Beijing Ancient Observatory is located in the southwest side of Jianguomen crossroad at Dongcheng District. It is a special topic site museum of nature science displaying Chinese ancient astronomical equipment and astronomy. Now, it has been reformed to Beijing Ancient Astronomical Equipment Exhibition Hall, which belong to Beijing Astronomy Observatory and was official opened in 1956.
Eight magnificent and excellent equipment that are made of bronze stand high and upright on the black brick platform. They are celestial body equipment, equator theodolite, ecliptic theodolite, horizon longitude equipment, quadrant equipment, Simple Phenomena equipment, horizon theodolite and Jihenfuchen equipment made in Qing Dynasty.
The elaborate flying dragons, vivid colors are carved on the equipment body. Among which, part of them still has its function of actual observation. In second exhibition room inside the platform, it displays the China Ancient Astronomical Achievement Exhibition. Four exhibition rooms are set in the quad under the platform: The Ziwei Palace and East Wing-room exhibited the “Lingtai Equipment”, which introduces the site of Lingtai, the reform of existing ancient observatory and the production of astronomical equipment and etc; while the exhibition in the West Wing-room will enlighten you the abundant calendars and important calendar reforms in China; the Shadow Observation House is the place that the astronomers in Ming and Qing Dynasty used to ascertain the time and conduct sun shadow measure.
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