Xiannong Temple

Xiannong Temple, also known as Mountain and River Altar, is located on the west side of Yongdingmen Inner Street in Xuanwu District, and faces the Temple of Heaven across a road, where the emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties performed the ceremony of offering sacrifice to the God of Agriculture. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection.

Xiannong Temple was first built in the 18th year under the reign of Yong Le of the Ming Dynasty (1420). The earliest building thereof is the Mountain and River Altar. After that, another 13 altars were built during the reign of Yong Le of the Ming Dynasty. Taisui Hall, Heaven Altar, Earth Altar, etc were built during the reign of Jia Jing of the Ming Dynasty. Some buildings were rebuilt, and Ploughing Watch Platform was modified from a timber structure to a brick structure during the reign of Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty. During Republic Period, Beiyang Government dismantled the outer wall of Xiannong Temple, and took northern part as a market and southern part as a park. In the 1930s, a stadium was built at southeast comer. Only some halls were left till then. At the end of 1980s, Taisui Hall was rehabilitated, and taken as the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum.