The Great Wall, Hutongs, Forbidden City, Bird’s Nest… Beijing’s Unmissable Historic Sites

All photos in this article were taken by the author of “Black and White’s Touch”. Copyright reserved. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited!

Recommended reading: (Four Ancient Capitals)

Beijing: The place where Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself, just a street away, “Let Us Swing Our Oars” | So many highly educated people and foreigners come—what is there to see at Beijing’s 798 Art District?

Nanjing: 52 museums, over 200 specialized exhibition halls, yet none can fully capture the city’s myriad charms | Rated by US media as “the world’s best travel destination,” cruise the Qinhuai River by night, explore Mount Zhong by day | Beyond Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Nanjing has so many more sights

Luoyang: As one of the Four Ancient Capitals, just how old is Luoyang? | “The finest under heaven”—how beautiful are Luoyang’s peonies?

Xi’an: The former Tang Dynasty capital Chang’an—how prosperous was it?

Previous articles took you to Beijing’s Beihai Park, Jingshan Park, Taoranting Park, and the 798 Art District. Today, we’ll once again dive into the capital to appreciate the millennia-old historic sites that everybody talks about. You’ll see:

The magnificent and awe-inspiring Badaling Great Wall:

Story-filled imperial gardens:

Stunning modern architecture:

And the leisurely, peaceful wine-lane hutongs:

Without further ado, let’s hit the road!

If you ask a foreigner to name a few keywords that define their impression of China, “the Great Wall” will undoubtedly make the list.

The Great Wall was first built over 2,000 years ago during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. At that time, rival states fought for dominance and each constructed walls for mutual defense. After Qin unified the realm, it linked the separate sections into a single long wall of ten thousand li. Stretching from Shanhaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the west, roughly 6,700 kilometers in length, its colossal scale, majestic presence, and ingenious layout are rarities in the world. It is one of the greatest constructions in human history and a crystallization of the Chinese people’s diligence and wisdom.

After the Qin, each successive dynasty repaired and maintained the Wall to fend off invasions by northern nomadic tribes. The Great Wall safeguarded the economic and cultural growth of the Central Plains and stands as a symbol of the nation’s continuous bloodline and spirit.

The last dynasty to carry out major renovations on the Wall was the Ming. Much of what we see today is Ming-era Great Wall, and the most famous section is Badaling in Beijing.

Badaling Great Wall sits at the north mouth of the Guangou ancient road in the Jundu Mountains, Yanqing District. It is a Ming-era pass and an outpost for Juyong Pass, one of the “Nine Fortresses Under Heaven.” Juyong Pass is famed as “the most formidable pass under heaven” for its precipitous terrain, yet Badaling is danger upon danger. An ancient saying goes: “The peril of Juyong lies not in the pass itself but in Badaling,” hence it’s called the “Jade Gate Natural Moat.”

Historical records show that walls were built in the Badaling area as early as the Warring States and Northern Wei periods. Starting from the 18th year of the Hongzhi reign (1505), the Ming dynasty spent over 80 years constructing the Badaling section, spanning more than 1,300 li—this is the Badaling Great Wall we see today. Later, the famed anti-Japanese pirate general Qi Jiguang was transferred here to command the defense of the wall and repelled enemies multiple times.

The most famous saying about the Great Wall is “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is no true man.” This comes from Mao Zedong’s poem “Qing Ping Yue: Mount Liupan” written in October 1935. While crossing Mount Liupan during the Long March, he passed a section of the Wall in Xiji County, Ningxia, and inspired by the sight, expressed the heroic ambition of “binding the grey dragon.” From then on, this bold utterance spread far and wide, becoming a reason why Chinese people feel compelled to climb the Wall.

Although Mao wrote this poem at Mount Liupan, no matter which section of the ten-thousand-li Great Wall you ascend, gazing at the endless dragon lying across mountain ridges, it’s easy to feel the stirring spirit of “The Great Wall will never fall, the Yellow River flows forever.”

