Top 10 historic sites along Beijing Central Axis
- By Zhu Bochen
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E-mail China.org.cn, November 20, 2022
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#Altar of Land and Grain (Shejitan)
The Altar of Land and Grain in Zhongshan Park was the site of imperial sacrifices to the gods of land (she) and grain (ji) in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The emperor received five kinds of colored earth spread over the altar's surface (yellow in the center, green in the east, red in the south, white in the west, and black in the north) as gifts of tribute from subjects of his empire. The gifts, symbolizing that "under heaven, all belong to the emperor," stood for the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth), which constitute the origin of all things.
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