Why can Beijing Temple of Heaven be included in the World Cultural Heritage List?

● Beijing Temple of Heaven has cultural heritage value;

(1) The Temple of Heaven is one of the accumulations of Chinese civilization.

The site selection, planning, architectural design, ceremony, music and dance of the Temple of Heaven are all based on the theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements in China's ancient Book of Changes, which successfully demonstrated the ancient people's understanding of "heaven" and "the relationship between man and nature" and their desire for God. Throughout the ages, altars were built to worship heaven, and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing is the only one that is intact and is a masterpiece of the ancients.

(2) The architecture of the Temple of Heaven shows the unique artistic expression of the ancient meaning and symbol of China.

The scale of the dome and the number of components are very concentrated, and the number "nine" is repeatedly used to symbolize "heaven" and emphasize the connection with "heaven". The Hall of Prayer for the New Year in the Temple of Heaven is round and blue. Its pillars and bays separate the four seasons, the twenty-four solar terms, twelve months and twelve hours a day (twelve hours a day in ancient times, each hour is two hours) and constellations symbolizing the stars in the sky. Everywhere "like heaven and earth" is the only remaining example of the ancient "Tang Ming" (a sacrificial building dedicated to the ancient emperors of China, which looks like heaven and earth everywhere), and it is the carrier of the ancient culture of China.

? (3) The Temple of Heaven is an ancient masterpiece integrating ancient philosophy, history, mathematics, mechanics, aesthetics and ecology.

Temple of Heaven is a masterpiece of architectural technology and art in architectural design and construction in Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Hall for Praying for the New Year and the Imperial Palace are halls with wooden components, which are round in plane, huge in shape, exquisite in craftsmanship and ingenious in conception. They are rare examples in ancient Chinese architecture. The Temple of Heaven has also created an ecological environment of "harmony between man and nature", with a large forest area and rich vegetation. It is a physical object for studying ancient architectural art and ecological environment, which is of great scientific value and an outstanding model in royal altar architecture.

The Hall of Praying for the New Year, the composition center to the north of the central axis of the building, is magnificent and exquisite in structure. The inner space rises layer by layer and gathers towards the center, and the circular eaves of the outer abutment contract layer by layer, which not only causes strong upward movement, but also makes people feel dignified and steady. The color contrast is strong, but it is very harmonious. Making people step into the altar is like stepping on auspicious clouds to ascend to heaven. From the whole to the part, the Temple of Heaven is a masterpiece of ancient architecture and craftsmanship, which is of great artistic value. It is the remains and carrier of Chinese ideology and culture in a long historical period. The Temple of Heaven is a materialized ancient philosophy with high historical value, scientific value, unique artistic value and profound cultural connotation.

To sum up, the Temple of Heaven, an ancient altar complex, has high historical value, scientific value, unique artistic value and profound cultural connotation. There are one, two, three and four criteria for its listing in the world cultural heritage list: listing the Temple of Heaven as an artistic masterpiece with outstanding world value will be more conducive to its protection and permanence.

Extension:

The Temple of Heaven was built in the first half of15th century. It is located in the royal garden and surrounded by Gu Song. It is a well-preserved temple complex, and both the overall layout and the single building reflect the relationship between heaven and earth, which occupies a core position in China's ancient world outlook. At the same time, these buildings also reflect the unique role played by the emperor and the prince in this relationship.