At Badaling’s entrance and beside the wall, you’ll see many stone steles engraved with “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is no true man.”

On the northern section at Badaling, there is also a “Hero Stone” standing atop a peak. Pose on the stone, back against the Great Wall, facing the mountains, hands clasped behind you, sleeves billowing in the wind, take in the enchanting landscape and let your thoughts fly... Maybe you can have that experience when there are few visitors, but usually a constant stream of people come to take photos here. Snapping a shot without anyone in the frame is already a lucky break; standing here to admire the view is pretty much impossible.

Besides Badaling, Beijing’s Great Wall also has Mutianyu as a famous sight. In terms of scenery, Mutianyu boasts rich vegetation and gentler slopes, making it more graceful and less crowded. But actually, Badaling’s scenery is no less impressive (and during the pandemic, there weren’t many visitors either).

In the distance, mountains stretch in dark blue; up close, layers of lush green vegetation. The Great Wall is like a jade ribbon embedded among verdant ridges, undulating and extending until it vanishes into a landscape-painting-like horizon.

Badaling’s steepness makes this section even more magnificent. Some places have sheer walls that make your heart race, exposed rocks conveying the intimidating authority of a natural moat. It makes you wonder: in ancient times without cranes, how did people haul those colossal stones up the mountain?

“The Great Wall will never fall” – for over a thousand years during the era of cold weapons, the Wall mostly kept invaders’ cavalry at bay. But in modern times, when enemies came with airplanes, tanks, strong ships and powerful cannons, even the tallest wall couldn’t protect a backward China. So the British, the French, the Eight-Nation Alliance... all invaded, burning, killing, and looting, reducing former splendor and glory to ashes.

Yuanmingyuan and the Summer Palace were victims of that tragedy.

This part will take you through Yuanmingyuan and the Summer Palace.

Yuanmingyuan was a Qing dynasty imperial garden, once hailed as “garden of gardens” and “a paragon of all gardening art.” Yet this garden of gardens in our memory is a scene of ruins and decay—if you have no impression of it, searching online will also mostly show you this dilapidated image.

Everyone knows this is a bitter fruit of imperialist invasions in modern times.

In 1860, the final year of the Second Opium War, British and French troops stormed Beijing, broke into Yuanmingyuan and the Summer Palace, looted cultural relics, and set buildings ablaze. Countless precious artifacts and structures were consumed by fire.

In 1900, during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion, days of arson, murder, and looting ravaged Beijing. The Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan were damaged again, their treasures virtually plundered. After the allied forces left, bandits ran wild in the gardens, and what were once richly carved beams and painted rafters finally turned into broken walls and collapsed ruins.

Today, Yuanmingyuan is nearly an archaeological site. Aside from a few pavilions and bridges built later, the only thing truly worth seeing are the fallen stones—the ruins of the Western-style Buildings.

The Western-style Buildings ruins are in the northeast corner of Yuanmingyuan. They mark China’s first attempt to replicate European-style gardens, including the Harmonious Wonder, Yellow Flower Maze, Aviary, Five-Bamboo Pavilion, Square Pavilion, and Great Fountain. Their unique beauty of decay has become Yuanmingyuan’s emblem.

The Harmonious Wonder was built in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign (1751). It consists of the main building, a cluster of fountains, and a water tower. The main structure is semi-arcuate, with an octagonal music hall at the end of a flat terrace. It was Yuanmingyuan’s first European-style water feature hall.

The Aviary was built in 1759, a Western-style gate leading to the eastern garden, used to house and display peacocks and other birds. On the east side, a semi-arcuate structure with a Western memorial arch features exquisitely carved brass floral doors, and the birdcage is adorned with five-colored glazed elements, shining together with the stone architecture.

