Accustomed to the towering skyscrapers and bustling traffic, one develops a deeper reverence for the unique craftsmanship of ancient Chinese traditional architecture. You may have marveled at the palaces and walls of the Forbidden City, and been captivated by the solemn splendor of the gilded roof of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven, but the Xiannong Altar, a pinnacle of ancient Chinese architectural art, is less often mentioned. This is how I feel every time I visit Xiannong Altar—a tranquility as if entering a state of nirvana. The sound of crows and sparrows fills the air, and the shadow of the dense cypresses looms around, with only the beauty of ancient architecture quietly blossoming.

Xiannong Altar is located to the west of Yongdingmen Neidajie(St), outside the Zhengyang Gate in Beijing, facing the Temple of Heaven across Tianjie, forming a supporting position to the Forbidden City in the background, which is quite spectacular. According to staff from the Social Education Department of the Ancient Chinese Architecture Museum, which is located at Xiannong Altar, the site is positioned slightly to the east of the central line, breaking with the traditional practice of main buildings on the central axis, consistent with the characteristic of the western part of Beijing being slightly larger than the eastern part.

Xiannong Altar was a shared venue for the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship the God of Agriculture and to hold the imperial plowing ceremony. Its architectural complex consists of multiple groups of buildings, each dedicated to different deities, flexibly yet orderly laid out; meanwhile, the main structures are official-style buildings from the Ming Dynasty, with typical characteristics of Ming Dynasty architecture in terms of form, construction methods, and technological techniques. According to staff from the Social Education Department, these sacrificial buildings are divided into palace buildings and functional buildings symbolizing production, based on different requirements in sacrificial activities. Due to different usage requirements, the structures and craftsmanship of the buildings vary: palace buildings are majestic and spectacular, with hip or gable roofs, a brilliant exterior, using black or green glazed tiles, intricate internal carvings, decorated with gilded dougong brackets, and lattice windows with a three-interlaced and six-petal lotus pattern. The buildings are adorned inside and out with gold dragons and seals. Other buildings, though also hall-structured, have simpler decorations with gray tiles and hard mountain roofs, forming a clear hierarchical contrast with the former.

The Tai Sui Hall Courtyard is the most majestic set of buildings in the Xiannong Altar, covering an area of over 9,000 square meters, and serves as the venue for the worship of the Tai Sui God (the god presiding over the year) and the twelve monthly generals. It is composed of the Tai Sui Hall, the Worship Hall, and the Eastern and Western Side Halls. Basically located in the central area of the inner altar architecture, it has the largest building volume in the Xiannong Altar. Standing in the open courtyard, one can feel the unique grandeur of the imperial architecture. The Tai Sui Hall faces north to south, with a facade of seven bays, black glazed tiles with green trim on the hip-and-gable roof, and painted with dragons pattern. There are three sets of steps in front of the hall. The Eastern and Western Side Halls each have eleven bays, with a porch in front and a hip roof of black glazed tiles. The Worship Hall is to the south, also with a facade of seven bays, a single-eave hip-and-gable roof style, with black glazed tiles and green glazed trim. There is a moon platform in front, with three sets of six steps at the main entrance, facing the Tai Sui Hall. On every occasion of worshipping the Tai Sui, encountering water, drought, or significant events such as military expeditions and triumphal returns, the emperor would send officials to perform sacrificial rites here.

The Ancient Chinese Architecture Museum is located within the Tai Sui Hall, and wandering through these ancient architectural exhibitions feels like walking through a long historical scroll. Chinese architectural styles, when discussed by era, include the simplicity of the Han, the grandeur of the Tang, the elegance of the Song, the freedom of the Yuan, and the standardization of the Ming and Qing; when discussed by region, there is the grandeur of the north, the elegance of the south, and the simplicity of Sichuan; and when discussed by ethnicity, in addition to the Han, each of the various ethnic minorities also adorns the land with their unique style. What is displayed here is the rational and romantic architectural world created by the ancestors of China. The ancient buildings displayed inside the Tai Sui Hall, the worship hall, and the western side hall, although somewhat dilapidated now, still have the coffered ceiling visible upon looking up, not diminished by time, especially the "treasure of the museum" and national first-class cultural relic—the original dome ceiling of Beijing Longfu Temple. According to the on-site guide, the top of the well is a celestial map, drawn according to the Tang Dynasty astronomical chart, with over 1200 stars, surrounded by a square well beam that is level with the indoor ceiling and the first and second layers of the coffered ceiling, with deities standing amidst the colorful clouds, and four wooden carvings of the heavenly kings supporting from the corners of the third layer of the coffered ceiling. The overall structure is a masterpiece, leaving one in awe of the ancient architectural wisdom.

After over 500 years of vicissitudes, from the creativity of the original culture to the architecture serving emperors, now becoming sacred relics of cultural heritage, it embodies the value of history, culture, and art everywhere. Although the outer altar has now become a sports venue, the inner altar, after the baptism of history, is shaded by ancient cypresses, and the restored architectural complex stands tall and more glorious. However, it is a bit regrettable that there are very few visitors during the two-day visit, which is a pity for such a collection of exquisite ancient architectural beauty.

Enter the Ancient Chinese Architecture Museum from the north gate and buy a 15 yuan ticket to visit. The museum is closed on Mondays and free to visit on Wednesdays.