Thursday, January 3, 2013

Beijing -- Temple of Heaven

 

This fabulous walkway is a great place to visit.

The gateway to the Temple grounds.

This Taoist temple, built in the early 1400s by the builder of the Forbidden City, was originally used for annual ceremonies of prayer to heaven for a good harvest.

It was opened to the public for the first time in 1918.
 
 
 
 

We saw these super cool dragon head drain spouts again at the Forbidden City.

I would have loved to been able to go out this gate to see these lanterns up close!
 

The HUGE doors also have big thresholds! They came up to our knees and were about six to eight inches thick.
Legend has it evil spirits can only go in a straight line, therefore are unable to climb over the step!
A Sunny-funny about those thresholds: when going through the gate, the men would step over with their left foot and the women with their right, so----- women are always right!!

A prime example of old meeting new..... high rises outside this old city wall.
 

Inside the altar room

In China today about 10% follow Taoism (a mix of Buddhism and Confucianism), the same amount as Muslim, while 50%  are Buddhist, and 20% have no religion being "too busy." The remaining 10% follow "Western" religion which we assume probably means Catholicism.
 

And, of course, another couple of cuties!!
 
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