.AllofparticipantswouldwatchthethicksmokeriseupwardasiftheywereseeingGodoff.Musicanddancingwouldfollow.Intheend,theemperorwouldreturntotheForbiddenCitysecureinthebeliefthathewouldbeblessedandprotectedbyHeavenuntilthenextwinterSolstice.

Itisinterestingtonotethat,thestoneintheverymiddleofthealtarwasofmajorimportance,sinceitwaswheretheemperorusedtostandtosayhisprayer.Thestone,whichisknownastheGod`sheartStone,ispeculiarinthatitischaracterizedbyaspecificacousticphenomenon:itmadetheemperor`svoiceclearerandlouder,thusaddingtothemysticatmosphereoftheservice.Youcantrythisoutbyyourself.(ProceednorthwardtopassthroughtheLatticeStarGate)

(InfrontoftheGateofglazedtiles)

thisstructureisknownasHeaven`sStorehouse.ItisenteredthroughtheGateofglazedTiles.Theroofing,beams,andbracketsareallmadeofglazedtilesorbricks.Thisistheonlystructureofitskindinchinatoday.

theHeaven`sStorehousewaswherememorialtabletsdedicatedtothegodswerekept.DouglasHurd,aformerBritishforeighsecretary,oncesaid,“GodattendstoHisaffairsontheCir4cularMoundAltarbutstayshere.”Nowlet`sgointotoseeit(Gothroughtheleftsidedoor)

(InthecourtyardofHeaven`sStorehouse)

thisistheImperialVaultofHeaven,themainstructureofHeaven`sStorehouse.Itwasbuiltin1530andis17metersinheightand19metersindiameter.Thestructurefeatureblueroofstoppedbyagildedball,andcarvedwoodendoorsandwindows.Itisdecoratedwithcoloredpaintings.Foundedona3-meter-hignroundmarbleterrace,thebuildingalsofeaturesagiganticcarvedmarbleramplaidinthestonestaircaseleadinguptothefrontentrance..Therampiscarvedin“TwodragonsPlayingwithapearl”designinrelief.Wewillenterthemainhallbygoingupthestonestaircaseontheeasternside.

(Onthemarbleterraceofthemainhall)

thearchofthehallisbuttressedby16giantpillarsontworings.Ontopofthepillarstherearegiltbracketssupportingacircularcaisson,orcoveredceiling.Theceilingischaracterizedbyagoldencoilingdragondesign.The8pillaroftheinnerringarepaintedscarletanddecoratedwithgoldenlotuses.

Tothenorthofthehallthereisamarblepedestal.Atopit,upawoodenflightof9steps,iswherethemajortabletdedicatetoHeavenwasenshrined.OneachflankfourtabletsareenshrinedinhonoroftheancestorsoftheQingemperors.IntheannexhallinhornoroftheancestorsoftheQingemperors.Intheannexhallsinthecourtyard,therearetabletsdedicatedtothedeitiesofthesun,moon,constellation,cloud,rain,windandthunder.

(EchoWallandTriple–soundStones)

Asidefromexquisitelylaidoutarchitectures,Heaven`sStorehouseisalsofamousfortwostructureswithpeculiaracousticfeatures,i.E.theEchoWallandtheTriple-SoundStone.Amerewhisperatanypointclosetothewallcanbeheardclearlyontheotherside,althoughthepartiesmaybe40or50metersapart.Thisispossiblebecausethewallisroundandhermeticallyconstructedwithsmooth,solidbricks.

InfrontofthestepsleadingawayfromthehallsistheTripleSoundStone.Ifyoustandonthefirststoneandcalloutorclapyourhands,thesoundwillechoonce;onthesecondstone,thesoundwillbeheardtwice;andonthethirdstone,thesoundwillrepeatthreetimes.Hencethename.(Gooutthroughtherightdoorandstrollalongthecircularpathnorthward)

(Nine-DragonCypress)

theTempleofHeavenisalsofamousforitscypresstrees-therearemorethan60,000cypresstreesinall,amongwhichover4,000aremorethanonehundredyearsold,addingtothesolemnatmosphereofthetemple.Thistallcypresswasplantedmorethan500yearsago.Itsthickbranchesandtwistingtrunkresemblingninecoilingplayfuldragons;thusitisknownastheNine-Dragoncypress.Itissaidthatthistreewasheretowelcomethemonarchs.Nowitisheretowelcomevisitorfromallovertheworld.

