Temple of Heaven - Beijing, China - April 24th, 2012
If the Heavens are out their discerning the will of God(s) doesn't really have a good track record. This was my first thought as I walked around the beautiful location of the Temple of Heaven. It was here the Emperor would make offerings to Heaven for a good harvest (Hall of Offering for the Good Harvest) and to Heaven as it's representative on Earth (Imperial Hall of Heaven).
The Temple is surrounded by a gigantic park. Throughout the park are Cyprus trees and a tree with pink blossoms. The park covers most of the grounds and one could easily spend an entire day just getting lost on the paths. There is so much green and so much life. The song of birds is the first thing that one hears that isn't the sound of a tour group.
Near the Center (on each side) are the strange Halls. They are beautifully colored (blue, yellow, green with dragons galore!) that cover the outside, while inside is a simple offering chamber where animals were sacrificed and burned by the Emperors who used it (Ming and Qing). There as also the offering circle where the Emperor would make sacrifices and prayers as well. It was here I said "Ni Hao!" to the heavens, and took a picture with arms in prayer form. The offerings followed the Lunar Calenders and the Emperors had rituals they had to follow (such as fasting) before performing said rituals of the offerings.
This type of offering dates all the way back to the Xia Dynasty and became significant when the Emperor claimed the title of Son of Heaven who ruled only by Heaven's approval/disapproval. This offering to heaven for gifts from above and miracles is used in Chinese Buddhism and Taoism but predates them both.
Why hear did I feel such cynicism? Well for one thing the Emperor really wasn't needed. People here perform the lunar and Temple offerings without him and just like before it is difficult to gauge what effect they have (such as our own prayers). I think it is this is one core reason why even when wrestling with what God means happens, I find agnosticism so comfortable and balanced...it doesn't assume to know the will of heaven. What is good is what we discover through practice and reason and how it effects ourselves and others.
Maybe someday there will be the "Reply from above," or straight up miracle. But until then, the rituals do offer balance for the people (I know for myself rituals do offer comfort and prayer can be a form of illumination (what am I doing right and wrong? How can I do better? What is wrong with the world?) and like the Emperors who performed the rituals up until their annihilation, I see us humans doing the same.
The Temple is surrounded by a gigantic park. Throughout the park are Cyprus trees and a tree with pink blossoms. The park covers most of the grounds and one could easily spend an entire day just getting lost on the paths. There is so much green and so much life. The song of birds is the first thing that one hears that isn't the sound of a tour group.
Near the Center (on each side) are the strange Halls. They are beautifully colored (blue, yellow, green with dragons galore!) that cover the outside, while inside is a simple offering chamber where animals were sacrificed and burned by the Emperors who used it (Ming and Qing). There as also the offering circle where the Emperor would make sacrifices and prayers as well. It was here I said "Ni Hao!" to the heavens, and took a picture with arms in prayer form. The offerings followed the Lunar Calenders and the Emperors had rituals they had to follow (such as fasting) before performing said rituals of the offerings.
This type of offering dates all the way back to the Xia Dynasty and became significant when the Emperor claimed the title of Son of Heaven who ruled only by Heaven's approval/disapproval. This offering to heaven for gifts from above and miracles is used in Chinese Buddhism and Taoism but predates them both.
Why hear did I feel such cynicism? Well for one thing the Emperor really wasn't needed. People here perform the lunar and Temple offerings without him and just like before it is difficult to gauge what effect they have (such as our own prayers). I think it is this is one core reason why even when wrestling with what God means happens, I find agnosticism so comfortable and balanced...it doesn't assume to know the will of heaven. What is good is what we discover through practice and reason and how it effects ourselves and others.
Maybe someday there will be the "Reply from above," or straight up miracle. But until then, the rituals do offer balance for the people (I know for myself rituals do offer comfort and prayer can be a form of illumination (what am I doing right and wrong? How can I do better? What is wrong with the world?) and like the Emperors who performed the rituals up until their annihilation, I see us humans doing the same.