THE ALTAR OF HEAVEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2261, 23 October 1889, Page 2

THE ALTAR OF HEAVEN.

The following is a description of this splendid Tomplo, which bas been, we learn by oablo, entirely destroyed by fire; —•The building de.troyeJ is m many respects one of the most remarkable iv tho world, and the oilamity will undoubtedly have oreated a profound sensa ion throughout the Chinese Empire, The city of Ptkin consists of two quarters. The M.nohu, or inner one, has been almost inacoasri ale to foreigners. In > his quartet tho world- famed Temple of Heaven ii a conspicuous obj ot, for with i s various shrines, gardens, oourts, moats, &0., it occupies an area two miles m circumference Ac a matter of faot there were two temples, Teen-Tan, or the temple de* dioated to Heaven, and Tee-Tan, tbe Temple of Earth, This last is an altar m open air, piaoed npon a raised space within triple olroular terraces, and here the Emperor at every vernal equinox, aooompanled by the appointed officers of religion, opens the season of agriculture. Bat the altar dedioated to Heaven is piaoed within a unique building, Rarely has the plaoe beon Inspeo ed by Europeans, but one of those who did so, is Mr William Simpson, chief of the " Illustrated London I^ewa " staff ,of , artists. Mr Simpson^ moreover, Is an enthusiastic arohssoloa-Ist,' and he succeeded even' iv obtaining i| ns and drawings.; He a..ya :— ««In ebe Temple if Heaven we have three round terraces, giving us an illustration of the threefold division m tbe most Important plaoe of worship In the Celestial Empire. These terra c tumples have acquired a peculiar interest j , the anoleht temples of the tfupbra es Valley ware m terraoes. The North altar of Pekin is formed of three terraoes. On the top of these stands a round temple, surmounted by a triple roof of blue glszad tiles, each roof being less In diameter than the one below it. When this temple was first ereoted, It was intended that Heaven and Earth should be both worshipped at the same plaoe, and the triple roof was then different ; the colors were blue, red, and yellow-— tlie blue for Ueaven and yellow for Eaith. Afterward- % separate temple of Earth was constructed md the triple roof of the North altar was shunged, Ihe red and yellow beooming blue to represent Heaven only." A □blnoeo missionary says:— *• Ihe 'vault af heaven ' is olroular, 99ft high, and of ihree storova. It is ore t.d on the oentre )f a magnificent platform of white marble, hirly feet high. The platform Is reaohed jy three flights of marble steps from any >ne of the four cardinal points At the lead of tho first and si oond flights are ormces twenty feot wide, protected by >alustrar3es of elaborately carved marble. Fhe outside of the pavil'oa and 'the tiling >n its top aro of a deep blue oolor. It is he finest and most imposing structure I lave seen m China..*' J- 1 - ■ - '■■ 1