Beijing Story (1 1)- The Victor Family in the Temple of Heaven

The third day of Lao Luo's family in Beijing.

At 9: 30 in the morning, I called a business car. Starting from the hotel, the driver asked me: where to go?

I said: East Gate of the Temple of Heaven.

I plan to take the Brazilian family in from the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven and out from the South Gate for about 2 hours and take a leisurely stroll. It should be about 12 when you leave the south gate. Take them to the south gate of the Temple of Heaven to eat instant-boiled mutton.

Lao Luo asked me in the car: Paul, where is the Temple of Heaven? Is it a religious place? I think the English name of the Temple of Heaven is Templo do Céu in Portuguese. Is it related to religion?

I replied: The ancient people in China, from the emperor to the ordinary people, all thought that heaven was the largest and had a master. We call it God (I can only use this word to tell them, but I really don't know how to say "God" in Portuguese). God is in charge of storms and lightning on the land and people's activities.

Lao Luo said: this is the same as our god.

I said, not quite the same. Your Bible says that God is the only God, and all other gods are false. It is sinful to believe in other gods, and only God is true, right?

Lao Luo said: Yes.

I said: But our god allows other gods to exist. The sun, moon, stars, wind, rain and thunder are all gods. Even ordinary people can become gods.

Lao Luo said: interesting. What about the Temple of Heaven? Is it a place where people pay tribute to the gods?

I said: yes, every year the emperor comes here, comes out from the meridian gate of the Forbidden City and takes the front door in the middle of the Zhengyang Gate. Remember I told you about Zhengyangmen? I said that the main entrance is usually closed, and when the emperor comes to the Temple of Heaven, it is open to let the emperor go.

Lao Luo said: Yes, yes, you did it.

Our party arrived at the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven and checked in. I'll take them to Seven Star Stone first.

Victor asked, Paul, do these stones have any special meaning? Why else would it be here?

I said: this is called the seven-star stone, which corresponds to the Big Dipper in the night sky, that is, the constellation Ursa major, but how many do you count?

Victor said: Brazil is in the southern hemisphere. We can't see Ursa major, but we can see the Southern Cross. We can tell the direction at night. But there are eight stones here.

I explained that Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty believed in Taoism and put seven stones here, corresponding to the Big Dipper in the night sky. The emperor of the Qing dynasty felt that he was also a legitimate emperor, or an emperor recognized by the gods. He also sent a stone here to show that he wanted to join in. This is what we said yesterday: "integration". He wants to blend into the civilization of China. This is the attitude of the Qing emperor.

I took them to corridor 72, and I told them that the place where the gods were sacrificed was sacred. If there is a pig next to it and the ground is covered with blood, it is disrespectful to the gods. So the slaughter room should be 200 steps away from the altar, but the prepared offerings should not be polluted by rain, snow and sand, so the emperor sent someone to build this corridor. * * * Room 72, also known as "Room 72".

Walking in the long corridor, there are old people playing chess and cards, or chatting and drinking tea. On the open space outside, there are also old people playing badminton to exercise.

The Lao Luo family stopped to watch two grandfathers play chess and say hello.

Grandpa in Beijing has always been a special outsider, nodding to the Lao Luo family.

One of the grandfathers also asked Lao Luo: Where are you from?

Lao Luo said: Brazil, South America.

Grandpa said: Oh, hey, uncle horse, it's far enough. You are tired. Are you used to it here?

Uncle, I translated this directly, which is easy to misunderstand.

I said to Lao Luo: Grandpa welcomes you to China and says you are fine.

Lao Luo gave a thumbs-up and said, thank you.

Lao Luo asked me as he walked: Are they all retired?

I said, well, I'm retired, have a pension, have enough food and clothing, and come to this park for free. I can come every day.

Lao Luo asked: How much is their monthly pension?

I said: Not necessarily. Workers retire 4,000 yuan, almost 600 yuan, and some cadres retire, almost twice as high.

Lao Luo said: God, the retirement wage in China is 1 times higher than the minimum wage in Brazil.

I checked, and the minimum wage in Brazil is really around 2000 yuan.

When we entered the courtyard of the Hall of Prayer for the New Year, the family stopped discussing the salaries in China and Brazil and were attracted by the unique architecture in front of us.

The Hall of Prayer for the New Year is really beautiful.

In fact, in my heart, among all the scenic spots in Beijing, I like this Hall of Prayer for the New Year best. It is ingenious in structure and full of beauty. Most importantly, it is unique to Beijing.

