Temple of Heaven. The enclosure is two miles
in circumference. The first two altars are rectangular; that of the
Spirits of Heaven, on the east, is fifty feet long and four and one-half
feet high; and the marble tablets therein contain the names of the
celebrated mountains, lakes, and seas of China. On the first day of the
second period of Spring, the Emperor goes there with three princes, nine
great men, and a numerous following, all of them understood to be
fasting. After they have worshipped, they proceed to the field which has
been prepared; the bullock, the plough, and other accessories are all of
Imperial yellow. The Emperor traces a furrow from east to west;
returning four times, he thus makes eight furrows. The First Minister of
the Treasury stands on the right with a whip, the Viceroy of the
Province on the left with the grain, while a third official scatters the
seed behind the Emperor. The three Princes each plough ten furrows, and
so the work proceeds through all the dignitaries, according to their
rank. The afternoon was one of the most interesting we spent in Peking,
the temperature being perfect like our own June at home; all Nature was
in harmony with the scene.

The Observatory was formerly one of the most distinctive sights in
Peking. It affords a magnificent view towards the south of the wall of
the Tartar City. The wonderful bronze instruments therein have outlived
their usefulness, but their artistic merit makes them a glory and a joy.
The Examination Hall was formerly situated close by the site of the
Observatory, but when we were there it was being dismantled. The old
method of examination is being given up, and the reform is one of the
progressive changes in Peking, upsetting the precedent of ages. The
examination of students is now carried on very much as it is in other
countries.

Leaving the city, we drove some miles along the outskirts to the Yellow
Temple. There are two temples, the eastern and the western; and, in
front, are two very beautiful pavilions. Chien Lung repaired the western
temple and changed it into a dwelling for Mongol princes, who arrived
each year to pay their tribute. This is one of the finest buildings in
China; it has great size, beautiful proportions, and a square entrance
porch; but, since its occupation in 1900 by some of the Allied Forces,
it has begun to fall into ruins. The eastern temple is in good
condition, and critics claim that its proportions surpass those