Temple of Earth (Ditan Park)
地坛公园
The site where Ming and Qing emperors worshipped the earth at the Square Altar. Ginkgo Avenue turns golden in autumn, and the Spring Festival temple fair is a classic Old Beijing tradition.
The Temple of Earth was built in 1530, in the 9th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty. It was where Ming and Qing emperors worshipped the “Imperial Earth God.” Its core structure, the Square Altar, is square and corresponds to the Circular Mound Altar at the Temple of Heaven, reflecting the idea of “round heaven and square earth.” Ancient cypresses grow throughout the park, and Ginkgo Avenue turns golden in autumn, making it one of Beijing's top autumn destinations. The Spring Festival temple fair here has a long history, and the August book fair is also popular. Admission is about 2 yuan. It is a short walk from Yonghegong Station on Subway Lines 2 and 5. Combine it with the Lama Temple and the Imperial Academy (Guozijian) in one day.
Opening hours
6:00 am–9:00 pm (shorter hours in winter)
Nearby sights
- Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)
- Temple of Confucius & Imperial Academy
- Gui Street (Ghost Street)
- Nanluoguxiang Hutongs
- Drum Tower & Bell Tower
- Shichahai
- Jingshan Park
- Prince Gong's Mansion