An important bearer of China's 5,000-year agricultural culture

The 'Xiannongtan' (Altar of Agriculture) was originally named 'Shanchuantan' (Altar of Mountains and Rivers), located on the west side of Yongdingmen Inner Street in Beijing, symmetrically aligned with the central axis of the Temple of Heaven. Xiannongtan was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420) and served as the site where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped the god of agriculture and conducted the ceremonial plowing of the auspicious fields. It is also an indispensable part of the ancient emperor's sacrificial system. The layout of Xiannongtan is circular in the north and square in the south, with main buildings including the Hall of the Year God, the Altar of the God of Agriculture, the Divine Kitchen and Storehouse, the Viewing Platform, the Hall of Attire, the Palace of Celebration, the Divine Granary, the Sacrificial Utensils Storehouse, and the Altar. Xiannongtan is the highest-ranking, largest, and best-preserved ancient agricultural sacrificial site in the country.