The Tiantan park

June 9th 2013:  A cold and wet day in Beijing.  I was at the Zijin Cheng in the morning, and here we were, in the evening, with very little time, trying to understand another imperial structure, the Tiantan complex, some 2.7 sq kms of it, in an hour, even as closing time was upon us.

The Tiantan complex is supposedly larger than the Zijin Cheng, because the abode of the emperors could not possibly be larger than the abode of the gods could it?

The Ming and Qing emperors came here during the winter solstice to pray for a good harvest

The beautiful three-layered roof of the main Temple of Heaven was a modification.  Intially, it was built as a rectangular hall.

You approach it via these steps (in groups of nine), with marble balustrades.

The three eaves represent heaven, earth and the rest of the world, supposedly.  The work was beautiful. And seemed so perfect as well.

Hard to imagine that this complex was occupied by the British (yes, those very same colonials), during the shameful second Opium War, and joined by the French as well.  It supposedly served as their HQ through that war, and then in 1900, the Eight Nation Alliance also occupied this temple.

I found this picture from the National Archives of a German officer in front of the Eastern Gate of the complex.

But (atleast from what we saw in our hurried visit), none of this history or damage is evident in this complex, and the Tiantan Park is beautiful, and enjoyed by all sorts of Beijingers.

The Circular Wall is also called the Echo Wall

The archway through which you enter, and the vast and lovely woods all around

The bright decorations on the beams.  The whole place has no nails, we heard, and was rebuilt after a fire caused by lightning brought it down in 1889.

The main altar where the emperor prayed.  The interior roof was magnificent, but it was not possible to get a good picture.

The altar complex.  I wonder if there were sacrifices? 

The Circular Mound Altar, on which the emperor stood and prayed for good weather.  There are nine rings of stone, with the number of stones in each ring increasing as multiples of nine.  How cool is that? 

What were these?  i've forgotten now!

Someone with a sense of humour!

We could not gain entry into the other halls and temples, as the gates were gently shut in our faces.

But we walked the absolutely beautiful woods around, where I could have quite easily have spent an entire day.

There was a covered walkway where older Chinese played cards, carrom and even sang and danced!

Thanks to Yuan Shikai then for releasing this park into public domain.

There were magnificent cypress trees.  Supposedly there's one which is some 500 years old...I didnt bump into it.

One of the avenues....

Back into the bus, and looking back at the gate to the complex...out of one world and into modern Beijing once again.

We forged our way through rush hour, which, like everything in Beijing, is of monstrous and epic proportions.

I just loved the way  they have preserved these oases of peace, quiet and green in this urban jungle.

The city is endless and relentless, and I have never felt so much like a villager.

So is this what a city of the future  will be like?

It was good to escape the streets and go back into another wonderland of Chinese lanterns, fine dining and good company.

A couple of wine glasses later, I was cheery, light-headed and absorbed by the enigma of the old China that coexists with the new China, the two worlds quite separate it seemed, unlike India, where they bump into each other chaotically, constantly and overwhelmingly.