Built in 1530, the Altar of Earth is located in the northern part of Beijing, a little way off Andingmenwai Street. Extending over an area of 37 hectares, it was surrounded by a double square enclosure. The outer enclosure no longer stands but its west gate remains.

For more than four centuries, the Altar of Earth was the sacred place where the emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties worshipped the God of Earth. The place, formally reopened in 1984, has been converted into a park mainly serving the aged.

A centre for the aged opened there in 1984. At the centre, the public can play chess, billiards, and table tennis, or listen to lectures on flower-growing, learn "taijiquan" (a kind of traditional Chinese shadow boxing) or "qigong" (a system of deep breathing exercises).

In 1420, the third Ming Emperor Yongle had the Temple of Heaven and Earth built in the southern part of Beijing. There he offered sacrifices to Heaven at the annual winter solstice and to Earth at the summer solstice. Having received a suggestion to worship Heaven and Earth separately, in 1530 Emperor Jiajing (1522-1566) ordered that the Circular Mound Altar be constructed for the worship of Heaven in Tiantan (now called the Temple of Heaven) and that Fangzetan (Square Stream Altar) be constructed for the worship of Earth in the Northern City. Fangzetan was renamed Ditan in 1534.

The largest structure in the Altar of Earth is the altar known as Fangzetan - so called because a moat surrounds it. A sculpted stone dragon head is fixed on the west side of the southwestern corner of the moat wall; water was brought from a well through the dragon head. Fangzetan was built on a north-south axis, and it is surrounded by two square enclosures, both painted red and surmounted with yellow glazed tiles. Both Inner and outer enclosures have triple white marble gates to the north and one gate to the east, south and west.

Ditan Park covers a square-shaped plot of about 37.4 hectares (92.4 acres). All of its architecture was designed according to the Chinese ancient Five Elements Theory, Round Sky and Square Earth Theory and the symbols of 'Dragon & Phoenix' and 'Heaven & Earth'. Today, in addition to the Alter of the Earth, visitors can see a number of ancient buildings such as Huangqishi, Zaishengting, Zhaigong and Shenku.

Huangqishi (the House of Worship for the Earth God) is one of the major buildings in the park. Throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties, this was used as a spot of worship for the God of the Earth and many other Chinese gods. In 1986, it converted into an exhibition room of cultural and historical relics.

Zaishengting (Slaughter Pavilion) is the place in which bulls, pigs, goats and deer were slaughtered. Animals were killed on the day before the worship ceremony, and then prepared as the sacrificial offerings for the God of the Earth.

Before participating in a worship ceremony, emperors would fast in Zhaigong (Fast Palace). Zhaigong was used by emperors Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong and Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty. It is made up of three palaces, which were built in 1530 and then rebuilt in 1730.

Shenku (Holy Storehouse) stores the sedan chairs used to carry the spirit tablets of the God of the Earth and many other gods. The storehouse was also used to temporarily house the spirit tablets when Huangqishi was under repair. Three other large halls and two well pavilions surround Shenku. Shenchu (Holy Kitchen) was the west hall, and functioned as a preparation area for sacrificial food.  The east hall stored the utensils used in worship. The south hall held the musical instruments used for the worship. The two well pavilions provided water for the ditch surrounding the Fangze Altar and the Holy Kitchen.

In addition to the cultural and historical architecture and relics, the ancient trees in the park are also well worth seeing. The park is home to 168 ancient trees, many of which are more than 300 years old. Arborvitae, juniper, elm, ginkgo and locust are among the most common.

Admission Fee: CNY2
Opening Hours: 06:00 – 21:00
Bus Routes:
    West Gate of Ditan Park: 18, 27, 104, 108, 113, 119, 124, 201, 328, 358, 407, 417(֧), 758, 803, 850, 858, 912, 415, 847, 849
    South Gate of Ditan Park: 44, 62, 13, 116, 406, 606, 807