Although the Forbidden City is in Beijing, it belongs to all the people of China. I can't say too much. Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Gansu all have the Great Wall, which does not represent Beijing. The most representative hall in Beijing is the Hall of Praying for the New Year.

Victor asked me, Paul, what is this building for? Why are there three eaves? Why are the eaves blue?

I replied: this is called the Hall of Prayer for the New Year. Every year in the first month of the lunar calendar, the emperor prayed to the gods for mild wind and rain and suitable temperature so that crops could grow quietly.

The three-story roof represents heaven and earth, and the roof is blue, representing the color of the sky. Ancient people in China believed that the sky was round and the roof was round, which represented respect for the sky.

I took them to the steps of the Hall of Prayer for the New Year, carefully observed the inside of the Hall, and explained to them that the four painted and gilded dragon pillars represent the four seasons, the middle 12 gold pillar represents twelve months, and the outermost 12 eaves pillar represents twelve hours.

Victor asked me, what's the wooden sign in the middle seat?

I said: the name of God is written on the sign, and the sign represents God. When the emperor held a ceremony, he put the tablet of God here and prayed for a good year.

Victor asked again: this year and that year are time units, so why pray for the year? Why do you call this hall the New Year Prayer Hall?

I took them to a quiet place with few people. I let them sit on the bench. I picked up a small stone by the roadside and drew it on the ground.

I probably painted this picture.

I said: Chinese characters in China are hieroglyphics. 3000 years ago, "nian" was written as a "person" carrying a "grain". Food is on top, people are below, and people are holding or carrying rice seedlings. People's waist is bent by rice seedlings, which means that rice seedlings are harvested and fruits are heavy. People and rice together form the word Nian. China is a big agricultural country, and eating is the first big problem to be solved. People who have a mouth to eat will never rebel.

So this hall is called the Hall of Prayer for the New Year.

I pointed to the courtyard wall of the Hall for Praying for the New Year and said, Look, the courtyard wall is square, and the main hall inside is round. The main hall is actually located above the praying altar, which is also a three-story circle, or the concept of a round place.

Lao Luo said, Paul, why are there so many creative ideas in your buildings in China? You can always tell why you built them this way.

I said: China's ancient craftsmen, whether building, making porcelain or making clothes, all had a principle that "the work must be intentional and the intention must be auspicious", especially the royal architecture, and nothing was superfluous. All right, let's move on. Let's go to the altar. That's the real place to worship heaven.

The next road is the single pen bridge. I told them that the emperor of the Forbidden City was the biggest and took the middle road. The emperor can't take the middle road here at the Single Pen Bridge. The middle road is taken by the gods, and the emperor takes the east road.

Lao Luo asked: Why take the East Road?

I said: China's five elements, fire, water and soil, belong to wood in the east, mainly growing and sprouting, and gold in the west, mainly killing Xiao. If the emperor is suitable, he must also go to the East.

Lao Luo said: You China people have too many rules.

Walking across the single bridge, turning west, I saw the Kowloon cypress. I said that this tree is 500 years old.

Lao Luo said: My God, our country Brazil was founded less than 200 years ago, and Emperor China planted trees here?

I said, he planted more than one tree. He planted many trees. I'll teach you a method. You can tell the approximate age of an ancient tree at a glance. Trees with red cards on the trunk are trees over 300 years old; The tree with the green sign on its trunk is less than 300 years old, but it is at least 100 years old.

Several Brazilians laughed. They can't understand or believe the long history of China.

Victor said: Paul, there are many trees in the tropical rain forest of Brazil, and of course there are 500-year-old trees, but they all grow naturally and there is no human intervention. The trees here are obviously planted on orders from people, which is remarkable.

When I enter the ball altar, I'd better show them the fence first The outer circle is square and the inner circle is round.

I don't need to explain this time. The Lao Luo family knew that the sky was round and the ground was square, so they made two walls.

The altar of the ball has three layers. Every winter solstice, the emperor will hold a "ceremony to worship heaven" on the stage, commonly known as the Temple of Heaven.

I took the Brazilian family to the third floor of Mouqiu altar, pointed to Tianxin stone and said: In ancient times, there was no microphone, and the emperor stood here to worship heaven. Because of the round table, the emperor's voice can spread well and all the ministers attending the ceremony can hear it.

What you see now is the slate around the Tianxin stone. There are 9 bricks in the first lap, 0/8 bricks in the second lap and 27 bricks in the third lap, all multiples of 9.

When Lao Luo's family bowed their heads and counted the floor tiles, I told them: not only the floor tiles are multiples of 9, but also the fence boards you counted are multiples of 9, and there are steps we came up with. Each floor has 9 steps.

