South of Beijing’s city center is the well-known Temple of Heaven; north of the city center is the lesser-known Temple of the Earth.  Though it offers little in the way of historic structures and sights, the Temple of the Earth - Ditan Park - is a great place to visit on a late autumn day when the leaves are turning.

The temple was first built nearly 500 years ago during the Ming dynasty and restored over 250 years ago during the Qing dynasty.  The most recent restoration took place about 25 years ago, and the grounds will be undergoing more restoration throughout early 2006.

Gingko leaves at Ditan Park.  Despite this being a November day, many trees in the park - including many of its gingkos - were just beginning to change color.

A wall along the Square Water Altar (Fangzetan), the one historic feature at the Temple of the Earth.  It was here that Ming and Qing emperors held annual rituals offering sacrifices to the earth.  Why the “Square Water” Altar?  Because its shape is square, representing the earth (round represents heaven), and because this square is surrounded by a large moat, currently unfilled.  The Square Water Altar was once covered with yellow glazed bricks, but that was changed to the current composition of light gray stone slabs during the Qing dynasty reconstruction.

Another structure, not as old as it looks, in Ditan Park.  Pollution is what usually creates the oft-present haze in Beijing, but on this day, the fog truly was fog.  A fine mist fell occasionally during this visit.

Leaves in Ditan Park.

Leaves and lamppost.

Morning exercises.  Ditan is a park for the locals, not a tourist attraction; many elderly performed exercises this day, and no foreigners were to be seen.  The park is home to a center for the aged.

Gingko leaves at Ditan Park.

Practicing Chinese calligraphy using a long brush and water on a park sidewalk.

Detail of a Ditan Park evergreen.

Gingko leaves in full color.

More morning exercises in Ditan Park.

Grandfather and stroller.  In China, grandparents often play a major role in the upbringing of grandchildren, to help out the grandchildren’s working parents.

Trees and mist at Ditan Park.

Gingko leaves.

Ditan Park constantly hosts events, one of the most popular being an annual Chinese New Year festival that fills up the park with visitors.  This day was far less crowded, with the major event being a medical one related to the treatment and public awareness of diabetes.  Doctors and nurses distributed pamphlets and information from booths, and even an organized group walk was held as a media event to raise awareness of the disease.

A final look at the walls surrounding the Square Water Altar.  500 years ago, the emperor offered semiannual sacrifices at the Temple of Heaven and Earth - to heaven at the winter solstice and to earth at the summer solstice.  When it was suggested to the emperor that heaven and earth be worshipped separately, he had this Temple of the Earth created, with its square altar.  A circular altar was created at that original temple, which became the famed Temple of Heaven.