The Temple of Heaven - Part 2 - Sacrifice

On the eve of the winter solstice, the Emperor would leave the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City and head south to the Temple of Heaven. He would fast in preparation for the sacrifice. Devine music, dance, and prayer, were part of the celebration and preparation. A calf would be selected.

And a fire would be started in the sacrificial oven using pine twigs and reeds. The sacrifical animal was skinned and burned on the fire. Jade and Silk were offered to Heaven as part of the ceremony.

Ceremonial readings took place, and wine was offered three times to Heaven. The animal's skin and blood were buried in a separate vault.

Later, the sacrificial remains were burned again in a series of eight wood burning stoves (a lucky number representing the first eight generations of the Qing dynasty).

Here is a short video showing a re-enactment of an ancient sacrifical ceremony outside the Imperial Vault of Heaven.



OK, just kidding, I'm not sure what they were doing, I think they were just a tour group, but I thought we needed to lighten things up a little after all that sacrificial stuff.