Exploring Beijing
The most perfect example of Ming architecture, the Temple of Heaven was built specifically for worship of heaven and prayers for good harvests. The temple complex is a treasure trove of ancient Chinese architectural design and art. The temple halls, seen from above, are round and the bases are square, deriving from the ancient Chinese belief that heaven is round and the earth is square. Thus the northern end of the surrounding Temple of Heaven Park is semicircular and the southern end is square.