Temple of Heaven, a Dignified Complex of Landmark Buildings

If you ask a Beijing local to name the landmark buildings in this ancient city, the Temple of Heaven will appear in the list for sure! It stands out with its unique shape and structure as you can see in the pictures.

Founded in the first half of the 15th century, the Temple of Heaven is a dignified complex in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between Earth and Heaven. If you observe carefully at the building’s structures like walls, halls and pillars, you are able to find many elements with the shape of either a square or a circle. The former represents Earth and the later refers to Heaven. In Chinese philosophy, Earth and Heaven represent the human world and God’s world respectively. The emperors, who were thought to play a special role within the relationship of human and gods, came to the temple and pray for a harmonious relationship between human and the gods. Come and visit this masterpiece of architecture! You can find countless angles for perfect pictures!