Hall of Filial Piety

Among the memorial halls brought to life with extraordinary architecture, the Hall of Filial Piety stands distinguished as a sacred reenvisioning of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The latter, part of the iconic Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing, China, was a jewel in the crown of the Ming Dynasty emperor.

Like many landmarks across ancient China, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was born as a testament to the divine authority bestowed upon the Chinese emperor, who was also known as the 天子 or Son of Heaven. Inside, the emperor would perform annual rituals to secure abundant harvests for the upcoming season - a crucial move to preserve the prosperity of his empire.

To this end, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was built around a total of 28 pillars that chronicle the ebb and flow of the cosmos much like complications in a watch:

Four central pillars

Symbolise the four different seasons in year

12 outer pillars

Symbolise the 12 different months in a year

12 outermost pillars

Symbolise the 12 traditional Chinese hours (equivalent to a 2-hour period in modern timekeeping) in a day

24 pillars (a combination of 12 outer pillars and 12 outermost pillars)

Symbolise the 24 solar terms of the Chinese agricultural calendar, which monitors the movement of the Sun to predict weather and seasonal changes

All 28 pillars

Symbolise the 28 lunar mansions, which are constellations used in ancient Chinese astronomy to track the moon’s movement

These pillars reach up to a vast caisson ceiling that echoes the grandeur of Heaven, while an emblem of a dragon - embodying the Chinese emperor himself - takes pride of place at its core. Venerated for its ability to travel between the celestial and earthly realms, it’s another nod to the divine authority of the Chinese emperor.

The Hall of Filial Piety is similarly commissioned with 28 vaults that soar to nearly the height of its ceiling and guard its periphery. They are adorned with intricate filigree and glistening facets much like the pillars in the Hall of Prayers for Good Harvests are draped in gilded motifs of dragons and clouds.

Overhead, the hall opens up to a dome-like ceiling with fins that radiate from a central chandelier - another homage to the ceiling of Hall of Prayers for Good Harvests.

Each vault unfolds to reveal two distinct sections: a lower chamber with niches that hold up to 12 urns and an altar that honours the family lineage. A visual masterpiece that’s as breathtaking from afar as it is up close, the altar combines a deep reverence for Buddhist mysticism and exceptional mastery over crafting details in miniature.

Amidst the scenery, an ancestral tablet stands in the embrace of Amitābha Buddha, who is depicted in meditation amongst his 佛光 or Buddha Light - a radiant mandala that nearly envelops him. Six secondary ancestral tablets also sit in his formidable presence, uniting the whole family under Amitābha Buddha’s divine grace.