Altar for the silkworm goddess

Great Gate of Xiancantan

The Altar for the Silkworm Goddess ( 先 蚕 坛 , Xiancantan , English Altar to the Goddess of Silkworms ) is a historic site in Beijing's Beihai Park . The altar is located in the northeast corner of the park northeast of the central lake and can be reached by a bridge from the Temple of the Dragon King (Longwangmiao). It was built in 1742 in the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty . Every spring, the empress made sacrifices to the silkworm goddess, the wife of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), at the altar . The Beihai Kindergarten is located in the temple today.

See also

• Leizu

Web links

• Eight Ancient Altars in Beijing (Altar to the Goddess of Silkworms) - English
• Fan Lizhu: The Cult of the Silkworm Mother as a Core of Local Community Religion in a North China Village: Field Study in Zhiwuying, Boading (sic!), Hebei - English

Footnotes

1. ↑ http://spanish.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/31017.htm