Worship Music and Dance

Worship Music and Dance
The music played on the ceremony is the Zhonghe Shaoyue music which was divided into nine chapters, and the dance is the “Wugong Dance” consisting of eight independent parts. The music and dance made the ceremony grand and spectacular.

Covering an area of nearly 10,000 square meters (107,600 square feet), the Divine Music Administration is located in the southwestern part of the Temple of Heaven. Known as the highest ritual music academy of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911), it is the managing organ of the ceremonial musical instruments as well as the exercising place of the ritual music and dance. Built in 1420, it mainly trained performers of sacrificial music and dancing. Highly valued in terms of art and culture, the Divine Music Administration is regarded as one of the five major structures in the Temple of Heaven.