Chinese emperors had many other gods to worship apart from the god of heaven, including the gods of earth, water and war. They also worshipped their ancestors. As a result, religious activities were an important part of their busy work schedule. Temples of various kinds are scattered in Beijing. The best-known are the Temple of Heaven in the south, the Temple of Earth in the north, the Temple of Sun in the east, and the Temple of the Moon in the west. The Temple of Heaven is the grandest of them all.
The period of Qianlong’s reign is generally regarded as the most prosperous of the entire Qing Dynasty, and this prosperity was reflected in th lavish refurbishment of the hall. “After the restoration, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest glowed and shone with beautiful colors,” according to thTiantan Gongyuan Zhi (Records of the Temple of Heaven), compiled in 2002.
All this magnificence was destroyed by fire when the hall was struck by lightning in 1889, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu. The fire burned for a whole night, leaving only ashes of the building. The court was shocked by this ill omen, and Emperor Guangxu ordered the immediate rebuilding of the hall.