I had the awesome opportunity to check out Beijing’s Temple of Heaven. During the ancient Chinese dynasties, the emperor would come to this temple standing elevated above the land in order to perform an animal sacrifice ritual which would hopefully please the heavens and bring a bountiful harvest in the coming year.
The temple was absolutely breathtaking – the architecture and every detail just ornately stunning. I stood and observed it for a long time wondering how long it must have taken to craft. We could just barely peek inside the dimly lit temple; it seemed to have a throne on the inside, also surrounded by ornately decorated columns and items.
It was fascinating to see how the architecture of the temple changed from dynasty to dynasty, although my favorite model is the current day version I had the chance to visit. This temple looks so uniquely different from all the other temples in Beijing; I would definitely say it is a must see.
