The Worship Hall of Taihe Palace

The main hall of Taihe Palace was called the Imperial Hall in the Ming Dynasty and was completed in the 14th year of Yongle. After the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, it was called the main hall of Taihe Palace. During the Ming Dynasty, those who came to the Golden Summit to pay homage to the Emperor Zhenwu could only do so here. The lofty Golden Hall could only be seen from afar, and those who could reach the Golden Hall could not be ordinary people. This shows the strict hierarchy and the sacredness of the imperial power. In front of the main hall inscribed with "Dayue Taihe Palace", there is a wall-less pavilion, and the beams and pillars are painted with various patterns and decorations, which are exquisite and splendid. On both sides are the bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Inside the bell tower, there hangs a huge copper bell cast in the thirteenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. When it strikes, all the mountains respond like a thunderclap. The main hall of Taihe Palace is of brick and stone structure, with a hip-and-gable roof and a glazed tile roof. The lower part of the wall is a stone-carved Sumeru pedestal. It is one bay wide and one bay deep, with a total height of 9.45 meters. Inside, there are more than ten statues of deities, including those from both the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which can be said to be a gathering of art from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.