CHTNERE ARCHITECTURE. 681 



3 miles round. Tlu' oxen used in saci-ificc niv kept in the park, and 

 there are separate inclosnres j)r()vided for llie other saerifieial ani- 

 mals, which include shee}), deer, i)i<>s, and hairs. The consecrated 

 meats are jjrcparcd in accordance with an ancient ritual in kitchens 

 built for the purpose, to which are attached special slaughterhouses, 

 well houses, and stores for veoetables. fruit, corn, and wine. The 

 Chinese havi' no idi'a of vicarious sacrifice, the offei-in<rs to their 

 supreme deity are like the precious objects, raiment, and foods which 

 are set forth in ancestral worship. Heaven is not Avorshiped alone; 

 the ancestral tablets of four of the imperial forefathers are always 

 associated with the tablet of Shano; Ti, the '• supreme deity," followed 

 by those of the sun, moon, planets, and starry constellations, while 

 the spirits of the atmosphere, winds, clouds, rain, and thunder are 

 rano-ed in subordinate rank below. Heaven is distinguished by the 

 ottering of blue jade pi, a foot in diameter, round and with a square 

 hole in the middle, like the ancient mace-head symbols of sovereignty, 

 and by the bullock being sacrificed as a Avhole burnt offering. The 

 jade and silk are also burned; twelve rolls of plain white silk and 

 hempen cloth being sacrificed for heaven, one for each of the other 

 spirits; while the banquet piled on the altar in dishes of blue por- 

 celain is proportionately lavish. 



The great altar of heaven, T'ien T'an, the most sacred of all Chi- 

 nese religious structures, is seen in plate rv. It consists of three circu- 

 lar terraces with marl)le balustrades and triple staircases at the four 

 cardinal points to ascend to the upper terrace, which is 90 feet wide, 

 the base being 210 feet across. The platform is laid Avith marble 

 stones in nine concentric circles and everything is arranged in mul- 

 tiples of the number 0. The Emperor, prostrate before heaven on 

 the altar, surrounded first by the circles of the terraces and their 

 railings, and then by the horizon, seems to be in the center of the 

 universe, as he acknowdedges himself inferior to heaven and to 

 heaven alone. Round him on the pavement are figured the nine cir- 

 cles of as many heavens, widening in successive multiples till the 

 square of 0, the favorite number of numerical philosophy, is reached 

 in the outer circle of 81 stones. The great annual sacrifice on 

 the altar is at dawn on the winter solstice, the Emperor having 

 proceeded in state in a carriage drawn by an elei)hant the day before, 

 and spent the night in the hall of fasting called Chai Kung, after 

 first inspecting the otlei-ings. The sacred tablets are kept in the 

 building with a round roof of blue enameled tiles behind the altar 

 Avhich is seen on the right of th(> ])ictuiv. The furnace for the whole 

 burnt oil'ering stands on the southeast of the altar, at the distance of 

 an arrow flight; it is faced with green tiles, and is !) feet high, 

 ascended by three flights of green steps, the bullock being ])laced 

 inside upon an iron grating, under which the fire is kindled. The 



