Niujie Mosque

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Niujie Mosque

Basic information
Location Beijing, China
Affiliation Islam
Status Active
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Specifications

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The Niujie Mosque (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ;

pinyin: Niji lbis; WadeGiles: Niu-chieh Li-pai-ssu "Oxen Street House of Worship" or
Chinese: ; pinyin: Niji Qngzhns; WadeGiles: Niu-chieh Ch'ing-chen-ssu
"Oxen Street Mosque") is the oldest mosque in Beijing, China. It was first built in 996 during
the Liao Dynasty and was reconstructed as well as enlarged under the Kangxi Emperor (r.
1661-1722) of the Qing Dynasty.[1]

The Mosque is located in the Niujie area of Beijing's Xicheng District, the spiritual centre for
the 10,000 Muslims living in the vicinity and it is the biggest and oldest one in Beijing. It was
within the Xuanwu District before it merged into Xicheng in 2010. Niujie in Xicheng
District, where the mosque is located, is the largest area inhabited by Muslims in Beijing.

The Niujie Mosque covers an area of approximately 10,000 square meters. The mosque
reflects a mixture of Islamic and Han Chinese cultural and architectural influences. From the
outside, its architecture shows traditional Chinese influence and the inside has blend of
Islamic calligraphy and Chinese design. The main prayer hall is 600 square meters in area,
and can hold more than 1,000 worshipers, while non-believers cannot enter it. The mosque,
built out of timber, is home to some important cultural relics and tablets such as the upright
tablet of an emperor's decree proclaimed in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty.

Contents
1 History

2 Tourism and official visits

3 Transportation

4 Gallery
 5 See also

6 References

History
The Niujie Mosque, the largest of all the mosques in Beijing, was first built in 996 during the
Liao Dynasty (916-1125).[2][3] The local Muslim community constructed the mosque using
traditional Chinese architecture, with the exception that it displays Arabic calligraphy in the
interior. It was originally designed by Nazaruddin, the son of an imam. After it was destroyed
by armies of Genghis Khan in 1215, the Mosque was rebuilt in 1443 in the Ming Dynasty and
significantly expanded in 1696 under the Qing Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, the
neighbouring markets were known for Halal beef and mutton, even until today, the presence
is still quite strong with Muslim grocery stores with Arabic sign along the road. The actual
name of the Mosque is Lbis, which is given by the Chenghua Emperor in 1474, since it is
located in Oxen Street (Ni means Oxen and ji means street) this Mosque is simply called
Niujie.[3] It is now one of the major mosques in north China.

The mosque has undergone three renovations since the founding of the People's Republic of
China in 1949, respectively in 1955, 1979 and 1996.[citation needed]

As of 2002 the master plan of the renovation of Niujie stated that the mosque will remain at
its current location and that a grassy area and large square would be developed around the
mosque.[4]

Tourism and official visits

The Government of the People's Republic of China often uses the Niujie Mosque as a visiting
site for delegations coming from Islamic countries. Han Chinese and Hui tourists and
Muslims from outside of China visit the Niujie Mosque for tourism reasons.[5]

Transportation
The mosque is accessible within walking distance south west of Caishikou Station of Beijing
Subway.
Temple of Heaven
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Tian Tan" redirects here. For the Big Buddha statue in Hong Kong, see Tian Tan Buddha.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial
Sacrificial Altar in Beijing
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

Type Cultural
Criteria i, ii, iii
Reference 881
UNESCO region Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1998 (22nd Session)

The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven (simplified Chinese: ; traditional
Chinese: ; pinyin: Tintn; Manchu: Abkai mukdehun), is a complex of religious
buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the
Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for
good harvest. It has been regarded as a Daoist temple,[1] although Chinese heaven worship,
especially by the reigning monarch of the day, predates Daoism.

Contents
 1 History

2 Buildings and layout

3 Ceremony

4 Symbolism

5 Park

6 Access

7 Photo Gallery

8 See also

9 Notes

10 References

11 External links

History

The temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle
Emperor, who was also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The
complex was extended and renamed Temple of Heaven during the reign of the Jiajing
Emperor in the 16th century. The Jiajing Emperor also built three other prominent temples in
Beijing, the Temple of Sun () in the east, the Temple of Earth () in the north, and
the Temple of Moon () in the west . The Temple of Heaven was renovated in the 18th
century under the Qianlong Emperor. Due to the deterioration of state budget, this became the
last large-scale renovation of the temple complex in the imperial time.

