Temple of Heaven hosts Hongshan exhibition until 31 October

The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is hosting the Niuheliang Hongshan Culture exhibition until 31 October 2026. The exhibition opened on 6 May 2026 in the East Hall of the Northern Divine Kitchen, linking a prehistoric culture with one of China’s best-known imperial ritual complexes.

Temple of Heaven hosts Hongshan Culture exhibition until 31 October

The exhibition is titled Tracing the Origins of Civilisation - Niuheliang Hongshan Culture Exhibition. It presents 81 sets of representative Hongshan Culture objects, including jade artefacts, clay figures, painted pottery and stone tools. The display also includes the Hongshan Goddess head, a jade pig dragon, a jade phoenix and cloud-shaped jade ritual objects.

The exhibition is being held at the Temple of Heaven Cultural Relics Exhibition in the East Hall of the Northern Divine Kitchen. Its organiser is the Niuheliang Ruins Museum, while the exhibition forms part of a wider museum presentation from Chaoyang in Liaoning. The exhibition dates and venue were published by the Chaoyang municipal government.

The exhibition connects Niuheliang with an imperial ritual site

The exhibition’s theme places the 5,000-year-old Hongshan Culture beside the ritual traditions represented by the Beijing complex. The organisers describe the connection through the shared importance of ritual and the relationship between archaeological objects and ceremonial architecture.

The Temple of Heaven stands east of Zhengyang Gate in Beijing. The site covers 273 hectares and is divided by a double wall into the Inner Temple and Outer Temple. Its principal buildings include the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound Altar. Beijing’s visitor guide identifies the complex as a Ming and Qing imperial sacrificial site.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was built in 1420 and measures 38.2 metres in height and 24.2 metres in diameter. The Circular Mound Altar was used for ceremonial sacrifices on the day of the Winter Solstice. These spaces give the exhibition a setting shaped by centuries of formal ritual, rather than a conventional gallery environment.

Beijing exhibition places jade objects beside historic altars

The exhibition is significant for visitors because its archaeological material is presented inside the same wider complex that contains the Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The link between the objects and the site is therefore visible in both the display and the surrounding architecture. A Beijing cultural report also lists the exhibition as continuing until 31 October 2026 and describes the display as containing 81 sets of excavated objects.

Visiting Temple of Heaven: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Niuheliang Hongshan Culture exhibition runs from 6 May to 31 October 2026 at the East Hall of the Northern Divine Kitchen within the Temple of Heaven.
• The exhibition is an indoor cultural display, while the surrounding historic buildings follow the complex’s visitor arrangements. The principal scenic buildings are closed on Mondays except during statutory holidays.
• The address is No. 7 Tiantan Neidongli, Dongcheng District, Beijing. The nearest listed metro access is Exit A of Tiantandongmen Station on Line 5 or Exit C of Tianqiao Station on Line 8.
• The site covers 273 hectares, so visiting involves walking across a large walled park. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is 38.2 metres high and 24.2 metres in diameter.
• China’s official language is Mandarin Chinese and its currency is the renminbi.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Temple of Heaven

When does the Hongshan Culture exhibition take place at Temple of Heaven?

The exhibition runs from 6 May to 31 October 2026 in the East Hall of the Northern Divine Kitchen.

What is Temple of Heaven?

It is a 273-hectare Ming and Qing imperial sacrificial complex in Beijing, with buildings including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Circular Mound Altar.

Where is Temple of Heaven and how do you get there?

The complex is in Dongcheng District, Beijing. Metro access listed by the city includes Tiantandongmen Station on Line 5 and Tianqiao Station on Line 8.