The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Built in 1420 (the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty), the original hall was rectangular in shape and was originally named the Great Hall for Sacrificial Rituals. It was used to worship both earth and heaven. In 1545 (the 24th year of the Ming Emperor Jiajing’s reign), it was rebuilt into a round hall with a triple-eave roof and the eaves were covered with blue, yellow and green glazed tiles respectively, symbolizing heaven, earth and the mortal world. At this time, it was renamed the Great Hall for Offering Sacrifices. Reconstructed in 1751 (the 16th year of the reign of the Qing Emperor Qianlong), it was surmounted by a triple roof with azure glazed tiles only, culminating in a gilded sphere, and designated the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was exclusively used to pray for good harvests in early spring.

In 1420, the hall of prayer for good harvest was built based on a model of the temple of heaven and earth in Nanjng. So at that time, it was rectangular in shape and was named “the great sacrifice hall”, which was used to worship heaven and earth. Since 1420~1530, over a hundred years or so, there were altogether 9 emperors of Ming dynasty, who held the worshipping ceremony of both heaven and earth for 102 times.
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