The temple was occupied by the Anglo-French Alliance during the Second Opium War. In
1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the Eight Nation Alliance occupied the temple complex
and turned it into the force's temporary command in Beijing, which lasted for one year. The
occupation desecrated the temple and resulted in serious damage to the building complex and
the garden. Robberies of temple artifacts by the Alliance were also reported. With the
downfall of the Qing, the temple complex was left unmanaged. The neglect of the temple
complex led to the collapse of several halls in the following years.[2]

In 1914, Yuan Shikai, then President of the Republic of China, performed a Ming prayer
ceremony at the temple, as part of an effort to have himself declared Emperor of China. In
1918 the temple was turned into a park and for the first time open to the public.

The Temple of Heaven was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and was
described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and
graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the
worlds great civilizations..." as the "symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had
a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries."[3]

Buildings and layout

Panorama with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the center, viewed from the South

The Temple grounds cover 2.73 km of parkland and comprises three main groups of
constructions, all built according to strict philosophical requirements:

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests () is a magnificent triple-gabled circular

building, 36 meters in diameter and 38 meters tall, built on three levels of marble
stone base, where the Emperor prayed for good harvests. The building is completely
wooden, with no nails. The original building was burned down by a fire caused by
lightning in 1889. The current building was re-built several years after the incident.

The Imperial Vault of Heaven () is a single-gabled circular building, built on a

single level of marble stone base. It is located south of the Hall of Prayer for Good
Harvests and resembles it, but is smaller. It is surrounded by a smooth circular wall,
the Echo Wall, that can transmit sounds over large distances. The Imperial Vault is
connected to the Hall of Prayer by the Vermilion Steps Bridge, a 360-metre-long
(1,180 ft) raised walkway that slowly ascends from the Vault to the Hall of Prayer.

The Circular Mound Altar () is the altar proper, located south of the Imperial
Vault of Heaven. It is an empty circular platform on three levels of marble stones,
each decorated by lavishly carved dragons. The numbers of various elements of the
Altar, including its balusters and steps, are either the sacred number nine or its
nonuples. The center of the altar is a round slate called the Heart of Heaven()
 or the Supreme Yang(), where the Emperor prayed for favorable weather.
Thanks to the design of the altar, the sound of the prayer will be reflected by the
guardrail, creating significant resonance, which was supposed to help the prayer
communicate with the Heaven. The Altar was built in 1530 by the Jiajing Emperor
and rebuilt in 1740.

Ceremony

Panorama from the opposite view of the Imperial Vault of Heaven

Panorama of the three main halls

In ancient China, the Emperor of China was regarded as the Son of Heaven, who
administered earthly matters on behalf of, and representing, heavenly authority. To be seen to
be showing respect to the source of his authority, in the form of sacrifices to heaven, was
extremely important. The temple was built for these ceremonies, mostly comprising prayers
for good harvests.

Twice a year the Emperor and all his retinue would move from the Forbidden City through
Beijing to encamp within the complex, wearing special robes and abstaining from eating
meat. No ordinary Chinese was allowed to view this procession or the following ceremony. In
the temple complex the Emperor would personally pray to Heaven for good harvests. The
highpoint of the ceremony at the winter solstice was performed by the Emperor on the
Earthly Mount. The ceremony had to be perfectly completed; it was widely held that the
smallest of mistakes would constitute a bad omen for the whole nation in the coming year.

Symbolism
Inside the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

Earth was represented by a square and Heaven by a circle; several features of the temple
complex symbolize the connection of Heaven and Earth, of circle and square. The whole
temple complex is surrounded by two cordons of walls; the outer wall has a taller, semi-
circular northern end, representing Heaven, and a shorter, rectangular southern end,
representing the Earth. Both the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Circular Mound
Altar are round, each standing on a square yard, again representing Heaven and Earth.

The number nine represents the Emperor and is evident in the design of the Circular Mound
Altar: a single round marmor plate is surrounded by a ring of nine plates, then a ring of 18
plates, and so on for a total of nine surrounding rings, the outermost having 99 plates.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has four inner, twelve middle and twelve outer pillars,
representing the four seasons, twelve months and twelve traditional Chinese hours
respectively. Combined together, the twelve middle and twelve outer pillars represent the
traditional solar term.

All the buildings within the Temple have special dark blue roof tiles, representing the
Heaven.

The Seven-Star Stone Group, east of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, represents the
seven peaks of Taishan Mountain, a place of Heaven worship in classical China.

Park
The surrounding park is quite extensive, with the entire complex totaling 267 hectares (660
acres). Some of it consists of playgrounds, exercise and game areas. These facilities are well
used by adults, as well as by parents and grandparents bringing children to play. Some of the
open spaces and side buildings are often used, particularly in the morning, for choral shows,
ethnic dances, and other presentations.

