Sentence Practice for Discussing the Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is an important historical site, where emperors prayed for good harvests. Here are some simple and accurate phrases to help you talk about it.
Scene 1: Asking About the Temple
What is the Temple of Heaven used for?
天坛是用来做什么的？
Tiāntán shì yòng lái zuò shénme de?
It’s used for ceremonies to pray for a good harvest.
它是用来祈求丰收的。
Tā shì yòng lái qǐqiú fēngshōu de.
When was it built?
它是什么时候建造的？
Tā shì shénme shíhòu jiànzào de?
It was built in the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty.
它建于15世纪的明朝。
Tā jiàn yú 15 shìjì de Míngcháo.
Scene 2: Discussing the Architecture
The Hall of Prayer is beautiful.
祈年殿很漂亮。
Qínián Diàn hěn piàoliang.
Yes, it’s the most famous building in the temple.
是的，它是天坛里最有名的建筑。
Shì de, tā shì Tiāntán lǐ zuì yǒumíng de jiànzhù.
Is it made of wood?
它是木头做的吗？
Tā shì mùtou zuò de ma?
Yes, it’s made entirely of wood, without nails.
是的，完全是木头做的，没有用钉子。
Shì de, wánquán shì mùtou zuò de, méiyǒu yòng dīngzi.
Scene 3: Understanding the Layout
Why is the temple round and square?
为什么天坛是圆的和方的？
Wèishéme Tiāntán shì yuán de hé fāng de?
The round part represents heaven, and the square part represents earth.
圆形代表天，方形代表地。
Yuánxíng dàibiǎo tiān, fāngxíng dàibiǎo dì.
What is the Echo Wall for?
回音壁是做什么的？
Huíyīn Bì shì zuò shénme de?
It can reflect sounds across long distances.
它可以传递很远的声音。
Tā kěyǐ chuándì hěn yuǎn de shēngyīn.