Temple of Heaven Park

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  • Address
    Tiantan Donglu, Chóngwén
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  • Transport
    underground rail: Chongwenmen, Qianmen, or Tiantandongmen

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Lonely Planet review

The example of Ming architecture, Tiāntán - literally 'Altar of Heaven' - has come to symbolise Běijīng. The temple originally served as a vast stage for the solemn rites performed by the emperor, the Son of Heaven, as he sought good harvests, divine clearance and atonement for the sins of the people. Unique architectural features will delight numerologists, necromancers and the superstitious - not to mention acoustic engineers and carpenters.

Seen from above the temples are round and the bases square, a pattern deriving from the ancient Chinese belief that heaven is round and earth is square. Thus the northern end of the park is semicircular and the southern end square. The Temple of the Earth (Ditan), is in the north of Běijīng, and the Temple of Heaven in the south.

The most important ceremony of the year was performed just before the winter solstice when the emperor and his enormous entourage passed down Qianmen Dajie in total silence to the Imperial Vault of Heaven. The ritual decided the nation's future; a hitch in any part of the proceedings was a bad omen.

Full of old cypresses, the park remains an important meeting place. Get here at to see tàijíquán (also known as taichi), dancing to Western music and various games being played. By it becomes just another Chinese park.