(InthesouthofChengzhenGate)

nowwearebackagainontheCentralAxis.Thisbrick-archedgateisknownasChengzhen(AdoptingFidelity).ThisgateisthenortherngateoftheCircularMoundAltarandtheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvest.TheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvestissituatedattheextremeendoftheaxis.Itwasusedbytheemperorinthefirstmonthofeverylunaryearforservicesdedicatedtogoodharvest.

(OntheRedStairwayBridge)

enteringtheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvest,wesetfootonaraisedpassage360meterslong,whichtheemperoralsotooktoproceedtothehall.Thisbroadnorth-southwalkway,calledDanbiqiao(RedStairwaybridge),connectsthetwosetsofmainbuildingintheTempleofHeavenandconstitutesasingleaxis.

Thepassageisdividedintoleft,controlandrightpathsbythecrossarrangementofslabs.ThecentralandthewidestpathisknownasHeavenlyThoroughfare,whichwasreservedexclusivelyforGod;nobody,includingtheemperor,wasallowedtosetfootontoit.Theemperorusedthepathontheeast,whichisknownastheImperialWalk.Theministersandprincesusedtheoneonthewest.Interestingenough,thereisnowalkwayleftforordinarypeople.ThisisbecausetheTempleofHeavenusedtobeoff-limitstothem.

Contrarytoappearances,thiswalkwayisnotabridgeatall.Buthowso?Thisroadis4metersabovethegroundandthereisacavernunderneaththatwasreservedforsacrificialoxenandsheep.Thecattlewereslaughteredataslaughterhouseabout500metersawayandbroughthereforsacrifice.Allinall,itcanbesaidthiswalkwaydidserveasbridgeandcanbelookeduponasthefirstcloverleafinBeijing.

Lookingbackatthethoroughfare,youmayrealizethatthiswalkisgainingheighttowarditsnorthernend.AspeopleapproachthearchitecturalgroupoftheHallofPrayerforgoodHarvest,theflankinggrovesofcypressrecedeandperspectivewidens.HereyouareinHeaven.

(Costume-ChangingTerrace)

themarbleterraceupaheadiscalledjufutai,orCostumeChangingTerrace.ItislocatedtotheeastoftheRedStairwayBridgeandcoversaspaceof25squaremeters.IThasmarbleSlabbalustrades.Thedaybeforetheservice,officialsinchargewouldputupayellowsatintentontheterracefortheemperortochangeoutofhisyellowdragonrobeintoblueceremonialclothes.Aftertheservice,theemperorwouldreturntothetentandchangebackintohisimperialrobebeforereturningtothepalace.(ProceedtotheSouthGateoftheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvest)

(AttheGateofPrayerforGoodHarvest)

thisstructureiscalledtheGateofPrayforGoodHarvest.Wecancatchaslightglimpseofthecentralbuilding,theHallofPrayerforGoodharvest,thoughthecolonnadeoftheGate.Agiganticandloftygroupofbuildings,thecomplexincludestheGateofPrayerforGoodHarvest,thehallofprayerforgoodharvest,easternandwesternannexhalls,theHuanqian(Imperialheaven)Longcorridor,HeavenKitchen,slaughterhouse,etc.

theannexhallsweresymmetricallybuiltona1.5-meter-hignbrick-and-marbleterrace,tosetofftheloftinessandmagnificenceofthemainhall.Thisuniquebuilding,38metersinheight,ischaracterizedbyacone-shapedstructurewithtripleeavesandatopthatiscrownedbyagiltball.Theroofingismadeofblueglazedtiles,thecolorofthesky.Underneaththeroof,thebeamsandbracketaredecoratedwithcoloredpaintings.Thebaseofthestructureisatriple-tiered,circularmarbleterrace.Atadistance,theterracelookslikeagigantic,spiralingcloudwiththestructureperchedontopofit.

TodaythehallofprayerforgoodharvestisthehallmarkofBeijing,whichenjoysaprolongedhistoryofcivilization.

