Historic monuments of Dengfeng in the “center of heaven and earth”
dengfeng is one of China’s early capitals whose precise location is now unknown, but whose name is now associated with an area to the south of Shaoshi Mountain and Taishi Mountain, two peaks of Songshan Mountain in central China’s Henan Province. Dengfeng came to be associated with the concept of the center of heaven and earth - the only point where astronomical observations were considered to be accurate.
At the foot of Songshan Mountain, close to Dengfeng and spread over a 40 square-km circle, stand eight clusters of buildings and sites, including three Hanque Gates - remaining of the oldest religious edifices in China - temples, the Zhougong Sundial Platform and the Dengfeng Observatory. Constructed over the course of nine dynasties, these buildings are reflections of different ways of perceiving the center of heaven and earth and the power of the mountain as a center for religious devotion.
The center of heaven and earth in astronomical terms is linked to an auspicious place of imperial power, with the optimism of establishing capital at the center of heaven and earth. Songshan Mountain, as the natural symbol of the center of heaven and earth, is used as the focus for sacred rituals that reinforce that earthly power. The buildings that clustered around Dengfeng were of the highest architectural standards at ancient time and many of them were commissioned by emperors. The serial properties embody the significance of the area in terms of prestige and patronage, thereby reinforcing the influence of the Dengfeng area.
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