Firewood Stove Used in Burning Sacrifices
Being a highly cultured civilization, the Ming civilization has all sorts of rituals associated with worshipping heaven. The Temple of Heaven Park grounds have several artifacts of this behavoir. There is a massive stove which seemed to be a bit out of place here in the Temple of Heaven. The stove is colored green which is distinctly different from the colors used in the halls and temples here.
One of Eight Stoves Near the Circular Mound 圜丘坛
The stove is obviously used to burn the offerings in a complex ritual before praying to heaven. Fortunately, much of this ritual is documented. Upon knowing the ritual used back then, it would not be that much different from sacrificial rituals performed by other civilizations, this included the burning and sacrificing of animals. Religion is deeply ingrained in the Chinese psyche and it showed even back then.
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