(AtthebaseoftheHallofPrayerforGoodHarvest)

Thebaseofthehallisatriple-tiered,circularmarbleterrace,whichis90metersindiameterand6metersinheight,coveringaspaceof4,000squaremeters.Meticulousaccuracywasgiventothelayoutofthestructure.Inthemiddleofeachthree-tieredflightofstairs,thereisagiantmarblerampcarvedincloud,dragonandphoenixdesigns.Tosetofftheramps,thetopofthebalustradesanddownpipesaredesignedwithcorrespondingfloralscrolls.Insouthernpartofeachtier,agiganticbronzeincenseburnerisplaced.Sandalwoodwasburntinthemwhenriteswereobserved.

(InfrontofthehallofPrayerforgoodharvest)

climbingupthismarbleterrace,weseethemainhall,amasterpieceofancientChina.Lookingupyouwillseethecaisson,orcoveredceiling,characterizedbycomplexdesignsofdragonsandphoenixes.Inandout,thehallisdecoratedwithcoloreddrawingofdragonsandphoenixes.

Withouttheuseofsteel,cementandnail,andevenwithouttheuseofbigbeamsandcrossbeams,theentirestructureissupportedby28massivewoodenpillarsandnumberofbars,laths,jointsandrafters.Thefourcentralpillars,calledthedragon-WellPillars,are19.2metershighandpaintedwithdesignsofcompositefollowers,representingthefourseason.Therearetworingsof12scarletpillarseach.Theinnerringrepresentsthe12monthsandtheouterringsthe12divisionsofthedayandnight.Betweenthetworingsthereare24partitionedspacestomarkthesolartermsoftheChineselunaryear.Thepillars,28innumber,alsorepresentthe28constellationsintheuniverse-theancientChinesebelievedthattherewere28constellationsthatmadeupthesky.

Thecenterofthestone-pavedfloorisaroundmarbleslab,whichis88.5centimetersindiameter.Interestingly,theslabfeaturesnaturalblackandwhiteveins,correspondingtothedragon-phoenixdesignontheceiling.ThisparticularslabisknownastheDragon-phoenixstoneandisregardedasatreasureinseparablefromthehall.

ThefurnishingswithinthehallareplacedintheiroriginalpositionsdatingbacktowhenEmperorXianfengruled.IntheforefrontandabovethethroneareenshrinedtabletsincommemorationofHeaven.Oneithertableoneachsidetabletsoftheemperor`sancestorswereplaced.Eachtabletisfrontedbyanaltar.Atotalof24kindsofofferingweremadeonit,includingsoup,wine,assortedcereals,andacalf.

Thesacrificialriteswereobservedintheweehoursofthemorning,sometimeinthefirstmonthoftheChineselunaryear.Becauseitwasstilldark,candles,lanternsandtorcheswerelit.Thislightingcoupledwiththeincensebeingburntinsidethehall,helpedmaketheceremonybothgrandandmystical.

Bythetimetheservicebegan,207musiciansanddancerswouldbeperformingonplatformsoutsidethehall.Theemperor,inhisbluesacrificialrobeandwithanairofpietyandsincerity,wouldwalkslowlyintothehall,kowtow,andofferwineandprayerinhornorofthedeitiesandhisancestors.AlloftheofferingswouldthenbetakentoincineratorsontheeasternsideofthegateofprayerforGoodHarvest.WiththisweconcludeourvisittotheTemperofHeaven.Thefeudalmonarchsandtheirsacrificialriteshavelongvanishedinhistory.However,thisgroupofmagnificentandloftystructuresremainasafinetestamentoftheancientChinese`singenuityandasoneoftheculturalheritagesofmankind.

(OntheLongCorridor)

FromtheEasternGateofthehallofprayerforgoodharvest,wehavenowentera300-meter-longcorridor.Consistingof72sections,thiscorridorservedasaconnectingbuildingbetweentheSlaughterhouse.HeavenKitchen,andthemainhall,Itissaidthatthisonceservedasasacrificialfoodproductionline.Flankingthecorridorareshoppingstalls.Youmayfindsomesouvenirsforyourfamilyandfriendthere.

Well,thatisallforthistour.Thankyouforyourattention.Ilookforwardtoyournextvisit.Goodluckandbonvoyage.