Xiannongtan (Temple of Agriculture)
Temple of Agriculture
The Xiannong Temple complex, dedicated to Xiannong, the father of agriculture, was constructed in 1420 below the Forbidden City, adjacent to Beijing’s famed Temple of Heaven. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, an annual religious festival on the vernal equinox welcomed the season and ensured an abundant harvest. The emperor, accompanied by royal attendants and officials, would process from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Agriculture, where he changed into farming clothes in Jufu Hall to perform the Tilling Ritual. Following the ceremony, the emperor retired to Qing Cheng Palace to rest and entertain his entourage. These celebratory rites, rooted in Confucius’s Li Ji (Book of Rites), endured sporadically over centuries but ceased entirely after Emperor Guang Xu’s final performance in 1906. Over the last century, the Xiannongtan complex was repurposed for military and industrial use or left to deteriorate.
Revitalization of Xiannongtan
Included on the 1998 and 2000 World Monuments Watch, Xiannongtan faced severe threats of collapse, prompting significant conservation efforts. After receiving official government protection in 2001, the National Administration for Cultural Heritage, Beijing municipality, and the World Monuments Fund collaborated on its revitalization. Restoration projects stabilized Jufu Hall, the Divine Kitchen, the Feasting Hall, Qing Cheng Palace, and other features, addressing structural integrity, wood treatment, tile conservation, and painted decorations. The Divine Tablet Repository and Holy Granary were converted into a museum to educate visitors on the complex’s history and traditions. With its architectural relics restored and its museum open to the public, Xiannongtan has reclaimed its place as a vital cultural and historic landmark in Beijing, preserving both its spiritual significance and artistic merit for future generations.
