Culture&Life | 500-year-old palace at Beijing's central axis opens to public after restoration-Xinhua

This photo shows the main hall of the Qingcheng Palace complex in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Qingcheng Palace complex, a royal sacrificial venue along the historic central axis of Beijing, opened to the public after restoration work on Saturday.

Built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the palace is located inside the Altar of the God of Agriculture, also referred to as the Xiannongtan Temple. The palace was formerly known as Zhaigong, which literally translates to the fasting palace. It was a place where the emperors abstained from heavy meals and meditated before worship.

It was renamed as Qingcheng Palace in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), becoming a place where the emperors held celebratory rituals after cultivation ceremonies while praying for a good harvest.

Restoration work of the ancient buildings started in June last year, following the principle of "minimal intervention."