The largest structure in the Altar of Earth is the altar known as Fangzetan - so called because a moat surrounds it. A sculpted stone dragon head is fixed on the west side of the southwestern corner of the moat wall; water was brought from a well through the dragon head. Fangzetan was built on a north-south axis, and it is surrounded by two square enclosures, both painted red and surmounted with yellow glazed tiles. Both Inner and outer enclosures have triple white marble gates to the north and one gate to the east, south and west.
The altar is a two-tiered square terrace surfaced with flagstones; its facades are yellow glazed bricks. Each terrace is one metre high and has a flight of eight steps leading up to it. The upper terrace is 20 metres wide and the lower one 35 metres. The even numbers six and eight, symbols of the earth, and multiples of six and eight recur several times in the arrangement of the square flagstones. On the west and east sides of the lower terrace lie four groups of stone sculptures, 23 in all. They symbolize 15 mountains, including Mount Taishan and Mount Huashan; four rivers, including the Changjiang (Yangtze) River and Yellow River, and four seas (ancient Chinese believed that China was surrounded by four seas). There are more than 20 holes in the two terraces. They held flagstaffs and poles for banners and tents used during ceremonies.
The ceremonies for worshipping the Earth took place once a year, at the summer solstice.
On important occasions such as an emperor's coronation, birthday, marriage or funeral, a representative of the emperor would come to 'report' to the God of Earth.