15/46.- Beijing, Temple of Heaven

South east of Qianmen and Tiananmen Square is the Temple of Heaven, which is not only another of the tourist attractions in Beijing, but also a Feng Shui masterpiece. The temple sits in a park, where first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon locals go to practice Tai Chi, dance and work out. The park, with its Chinese cypress and Chinese juniper trees, some of which are more than 500 years old, is a perfect place to chill out and enjoy some relaxation.

The buildings in the complex were built based on a celestial north-south axis around the 15th century. The temples were visited during the solstices by the Ming and Qing emperors to pray for a good harvest and to offer sacrifices to the Gods. The Son of Heaven, as the emperor was known, was greeted by enthusiastic crowds on his way here form the Forbidden City.

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