Research On Altars And Temples In Capitals Of Ming Dynasty

Altars and temples in capitals of Ming Dynasty are essential part of Chinese temples and of great value to researchers and the world, which refer to three capital cities: the South Capital (Nanjing), the Middle Capital (Fengyang) and the North Capital (Beijing). Altars and temples in Nanjing and Fengyang went through three constitutional phases: the founding, modifying and fixing of regulations of imperial ceremony and founding system of buildings, which set examples for Beijing. Evidence can be found in relics and historic literature. Altars and temples in Beijing were founded in Yongle Period and modified in Jiajing Period of Ming Dynasty. They are well preserved and are essential of temples of Ming, Qing and ever. However, historic literature didn't preserve enough information on these temples to figure out their system, history and other basic issues.This thesis intends to figure out the founding system of temples and their history. It restores the founding system of buildings, city layout and their transformation utilizing historic text, drawings, relics, buildings, survey data, survey drawings and satellite image. It tries to reveal the methodology of locating, planning and its mathematical principal based on the restoration.The first part discusses altars and temples of Nanjing and Fengyang of Ming Dynasty, explains the process of their transformation from the founding phase to the modifying phase. It restores important altars and temples'layout in Nanjing, wall system of the city and the group layout of all temples. It analyzes the group size relation between the Round Altar, Square Altar and the city, trying to tap issues like"Nine and Five","Perimeter","Differential length"and"Non-geometric center".The second part discusses altars and temples of Beijing of Ming Dynasty. It restores rituals and building layout of altars and templs of Yongle and Jiajing Period and pays more attention on the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), the Altar of Agriculture (Xiannongtan) and the imperial ancestral temple (Taimiao). It discusses the location of the Altar of the Earth and the Heaven (Tianditan), the Altar of Mountains (Shanchuantan), the Altar of Land and Grain (Shejitan) and the imperial ancestral temple (Taimiao) based on the restoration. Issues on the group size of Mathematical philosophy,"Nine and Five","Perimeter","Differential length"and"Non-geometric center"are further explained and issues of"Differential length of courtyards spatial scales"and"Broadening by Nine and Five"are raised.