Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven means literally, the Altar of Heaven, and is a complex of Taoist buildings visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to heaven for good harvest. With principles dating back to pre-Confucian times, ancient Chinese thought of the heaven as being round and the earth as being square, thus defining the Temple of Heaven building. Today the grounds are used for many purposes including dance, music, picnics, etc.