The "Mingtang Piyong" (or Ming Hall and Emperor) in Chang'an of the Western Han Dynasty is an important early altar temple. In the middle each of the four sides of the peripheral square courtyard, each side 235 meters long, is a two-storied bar. It is Surrounded by square ditches. Wing-rooms in level gauge shape were built on the four corners inside the courtyard, a low loam platform was built in the middle. On the platform are the ruins of a plane dais. From the restored ruins, one can see that on the inside of the corridor on the four sides of the ground floor are four halls, each consisting of three rooms. This total of "12 halls"-symbolized the 12 months of the year. There is one hall on each side of the middle floor. Outside is the flattop of the fourth corridor on the ground floor An "earthen room" was built in the middle of the top of the platform on the upper layer. At the top of the small square terraces at each corner, there is a pavilion-type small house, representing the four rooms of gold, wood, water and fire, and together with the earthen room they form the place for worshipping the five heavenly gods. The balcony on the four sides of the five rooms was used to observe the heavenly bodies. The size of various Parts has much numerical symbolic significance. (Fig.3-1)
The whole group of structures are cross-symmetrical. The courtyard is spacious and the bearing is impressive, conforming to its identity encompassing heaven and e3rth. In the central buildings, the large room in the middle of the top of terrace was taken as the center of the structure to command the whole situation. The small rooms on the four corners are taken as foils which are magnificent and solemn. The central structures are outward-looking, echoing the surrounding structures from afar The Curved rooms on the four corners are introversive, achieving a balance with the central structures. In this structure, the artisans had to satisfy the requirement of various usages as stipulated in the ritual system and had to take into account the various symbolic meanings. All the more, they had to use its unusual bodily form and volume combination to create an esthetic effect compatible with the architectural nature. It is indeed an architectural artistic product.
The Jin Ancestral Temple for worshipping Shuyu, brother of ChengWang, granted the title in Shanxi during the Western Zhou Dynasty, is located in the southwest of Taiyuan. Both the Shengmu Hall in the extant ancestral temple and the Yuzhao Feiliang were built in the Northern Song Dynasty. Xiandian Hall was rebuilt during the Jin Dynasty, and others were constructed in later generations. What is called "Feiliang" here is across plane stone bridge erected over a square pond named "Yuzhao". The cross center was expanded into a square terrace. Many of the Tang and Song dynasty murals seen in Dunhuang are all in front of the big hall. Before the hall is a pond named jingtu (pure land), in the center of which stands a platform, leading to Tongqiao on all four sides, displaying the characteristics of the seven treasure ponds and eight beneficent waters in the Buddhist state, as described in the Amitabha scripture believed in by jingtuzong, a Buddhist sect. Chinese ancestral temples and Taoist buildings often follow the example of Buddhist monasteries, and this is one such example.
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Shengmudian Hall is a multi-eaved, Chinese-hip-and-gable building. There are two in-depth rooms under the front eave which are very spacious. A statue of Shengmu (mother of Shuyi) , was placed in the shrine within the hall. By the side of the shrine, and along the wall, there are famous colored sculptures of the Song Dynasty. The 38 statues of beautiful maids, and maids of the imperial palace and four mole statues have a lively and charming look.
The Shengmu ancestral hall is under the shade on all sides and flanked by meandering water, making it an ideal tourist area in central Shanxi since ancient times. There are many temples, and it has actually become a social recreational center, so that the worshipping atmosphere is no longer strong. Therefore, the total plane layout is made by appropriately taking into consideration this nature. For example, there are no enclosed walls around the Shengmu ancestral hall itself. It is blended with the outer space, and Surrounded by numerous ancestral temples that make it open and lively. The spacious Xiandian Half, the rippling and overflowing Yuzhao Feiliang and Shengmudian Hall, empty, bright and fluttering in appearance, all play up this lucid and lively atmosphere.
The most famous extant altar should be Beijing's Tiantan (Temple of Heaven).
The Temple of Heaven is a world-level artistic treasure, its artistic theme sings the praise of the Supreme "heaven", all artistic techniques aim to play up the solemnity and nobility of the heaven, gaining extremely outstanding achievement. (Fig.3-2)
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The Temple of Heaven is located on the east side of the front gate in the south city of Beijing. It is the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped and was built in the 18th year (1420) of the reign of Ming Emperor ChengZu. The altar, in a plane round shape, called Huanqiu Hill, was rebuilt in the 17th year (1752) of Qing Emperor Gaozong. Qiniandian (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests) was rebuilt in the 16th year (1890) of Emperor Dezong.
