Beijing Temple Of Heaven, China Royalty-Free Stock Photography

In the north of the Temple of Heaven, the Hall of Prayer for the Former Year is the Great Prayer Hall. It was built in the 18th year of Ming Yongle (1420). In the twenty-fourth year of Ming Jiajing (1545), it was converted into a three-folded round hall called "Daxiang Temple". After the restoration of the Qing Emperor Qianlong in the 16th year (1751), it was renamed the "Praying Hall". In the fifteenth year of Guangxu (1889), it was destroyed by thunder fire. After several years, it was reconstructed as it is. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a circular building with a diameter of 32.72 meters. The top of the gilt roof is a three-story spire with a total height of 38 meters. There are 28 golden nanmu pillars in the Hall of Prayer, and the four circles in the circle symbolize the seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The middle circle has 12 meanings for 12 months, and the outermost circle has 12 meanings for 12 o'clock and Sunday stars.