Taimiao Temple, presently the Working People's Cultural Palace, lies to the east of Tian'anmen Rostrum, symmetrically opposite Zhongshan Park. The large park stretches from Tian'anmen Rostrum in the south to the Forbidden City moat, and from the East Thousand Bu Corridor before the Imperial Palace in the west to the eastern palace walls -- fully one half the width of the Forbidden City. The park was originally built in 1420 as a large-scale temple.
It used to be the imperial ancestral temple in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, when, on occasions such as an emperor' s ascending the throne, a triumphant return from battle or the presentation of prisoners of war, the emperor would first come here to offer sacrifices to his ancestors
Built in 1420 (the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty), it covers a total area of 197,000 square meters, and is circled by three red walls. The three halls inside the Halberd Gate, which are the central structures, are imposing and solemn, with roofs covered with yellow glazed tiles. The front hall, called Sacrificial Hall, was for holding grand sacrificial ceremonies. It stands on a tri-tiered sumeru base made of white marble. Inside the hall, the sixty-eight columns and the wooden components are all made of expensive golden-silk nanmu wood; the floor is paved with golden bricks, and the ceiling is adorned with colored gilded paintings.
The former imperial forbidden compound was turned into Beijing Working People’s Cultural Palace after 1949, with its name inscribed by late Chairman Mao. It was officially opened to the public on May 1, 1950.
Over the past 58 years, it has become a “school and amusement park” for working people, and a national “model cultural palace for workers.” Various activities held here throughout the year attract many visitors and tourists; its artistic training and vocational education programs have yielded a large number of persons qualified for various jobs; its performing troupes enjoy a long-standing reputation and popularity.
Later, the other traditional buildings inside the temple were converted into a library, an exhibition hall, a theater and a stadium. Flower beds were laid out among the pines and cypresses to mark the rebirth of this ancient shrine.
Currently, the Sacrificial Hall houses the Chinese Peace Bell, the largest two-note set-bells for stage performance in the world, whose name was inscribed by former president Jiang Zemin, who struck it for the first time on January 1, 2000.
As a municipal park, a historical and cultural garden, and a major tourist attraction in the neighborhood of Tian’anmen, the Working People’s Palace leaves an unforgettable impression on tourists both at home and abroad by perfectly integrating traditional and modern culture.