Lao Luo: God, China people would have built such a project 600 years ago? If you want to do this project now, you need a good engineer to design it. The construction is more difficult, and the materials and workmanship must be very accurate.

The old lady asked: Do people in China like the number 9 very much?

I said: In fact, besides the five elements, there are yin and yang in China, male is yang and female is yin. The sun, moon, flowers, trees and mountains are all divided into yin and yang, and the figures also include yin and yang. 13579 is Yang. These five numbers are arranged in a row, with the 5 in the middle being the noblest and 9 the largest. The emperor likes these two numbers. Remember the Jiaotai Hall in the Forbidden City? There were 25 administrative seals (jade seals) of the Qing emperors. After writing the order, these chapters will be stamped. Why are there 25 chapters?

Mrs. Lao said: 2 and 5, I don't know, why not 9? You said 9 is the noblest!

I said: What is the sum of 1+3+5+7+9?

Lao Luo's youngest son said: 25.

I said: Yes, the sum of Yang numbers is 25. Is the number 25 bigger and nobler?

Mrs. Lao Luo said: China people have too much truth, and they won't understand it until they live in China 1 year.

I said, "It's interesting not to understand. Everyone is curious about strange things, so your family will come to China.

I continued, let's go. It's a little cold today. Let's go out and I'll take you to eat a hot meal.

The Lao Luo family followed me out of the south gate of the Temple of Heaven and walked for 5 minutes. On the east side of the road, there is a good instant-boiled mutton restaurant.

When the Lao Luo family entered the restaurant, they were attracted by this novel way of eating. Several people gathered around a hot pot and put mutton slices in the pot with chopsticks. I asked Lao Luo: Is this ok?

Lao Luo said: OK.

I asked the lobby manager to arrange a private room for us The lobby manager asked on the intercom, let's follow him to the second floor.

There is a private room on the second floor, where I sit with the Lao Luo family. I suggest two ways: one is for a family to take a big pot and fish meat together in the big pot, and the other is for everyone to use their own small pots and rinse themselves.

For those who are used to the western-style dining system, a small pot is the best choice.

The waiter asked what small ingredients to use, sesame sauce and seafood soy sauce. After I introduced them, they didn't know how to choose. I can't blame them, because they haven't eaten.

I told the waiter, sesame sauce and seafood soy sauce, three each. After tasting it, they want to order anything they like.

I ordered a plate of sheep tail oil, two plates of brain, two plates of hand-cut fresh mutton, six sesame cakes and a vegetable and mushroom platter. I'm afraid they don't like it and dare not order more.

The waiter asked what to drink?

I said, give me two small flat cups, two beers and a sour plum soup.

I suddenly remembered to ask Mr. Luo if he drank China liquor.

Lao Luo said: You try.

I said to the waiter, don't be flat, come to half a catty of Erguotou.

I told the waiter to bring five sets of knives and forks.

Cut the gossip. Wine, meat and small ingredients are all together.

I demonstrated how to pick up a piece of meat with chopsticks, rinse it in a small pot, then take it out, dip it in small ingredients and eat it in your mouth.

Lao Luo's son gave me a full video, saying that he would go back and show his friends how China people ate authentic instant-boiled mutton.

Sesame paste is not very popular. They seldom get this taste, so they all like seafood sauce.

A warm and happy meal, knives and forks are basically useless, not because of the habit of using chopsticks, but because knives and forks really can't catch meat.

Lao Luo's daughter said: this way of eating mutton is very healthy, without frying, and it is delicious.

Then she asked me, can you buy this pot? [Cover your face]

I really asked the waiter for her.

The waiter smiled and shook his head and said nothing.

When Mr. Luo checked out, he found that the bill was 300 yuan. Ask me: so cheap? Cheaper than roast duck? We also drank wine, which should be expensive, right?

I said, this small bottle of wine is 2 yuan.

Lao Luo: Really? But it's delicious and has a high alcohol content. Do you know, Paul, Brazil has sugarcane wine with high alcohol content, but without it, the higher the alcohol content, the more expensive it should be. When I go back to Brazil, I want to buy two bottles of this wine, the big one.

I said, well, don't buy it. I will give you two bottles. This is a souvenir from me. When you and your friends drink China wine in Brazil, you will think of me.

Lao Luo gave a thumbs-up and said, thank you, that's very kind of you.

I went out and called a taxi to go to the Summer Palace.

Readers who like to read the content of the article should pay attention to me, so that if I update the content, you can see it at the first time, and I hope you will like it and forward it to more friends.

# Tourism # # Culture # # Dreams light up life # # Temple of Heaven # # Beijing #