Tongtian Hall

Pass through the Taiji Gate, and you will enter the central courtyard of the Mausoleum of Emperor Fu Xi. Walk 16 zhang north along the main sacred path, and you will reach the core building — Tongtian Hall.

Commonly known as the Main Hall, Tongtian Hall is flanked by the East and West Corridor Houses. Each corridor house has a gate at its northern end: the eastern one is named the Liangyi Gate (Gate of Two Polarities), and the western one the Sixiang Gate (Gate of Four Symbols). Tongtian Hall is the largest and highest-ranking building within the Temple of Emperor Fu Xi, and it also ranks among the highest-grade ancient halls nationwide, for it enshrines Emperor Taihao Fu Xi, the primal ancestor of the Chinese nation.

The name "Tongtian" derives from The I Ching: "Great is the Qian Origin; all beings derive their life from it, and it governs heaven." This line speaks of the boundless primal vital energy that nurtures all creation and rules over the universe. Only the title "Tongtian" (Governor of Heaven) can convey supreme sovereignty and fully embody Fu Xi’s unparalleled dignity. Fu Xi established official titles based on dragon emblems, unified the realm for the first time, and forged ethnic integration. The name "Tongtian" magnificently highlights his extraordinary achievements.

Since the dawn of civilization, heaven and earth have occupied distinct hierarchical positions, with heaven revered above earth. As humanity’s primal ancestor, Fu Xi rightly bears the title Tongtian. This title also teaches later generations humility, embodying the core rituals of Chinese civilization. For this reason, no hall in subsequent dynasties has ever dared to adopt the name Tongtian Hall.

Tongtian Hall features a facade of five bays and a depth of three bays. Its roof is covered with imperial yellow glazed tiles, crowned by an ornate dragon-and-phoenix main ridge with elaborate decorations. A three-tier colored glazed pottery tower rises at the ridge’s center, inscribed with four characters "Unification Under Heaven" on the upper section and "Hall of Emperor Taihao Fu Xi" below. The twenty-eight small figurines lining both sides symbolize the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, representing the celestial sphere.

The glazed pottery equestrian statues perched on the four upturned roof corners depict four legendary peerless warriors: Pang Juan, Zidu, Han Xin, and Luo Cheng.