The Cultural Treasure on Beijing's Central Axis - The Ancestral Temple, the Main Hall is Stunning!

The Ancestral Temple, located on the east side of Tiananmen Square in Dongcheng District, Beijing, is a brilliant pearl on the central axis of Beijing. It not only carries the weight of history but is also a place of cultural heritage. The Ancestral Temple is not only a sacred place for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship their ancestors but also the largest and best-preserved royal ancestral temple complex in China. Since its completion in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty (1420), along with the Forbidden City, the Ancestral Temple has carried the royal reverence for ancestors. If you travel to Beijing, you should come here to see it. Although its identity has changed several times since the Republic of China, its profound cultural heritage has never changed. Today, visitors have the opportunity to experience the solemn atmosphere of ancient royal ancestor worship, appreciate the traditional ritual system of "left ancestor and right society," and the ancient wisdom contained in the enclosed courtyard structure. When entering the Ancestral Temple, it is recommended to get off at the east side of Tiananmen Square and walk along Nan Chi Zi Street to the east gate of the Ancestral Temple. This way, you can avoid the peak flow of people at Tiananmen Square and feel the solemn atmosphere of the royal family in advance. If you have successfully booked a ticket to the Forbidden City, you can enter from the east gate of the Ancestral Temple and exit through the northwest gate to conveniently reach the Forbidden City. In the eastern part of the Ancestral Temple courtyard, there is a small highland, said to be the highest point in the entire scenic area. A pavilion stands on it, quiet yet with a unique charm. Unfortunately, the pavilion has not been named, and there is no relevant record in online information or scenic area introductions. If you know its name, feel free to share it in the comments section and add a touch of elegance to this ancient pavilion. Entering the east gate of the Ancestral Temple, the first thing that catches your eye is the mysterious Prince's Forest in the south. According to legend, the prince once planted cypress trees here at will, and no one dared to manage them, so a few unique cypress trees were formed. Continuing forward, you will see an ancient building - the Sacrificial Animal House. This was once the place where animals for sacrifices were slaughtered, witnessing countless solemn sacrificial moments. Not far away, the sacred cypress stands quietly, said to be the first tree planted by Emperor Chengzu of the Ming dynasty, symbolizing the dignity and heritage of the royal family. The design of the glazed gate of the Ancestral Temple is quite distinctive, similar to the gate of the Shouhuang Hall in Jingshan Park, both adopting a layout of three rooms and seven pavilions, with yellow glazed tile roofs highlighting its noble status. Stepping into the glazed gate, the first thing that catches your eye is the divine kitchen and divine warehouse on both sides, as well as the well pavilion in the middle. Both the divine kitchen and divine warehouse are designed with yellow glazed tile single-eave hanging mountain roofs, the former responsible for making sacrifices, and the latter used to store precious sacrifices. Facing the glazed gate is the Halberd Gate, which has been showcasing the majesty of the royal family with its unique design of yellow glazed tile single-eave hipped roofs since its completion in the 18th year of the Yongle reign (1420). Inside the Halberd Gate, there were originally eight halberd racks, with 120 silver-tipped red-pole golden dragon halberds placed on them. Unfortunately, these precious cultural relics were plundered by the Eight-Nation Alliance in the long river of history. In front of the Halberd Gate, a river flows quietly, with seven single-arch stone bridges spanning it. Among them, the imperial road bridge in the middle is specially set for the emperor, while the prince bridge and rank bridge on both sides are for princes and nobles and rank officials, respectively. The outermost side of the bridge is a passage for ordinary people to walk. Passing through the small gate next to the Halberd Gate, you will enter the core area of the Ancestral Temple, where the grand ancestor worship ceremony is held - the Main Hall of the Ancestral Temple. The Main Hall, also known as the Front Hall, carries the solemn ceremony of the emperor offering sacrifices to his ancestors. Its magnificent architectural layout is breathtaking: eleven rooms wide, six rooms deep, with double-eave hipped roofs, and yellow glazed tile roofs highlighting the nobility and majesty of the royal family. Under the eaves, the plaque with nine friends and gold leaf is inscribed with the words "Ancestral Temple" in Chinese and Manchu, symbolizing the integration and inheritance of Chinese culture. The entire hall is 46 meters high, and with the 46-meter-high Sumeru pedestal, the total height reaches 92 meters, making it even more magnificent. Inside the hall stand 68 large pillars of golden nanmu, with the thickest diameter reaching 2 meters. The roof is decorated with exquisite gold leaf and powder paintings, with the decoration of the three rooms in the middle mainly in gold, while the sides are embellished with ink lines and pigments. This is the exhibition hall of "The King of Chime Bells - Chinese Harmony Bell," with the inscription "Chinese Harmony Bell, Eternal Peace" by Chairman Jiang on the bell in the center of the exhibition hall, appearing solemn and solemn. It is worth mentioning that the scale of the entire bell frame has already been crowned the Guinness World Record.