A folk artist performs at the reopened Taimiao Temple in Beijing on Saturday, on the second Cultural Heritage Day in China, June 9, 2007. [Photo: Xinhua]

 

After ten months of renovation, the ancient Taimiao Temple on the eastern side of Beijing's Tian'anmen, reopened on Saturday, hosting an event highlighting cultural protection.

 

On the second National Cultural Heritage Day on Saturday, folk artists and amateurs of traditional culture gathered at the 600-year-old temple, celebrating with a variety of folk performances.

 

Taimiao was built in 1420. It was where Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors offered sacrifices to their ancestors. It is the only remaining imperial ancestral temple in China.

 

In 1950, the temple was renamed Working People's Cultural Palace and since then has been at the top of Beijing's cultural protection list.

 

A large-scale renovation project involving 15 million yuan (US$1.9 million) began in August 2006.

 

 

(CRIENGLISH.com June 11, 2007)