According to administrative office of Temple of Heaven in Beijing, on May 7 the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest in Temple of Heaven was closed for renovation, which will be officially started on May 17.

It is said that the current renovation is the largest since 1971 and all the ancient buildings within the yard of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, covering an area of 3,876 square meters, will be under overall reparation.

This time, the yard of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest will be paved with bricks; and the three-floor "xumizuo" will be paved with gold bricks; the damage of stone works and houses will be checked and repaired; the cracks in wooden structures and walls will be repaired and the roof renovated; paints and colored drawings on the outer eaves will be renewed and those on the inner eaves will be dusted and repaired.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest will be off limit to tourists during the renovation. However, two tourism attractions, the south pavilion for killing of livestock and south sacred kitchen that have not been open to tourists before, will be open to visitors.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2005)