Firewood Stove

Firewood Stove

Firewood StoveThe Firewood Stove is located in the southeast corner of the Circular Mound Altar. It is a huge, round and green glazed stove made from brick. There are nine stairs respectively on the east, west and south sides, reaching the top of the stove, while the north side has an opening used for adding firewood. Before the worshipping ceremony, a washed and shaved calf would be put on the stove and burned with pine twigs and reeds. After the ceremony, all the offerings, ceremonial   and silk scrolls were respectfully put inside the stove to be burned. The ancients believed that the burning smoke could go up to heaven. To the north of the big Firewood Stove, there are eight small stoves, which were used to burn the offerings for the first eight emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). East of the Firewood Stove lies a circular pool with a diameter of less than 1 meter and a depth about 30 cm, which was used to handle the fur, tail and blood of ritual sacrifices.