Translation of a sign from the temple of heaven

[bomaci]

I found a picture of a sign from the temple of heaven on the internet and thought I'd try to translate it as an excersize. Hope I can get some comments on my translation. The text and my translation follow below

天坛最初为"天地坛" 中国古代认为 "天圆地方" 天坛所有建筑非圆即方 或内圆外方，这种平面的构图直接反映中国古代的宇宙观，而这种独特的象征性布局和结构，造成了皇穹宇和圜丘奇异

的声学现象。使天坛皇穹宇以 "回音壁" 之名享誉世界

In the beginning, "Temple of heaven" was called the "The altar of heaven and earth". In ancient china people held the belief that "heaven is round and the earth is square". All of the buildings in the Temple of Heaven are either round or square. Some buildings are round on the inside and square on the outside. This sort of surface composition directly reflects the way that ancient china looked on the world. Furthermore this unique symbolic layout and structure gave rise to the strange acoustic characteristics of the "House of the heavenly lord" and the "Earthly Mount". These characteristics made the "House of the heavenly lord" world famous under the name "The echo wall".

[againstwind]

I feel your vesion is very good.

And below are two suggestions for your reference.

"平面的构图surface composition"

May you consider "planar/ two-dimensional composition"?

"声学现象acoustic characteristics"

How about "acoustic phenomenons"?

[[欧阳江]]

I think 皇穹宇 and 圜丘 are more commonly translated into: Imperial Vault of Heaven and Circular Mound [Altar].

[bomaci]

声学现象acoustic characteristics"

How about "acoustic phenomenons"?

I actually thought about that but was unsure (English is not my native language) whether you could write "...gave rise to the strange acoustic phenomena of the House of the heavenly lord" or if you have to write "...gave rise to the strange acoustic phenomena that can be observered in the "House of the heavenly lord". Since the last sentence is a bit long winded I chose to go with "acoustic characteristics" instead, but I guess phenomenon is better translation of 现象。