Description:
Maxim or Geyan Pavilion, a Neoclassical garden structure north of the Sheji tan; In the southwestern part of the area within the Imperial City but outside of the Forbidden City lies the Zhongshan yuan (Sun Yatsen Park), where the Sheji tan (Altars of the Soil and Grain) are located. A former imperial garden and now a public park, the Zhongshan park houses numerous imperial pavilions, gardens, stone arches, and imperial temples. The Sheji tan was built in 1421 by the Yongle Emperor. The Confucian altar consists of a square terrace in the centre of the park. By 1914, the altar grounds had become a public park known as the "Central Park". That park was then further renamed in 1928 after Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan Park); there are many parks with this name throughout China. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordartonline.com/ (accessed 6/21/2013)