The Temple of Heaven is situated in the southern part of Beijing. It was first built in 1420 during the reign of Emperor Youngle of the Ming Dynasty, during the time when the Forbidden City and some other important imperial structures were constructed. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Temple of Heaven was the place where the emperors came to worship the God of Heaven and prayed for good harvest. It is not only the largest group of temple buildings in China, but also the largest heaven-worshipping architecture in the world. In 1998 it was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

To better symbolize heaven and earth ,the northern part of the Temple is circular while the southern part is square .The whole compound is enclosed by two walls, a square wall outside a round one. The outer area is characterized by suburban[səˋbə:bən] scenery, while the inner part is used for sacrifices. The inner enclosure consists of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Circular Mound Altar.

Times change, and the wheel of history moves forward without stop .Nowadays, local pensioners do exercises here in the morning and evening and sightseers visit here both from home and abroad. People no longer pay tribute to God but enjoy the scenery and historical beauty in it. This is the Temple of Heaven today ,more lively and more prosperous.