Chapter I Approaching Temple of Heaven / 2
[1] Heavenly Shrines / 4
[2] Circular Mound Altar in the Ming Dynasty and Hall of Grand Sacrifice / 16
[3] The Building Complex of Temple of Heaven in the Qing Dynasty / 26
Chapter II Heaven Worship and Southern Suburban Sacrificial Ceremonies in Ancient China / 36
[1] Heaven Worship and Rituals of the Suburban Sacrificial Ceremonies in Ancient China / 38
[2] Altars for Suburban Sacrifice in the Central Capital of Jin Dynasty and Those in Beijing during Ming and Qing Dynasties / 46
Chapter III The Origin of the Hall of Prayer- for Good Harvests / 52
[1] From the Hall of Grand Sacrifice to the Hall of Grand Worship / 54
[2] From the Traditional Mingtang to the Hall of Grand Worship in the Temple of Heaven during the Ming and Qing Dynasties / 64
[3] From Sacrifice to Houji to the Altar of Praying for Bumper Harvests and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests / 78
Chapter IV The Circular Mound and the Temple of Heaven / 84
[1] The Ancient Circular Mound and the Origin of the Name of the Temple of Heaven / 86
[2] A Circumference of Nine li Thirty bu / 92
The Construction of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests / 98
Introduction / 100
[1] The Base of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Altar of Praying for Bumper Harvests / I06
I. The base of the hall / 106
II. Altar of Praying for Bumper Harvests / 108
1. Altar of Praying for Bumper Harvests / 108
2. The railings / 112
3. The steps / 116
4. The columnbase / 121
[2] The Carpentry-workBeam / 122
I. The columns and the architraves / 122
1. Columns / 122
2. Columns in special positions / 124
3. The architraves on top of the columns / 126
4. Ties in special positions / 128
II. The beam framework / 130
1. The beams / 130
2. The purlins and ties above the beams / 132
III. Leigong posts, queen posts and youqiang / 133
[3] The bracket sets / 134
1. The classification of bracket sets / 134
2. The bracket sets at the lower eaves / 136
3. The bracket sets at the middle eaves / 136
4. The bracket sets at the upper eaves / 138
5. The distinction among the brackets at the upper, middle and lower eaves of different grades / 139
[4] The roofing / 140
1. The rafters and the roofing board / 140
2. The mortar bed, the tiles and the tile omarnents/ 141
3. The rooftop / 143
[5] Joinery decoration / 144
1. The decoration of the doors and windows / 144
2. The ceilings and the caisson / 146
[6] Colored Painting/ 148
1. Colored painting at the exterior eaves / 148
2. Colored painting at the interior eaves / 149
[7] Other Components / 150
1. The wall under the window / 150
2. The "sacred altar" inside the hall / 152
Chapter VI The Circular Mound Altar and Its Auxiliary Buildings / 154
[1] Evolution in shape of the Imperial Vault of Heaven / 156
[2] The Echo Wall / 178
[3] The Circular MoundAltar / 186
Chapter VII Auxiliary Buildings of the Temple of Heaven/204
[1] Hall of Imperial Zenith / 207
[2] Divine Kitchen, Divine Depot and Animal-sacrifice Pavilion / 216
[3] Hall of Abstinence / 224
[4] Office of Divine Music / 239
Chapter VIII Art and Symbolism of Architecture in the Temple of Heaven / 246
[1] Spatial Art of Architecture in the Temple of Heaven / 248
[2] Symbolic meanings of the Temple of Heaven / 262
Annex: Major events concerning sacrifice at the Temple of Heaven by the Ming and Qing emperors, and its changes / 266
List of Illustrations / 274