Beijing Shejitan

Beijing Shejitan, Beijing (Historic sites) — Fig. 01Beijing Shejitan© Yongxinge · CC BY-SA 3.0

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About Beijing Shejitan

The Shejitan, also known as the Altar of Land and Grain, stands in Beijing's Imperial City, just west of Tian'anmen Tower. Built in 1421 during the Ming dynasty on the site of an older sacrificial altar, it served the emperors of the Ming and Qing eras as the venue for ceremonies held twice a year to honor the gods of the soil and the harvest. The square terrace was once covered with earth in five symbolic colors representing the compass directions: yellow in the center, red in the south, white in the west, black in the north, and green in the east. After the 1911 Revolution, the grounds were opened to the public as a park in 1914 and renamed Sun Yat-sen Park in 1928. Today the altar is a protected national monument and a historic sight within the park.

Based on the article “Erntealtar” from the German Wikipedia, summarized and rephrased by a language modelLicense CC BY-SA 4.0

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At a glance

Category: Sight › Historic sites
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Address: —
Beijing, China
District: Donghuamen Subdistrict
Phone: —
Website: —
Email: —
Coordinates: 39.91042° N · 116.38861° E
Data quality: confidence 0.79
Identifier: ID fbfc4731-509…

Part of the tour

The Imperial Axis on Foot: From the Meridian Gate to the Legation Quarter →

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Location & surroundings

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FAQ about Beijing Shejitan

quick answers

What is the Shejitan in Beijing?

The Shejitan, also known as the Altar of Land and Grain, is a historic sacrificial altar in Beijing's Imperial City, west of Tian’anmen Tower in the Donghuamen Subdistrict. It was built in 1421 during the Ming dynasty on the site of an older sacrificial ground. Emperors of the Ming and Qing eras held ceremonies here twice a year to honor the gods of the soil and the harvest. Today the altar is a protected national monument.

What do the five colors on the Shejitan Altar of Land and Grain in Beijing mean?

The square terrace of the Shejitan in Beijing was once covered with soil in five symbolic colors representing the compass directions. Yellow lay in the center, red in the south, white in the west, black in the north, and green in the east.

Since when can you visit the Shejitan in Beijing?

The Shejitan in Beijing has been open to the public since 1914, when the grounds were opened as a park after the Revolution of 1911. In 1928 the park was renamed Sun Yat-sen Park. Today the altar is a historic sight within this park.

What can you see around the Shejitan in Beijing?

Several important sites of the Forbidden City are within walking distance of the Shejitan in Beijing. travelguide195 lists, among others, the Imperial Palace (北京故宮) at about 224 meters, the plaza in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿广场) at about 245 meters, and the Meridian Gate at about 262 meters. Also close by are the Inner Golden Water Bridge (about 347 meters), the Hall of Martial Valor (武英殿) as an art museum (about 374 meters), the Palace Museum (about 390 meters), and the Imperial Ancestral Temple (about 425 meters).

Are there tours and restaurants near the Shejitan in Beijing?

Yes, the Shejitan in Beijing is part of the tour "Imperial Axis on Foot: From the Meridian Gate to the Legation Quarter." For a break, travelguide195 lists about 3 restaurants within 500 meters of the altar.

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