[BODY]
During U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing on Nov. 14-15, the most striking moment beyond the summit and other diplomatic protocols was arguably his tour of the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), a UNESCO cultural heritage site. Chinese President Xi Jinping deliberately took Trump to the Temple of Heaven on Nov. 14, showcasing Chinese civilization against the backdrop of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the complex's centerpiece.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi told Trump while touring the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: "It symbolizes the Chinese view of the universe — that heaven is round and earth is square — and the Chinese philosophy of life. Ancient Chinese rulers held grand ceremonies at the Temple of Heaven, praying for national prosperity, the people's peace, and favorable weather. This embodies the traditional Chinese idea that the people are the foundation of the nation, and only when the foundation is firm can the nation be at peace. The Communist Party of China inherits and develops this people-centered thought of Chinese civilization."
The remarks brimmed with confidence. Successive Chinese emperors ruled the people under the mandate of heaven, and the Temple of Heaven was a key instrument for that purpose — and the Chinese Communist Party today is no different, the message went. It was a roundabout way of saying, "This is who we are, so treat us (the U.S.) accordingly." Although Chinese-style autocracy and totalitarianism draw worldwide criticism, their logic, as always, sounds plausible.
The grandeur of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, displayed on television and in photographs, also captivated foreign audiences — as if China or the Chinese Communist Party were the leading guardian of Eastern thought. In any case, Xi appears to know his country's history precisely.
The Cultural Heritage Administration's events at The Westin Josun also drew criticism in the National Assembly. At the Oct. 10, 2024 parliamentary audit, lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties pointed out, "It is problematic that heritage-related events are held — and substantial rental fees are paid — at a building erected on the site where Wongudan was destroyed." The Korea Heritage Service subsequently halted official use of the hotel's facilities.
The Temple of Heaven is the altar where Ming and Qing emperors performed rites to heaven. Spanning 2.73 million square meters, it is roughly four times the size of the Forbidden City. Completed in 1420 in the early Ming era, it was repeatedly expanded thereafter. Its key structures are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Circular Mound Altar. The Circular Mound Altar is the open-air round altar where the rites were actually performed. The Imperial Vault enshrines the spirit tablets. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the indoor altar — and the building that symbolizes the Temple of Heaven. It was in front of this hall that Trump and Xi met.
Then does Korea, also part of the East Asian civilization that performed heavenly rites, have no structure like Beijing's Temple of Heaven? Of course it does. The difference is that China's top leader continually preserves and makes use of his, while Korea has effectively neglected its own.
To the east of Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu, central Seoul, stands the Wongudan Altar. Emperor Gojong of Joseon built it in 1897 after renaming the country the "Korean Empire," to perform rites to heaven. In short, it was created for heavenly ceremonies befitting an "empire." It was located across from Deoksu Palace (Gyeongun Palace), where Gojong then resided. Wongudan consisted largely of two parts: a three-tiered round altar where rites were performed, and the Hwanggungu, a three-tiered octagonal pavilion that enshrined the spirit tablet of the "god of heaven."
When the Korean Empire fell under Japanese colonial rule, Wongudan suffered severe damage. In 1913, Japan demolished most of Wongudan and built a hotel on the site called the Joseon Gyeongseong Railway Hotel — as if the hotel were a symbol of modern civilization. More precisely, it was a calculated scheme to erase the history of the Korean Empire.
Watching dramas like "21st Century Grand Lady," which has recently sparked controversy over historical distortion, suggests Japan's intent has succeeded to some extent.
Of Wongudan, only the Hwanggungu pavilion has survived, tucked into the northern corner of where the railway hotel stood. That remains the case more than 110 years later. The site of Japan's railway hotel is now occupied by The Westin Josun Seoul.
To this day, no Korean president has visited Wongudan, much less escorted a foreign head of state there. It is treated as little more than a "garden" of The Westin Josun, or a stroll route for ordinary citizens. Before envying China's Temple of Heaven, we should look back at how we treat our own.
On May 9, 2023, then-Cultural Heritage Administration chief Choi Eung-chun (now head of the Korea Heritage Service) held a press briefing at The Westin Josun marking his first year in office. At the time, the agency frequently held events at the hotel. When a reporter asked, "Is there any plan to restore the Wongudan site, where this briefing is being held?" Choi replied flatly, "No."