Access
The Temple of Heaven is located in southern Dongcheng District, which until 2010 was part
of Chongwen District. The park itself is open daily from 6:00-22:00pm. The relic sites inside
the park open at 8:00 and close at 17:30 from March 1 to June 30, 18:00 from July 1 to
October 31, and 17:00 from November 1 to February 28.[2] There is a nominal entry charge.

All four of the park's gates are accessible by public transportation.

East Gate on Tiantan East Rd. and Tiyuguan Rd.: Beijing Subway Line 5
Tiantandongmen Station; Beijing Bus routes 25, 36, 39, 208, 525, 610, 685, 686, 723,
827, 829, 957, 958

West Gate on Tianqiao South St. and Nanwei Rd.: Beijing Bus route 2, 15, 17, 20,
35, 36, 69, 71, 120, 203, 504, 707, 729, BRT1, 11

North Gate on Tiantan Rd. and Qinnian St.: Beijing Bus routes 6, 34, 35, 36, 106,
110, 687, 707

South Gate on Yongdingmen East St. and Jintai Rd.: Beijing Bus routes 36, 53, 120,
122, 208, 525, 610, 958, 3, 11, 12, 102
 Architectural Themes of China

Chinese architecture is influenced by the traditions and culture of the Chinese people.

There are three main characteristics of Chinese architecture, its elegance and

decorative style, the bright colors, and the geometry and symmetry of structures.

Houses, temples, palaces and other structures are excellent examples of the themes of

Chinese architecture because sometimes they may have more than one popular

characteristic. Throughout the different regions of China, the three characteristics

remain common and noticeable in Chinese architecture.

The first common characteristic is the elegance of the Chinese style. This style

includes ornaments and statues of animals and mythical creatures that can be found on

rooftops or outside palaces. The creatures are placed outside a building for good luck

or for protection, which is one way the culture influences the architecture. Sometimes

there are intricate carvings in wood or stone in the archways of buildings or in the

rooftops. Temples and other sacred buildings also have detailed carvings signifying

their importance in Chinese culture. Time and effort are needed to produce detailed

carvings such as these, but they are made of quality materials that can be preserved,

such as marble or other types of stone.

Another theme of Chinese architecture includes bright and vibrant colors that are

painted on the rooftops, statues, and wood. Any bright color can be found on dragons

or pavilion rooftops, but red is an especially important color in China. Red represents
 luck, wealth, and prosperity, so an architect may use red in hopes of the success of his

building. It is common to have red overhangs on buildings or red columns supporting

the familiar curved roofs. Wood lacquer was an important part of design and to make

the wood more decorative, colored ink was added in the lacquer. Red is not the only

bright color that is used, blue and green, which signify their nomadic groups, are used

for decorating the oval shaped tents. Also, in the Forbidden Palace, there are bright

yellow, green, and red on the roof tiles, which proves that even royalty will use vivid

colors to embellish and add to the palaces grand stature.

Symmetry and geometry are also key parts of architecture in China. The houses in

China have specific layouts, which begin with the floor plan of the house. Often, there

is a central main house, surrounded by secondary buildings, and finally, gardens and

yards. The area that the house is built on is shaped like a rectangle or square, even if

the entire plot of land isnt perfectly geometrical. Also, each building must face a

specific direction, north, south, east, or west because the Chinese are concerned with

luck and fortune. Peasants are not the only ones who build by precise plans, the

Forbidden Palace is said to have had all of its buildings placed logically in a specific

pattern. The elegance of the palace is exaggerated because there are small buildings to

complement the large, ornamental buildings. Its apparent that the Chinese are

concerned with geometry in architecture, merely by viewing the archways or

doorways of many buildings. They are often in the shape of semi-circles or near

circles and have intricate designs on or around them. The circles represent openness

and hospitality in the Chinese culture, the circular gate is said to be more inviting than

a rectangular doorway. Presentation is a key component in the Chinese culture.

Expression of symmetry and geometry in architecture is a traditional way for

architects to express Chinese culture.

 Decorations, ornaments, intricate designs, vivid colors, and carefully designed

structures are all included in Chinese architecture. Consistency and tradition can also

be expressed through these characteristics, for an example, the openness of the

circular doorway or the significance or red coloring on buildings to represent luck.

Through many types of architectural structures, elegance, color coordination, and

symmetry or geometry are expressed as an important part of the Chinese culture.

Specific ideals that the Chinese follow, such as hospitality and good fortune, are also

expressed in architecture. Certain details or colors can also reflect the ideals of

Chinese culture. Specific designs or colors are purposely intertwined into an

architects plan for cultural reasons. The Chinese can identify or represent themselves

with the mixture of traditional characteristics or style, and cultural ideals of Chinese

architecture.