The Temple of Heaven is very large in area, stretching 1,700 meters from east to west and 1,600 meters from north to south, with two circles of enclosing walls. The southern side had square corner and the north side round ones, symbolizing the place of a round heaven. Walking eastward from the front (west) gate, within the inner wall there is a zhaigong (fasting-palace) in the south for the emperor to fast and bathe before worshipping. Further east is a north-south vertical axis formed by the main buildings. Huanqiu is in the south with a three-layered stone terrace. Within the Beiyuan courtyard of Huanqiu is a round hall, or the imperial vault where the spirit tablet of the heavenly god is placed. Going further north, one can reach the Qiniandian Hall via Danbiqiao Bridge.
The Temple of Heaven uses ecological artistic technique to give prominence to the theme of "heaven". For example, the density of structures is very small, covered by large tracts of pine and cypress trees, creating a strong atmosphere of solemnity and nobility The inner walls are not in the middle of the area enclosed by the outer walls, but rather they shift toward the east, the vertical axis of the cluster of buildings also shifts eastward for about 200 meters, thus prolonging the distance from the front gate. This helps people feel they are removed farther from man's world and nearer and nearer to the gods. Huanqiu is crystal white, setting off the holy, Pure, empty and bright "heaven". Its two-layered enclosed walls are only a little more than one meter high before the tall, large round terrace, so as not to block the visual line. The 400-meter long and 30-meter wide Danbi Bridge, and the courtyard of Qiniandian Hall, also stand above the surrounding ground, for the same effect. The round Qiniandian is 24 meters in diameter, its three-layered eaved pinnacle covered with green glazed tiles. Under this is a six-meter three-layered, white stone round terrace with a total height of 38 meters. The green roof seemed to merge with the blue sky. All these are designed to create ima2erv of the close relation ship between man and heaven. 
The Temple of Heaven widely uses symbolic and metaphor techniques to play up the theme. For example, in many cases, a round plane is used. Huanqiu uses the number 9 or the multiplication of 9 to symbolize "heaven". Qiniandian uses numbers related to the solar terms of agriculture. (Fig.3-3)
In feudal society, Confucius had always enjoyed the great respect of the ruling class as well as the rest of society. Temples officially built for worship became Confucian temples in various localities. The largest Confucian temple is in Qufu, his home town, and most of the extant buildings were built in the Ming and Qing dynasties under imperial family guidance, demonstrating the attention paid by the Supreme rulers to Confucianism.
The Confucian temple sits in the north and faces south. It is about1 40 meters wide, and more than 600 meters long stretching from north to south. It is narrow, deep and long. The front gate of the Confucian temple is just opposite the south gate of the county seat. Counting from north to south, the whole temple is composed of several courtyards. The first three courtyards lead the way, and behind the main and middle gates of the fourth courtyard is the main part of the Confucian temple. Inside the gate there is the large Loukui Study for storing books. The fifth courtyard is elongated from east to west. There is a road leading to the main road of the city. Inside the courtyard are 13 pavilions housing tablets of various dynasties. The sixth courtyard comprises three routes--left, middle and right, with the middle road as the main one. The Xing(apricot) Altar within Dacheng Gate symbolizes the place where Confucius gave lectures. The Chinese hip-and-gable roof covered with a multi-eaved cross ridge looks very good. Dachengdian Hall is the heart of the Confucian Temple. The stone eaved pillars are covered with carved dragons. The multi-eaved Chinese hip-and-gable roof is of high specifications. When a grand worship ceremony is held on the wide platform in front of the hall, dance music is played. Confucian disciples and past scholars are worshipped in the east and west corridors of the courtyard. Behind the courtyard is a bedding hall where wife of Confucius was worshipped. The middle route of the seventh courtyard is Shengjidian Hall, stored with picture stones recording the deeds of Confucius.
Most of the above-mentioned structures are of yellow glazed tiles, red columns, red walls and a white stone balustrade, a popular form in Beijing's palaces in the Ming and Qing dynasties. A general look at the form and structure of the Confucian Temple makes it seem to be the enlargement of a residence or government office, and all the more like the epitome of a palace.
There are also many other Such structures in society, either for worshipping clan ancestors, called ancestral halls; or for worshipping wise men and sages, called wise men-s temples. In addition, there are also temples for believers to worship various gods. The Luodongshu Temple in Anhui's Huangshan Mountain is a big ancestral hall, built in the 45th (1617) during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty. (Fig.3-4)
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In front of the temple are a horizontal, long front yard encircled on three sides. one enters the front hall through a row of lingxingmen (lattice star gates) and penetrate further into the square, broad main yard. Climbing up the Yuetai (platform) from the front, one reaches the Xiangtang. There are wing-rooms on both sides. The front side is so wide that it houses 11 rooms. In the middle of the ground floor are installed memorial tablets. The upper floor houses the pedigree of a clan and its treasures. Much care is given to the fine parts of the building. On the Surface of wooden parts are exquisite ginger breads, but no paint is used. Although there are many ginger breads, they are not considered to be complicated. The style is elegant, but simple and unsophisticated, solemn and respectful. Rare colored paintings of the Ming Dynasty still remain in the beam frame on the ground floor.
The whole ancestral hall is centered in the Xiangtang, led by layer after layer of spaces in the front, and ending with a raised long story in neatly arranged order Although on the whole it is roughly the same as the front hall and back bedding room of a residence, its scale and structure are much more solemn.
The popular wise-men's ancestral hall has played the role of intensifying the common understanding of the whole nation, formed into a strong common cultural psychology of the Chinese. In people's view, the good morality such as benevolence and justice, loyalty and bravery, intelligence and perseverance handed down by the objects of worship, like clan relatives and those with blood ties, should be given high attention.
In the hometown of Guanyu, a general of the Han Dynasty in Xiezhou Town, Yuncheng, Shanxi, there is a Guandi Temple, the largest in China, which is a very popular wise-man's ancestral hall built in the Qing Dynasty(Fig.3-5)
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The whole temple has the rich color of a palace. Within the gate there are two districts--the front halls and the back bedrooms. Duanmen is the entrance prelude, Zhimen the formal front gate. The bell tower and the drum tower are separately set up east and west in front of the gate and, together with Zhimen, they enclose the horizontal, long square with city walls. Within Zhimen is Wumen hall. Penetrating further through the memorial archway, one reaches the front hall. At its front is the tall Yushu (imperial study) tower, while at the back of the tower is the Chongningdian, the large main hall encircled by a ring of Curled-up dragon stone columns. The imperial resting hall of the back bedding room is behind the Chongning Hall, which has been damaged. Finally, within the archway is the Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn) Tower, facing left and right the Dao (Knife) Tower and the Yin (Seal) Tower, both being magnificent two-layered, three-eaved Xieshanding. Guandi Temple is also called Wumiao Temple.
Guandi Temple in Xiezhou consists of many turrets, most of them being multi-eaved, It also comprises many arched gates in which glazed tiles are widely used. The whole temple is grand and momentous, with the beauty of strength and rigidity, conforming with the due character of "Wumiao Temple".
The Guangong Ancestral Hall in Sheqi, Nanyang, Henan is also one among a complex of magnificent buildings built early in the Qing Dynasty. The tall Xuanjian Tower within the ancestral hall is a large stage. (Fig.3-6)
The Zumiao (ancestral hall) in Foshan, Guangdong is a temple. Foshan was one of the four famous Chinese towns during the Ming and Qing dynasties, known for its commerce, ceramic industry and handicrafts. Statues of founders of various trades and professions are installed and worshipped in the Zumiao Temple as well as the Shuishen(water god) ZhenWu Dadi, concurrently acting as a folk recreational center.
At the southern end of Zumiao Temple is a large stage, in the middle of which are stone archways and ponds. There is a concentration of buildings in the northern part. The front is a large corridor which leads to three routes and three courtyards. Performances on the stage serve to requite the gods, but they are mainly intended for the amusement of the masses. In the end, the popular cultural recreational aspect has become more prominent. In places for the assembly of masses, such as Chenghuang Temple, Guandi Temples, guild and ancestral halls, there are usually stages facing the gates or big halls, which reflect residents' cultural development. Particularly noteworthy are the construction and decoration of Zumiao Temple, which are mainly used in the roof, but are also used in walls, foundation stones of columns, decorative tapestries and furnishings, using rich techniques and beautiful layouts. Everything expected is available there, Such as stone carving, brick carving, woodcarving, iron casting, copper casting, pottery, clay and lime sculptures. Almost all ridges are put together with Shiwan's ceramic figures. The 100-meter ridge consists of 24 stories which draw materials from historical novels, such as the Three Kingdoms, Fengshen, General of the Yangs and Talks About the Tang Dynasty. Brick carvings on the walls are also full of Such subject matter. Gold lacquer and wooden carvings are used mostly in furnishings which are fine and exquisite. In a far from large area, such methods as circular engraver, fret carving, and reliefs of different depths are used to form many layers and depths, then covered with gold lacquer which glitters in the dark hall.
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Generally speaking, the style of Zumiao Temple lacks an open spirit. Instead, it is filled with a strong secular flavor, enthusiastic, noisy and flourishing with a kind of cultural expression. The construction and decoration styles similar to that of Zumiao Temple are very common in areas south of the Five Ridges, Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan. | | | | | |