The Yellow Flower Maze stands north of the Harmonious Wonder, a garden modeled after a European labyrinth. The maze is rectangular, with entrances on all four sides. At the center is a raised octagonal Western-style pavilion on a circular base, symbolizing “round heaven and square earth.” Records say that on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor would hold a lantern party here. What we see now are the maze walls and the European garden pavilion restored on the original site in 1987 and 1989.

(The garden pavilion at the center of the Yellow Flower Maze)

The Square Pavilion (Waifang Guan) is east of the Aviary, a two-story Western building with three bays. According to records, Qianlong converted it into a mosque for Consort Rong (the Fragrant Concubine) to perform her prayers, and two Islamic stone tablets were placed inside.

Haiyan Hall is the largest garden landscape in the Western-style Buildings area, built in 1759. Its main building faces west, with a stepped cascading fountain on each side of the entrance. Below the stairs is a large pool, flanked by twelve bronze seated figures with human bodies and animal heads—the Chinese zodiac—arranged in a splay pattern. According to the ancient Chinese timekeeping system of twelve two-hour periods, each figure would spout water from its mouth in turn for one period. At noon, all twelve sprayed together, cycling endlessly, commonly called the “Water Clock.”

During the imperialist invasions, the bronze zodiac heads of the fountain were looted. Today, three of them are in France and Taiwan, while the heads of the ox, tiger, monkey, and pig are preserved at the Poly Art Museum in Beijing.

The Viewing Throne is opposite the Great Fountain, where Qing emperors watched the fountain display. On a central stone platform sits a throne, backed by a large stone screen formed by five stone carvings, each engraved with Western military banners, armor, swords, and firearms. Flanking the screen are a white marble square tower on each side, and further out, Baroque-style Western gates. The throne is deliberately oriented south-facing-north, a rather unusual imperial seating arrangement in ancient Chinese history.

The Yuanying Guan was built in 1783, set on a platform north of the Great Fountain. The main structure is a Western clock-tower-style hall, entirely built with fine white marble. The carvings on the pillars are delicate and lifelike. Consort Rong once lived in this garden. After 1793, a celestial globe—a birthday gift from King George III to the emperor—was displayed here.

Finally, let me introduce Yuanmingyuan’s iconic Great Fountain: It’s a landscape centered around a fountain, embraced by curving stone steps on the left and right. The main structure is a colossal stone alcove. In front of the central arch is a lion-head waterfall cascading in seven tiers. On the shore and in the pool, there are upside-down stone fish: water from the “upper fish” mouth flows into the “lower fish” mouth, creating a clever cycle. At the pool’s center stands a bronze sika deer, its antlers shooting eight water streams, surrounded by ten bronze dogs on both sides spouting water directly at the deer—this is popularly called the “Hounds Chasing a Deer” fountain, and Westerners termed it “Beast Battle.” In front of each side of the Great Fountain stands a large Western-style square water tower with thirteen levels, water cascading from the top, while 44 large and small bronze pipes around the towers spray water in a spectacular display.

After reading this introduction, you may well be captivated by the original sights of the Western-style Buildings. Those ingenious fountains and elegant architecture would still draw gasps of amazement today. Even from the remaining broken walls and ruins, one can glimpse their former grace.

Yet this grace was actually quite inconspicuous in the vast Yuanmingyuan of its heyday. The Western-style Buildings occupy only 1.5% of the total garden area, tucked away in the remote northeast corner, practically the “suburbs” of Yuanmingyuan. If even the suburban buildings were so exquisite, you can imagine how magnificent the “downtown” must have been.

Now, the Western-style ruins have become the symbol of Yuanmingyuan. The countless more beautiful structures within the garden have long vanished into history, never to be restored. Strolling through Yuanmingyuan, all you see are expanses of open grassland and rivers—almost every empty patch once had a splendid past. Tour guides point to thin air and say: “Here was where the royal family worshipped Buddha; here was where the princes studied; here was where nobles admired the lotus...”

Yuanmingyuan is divided into three main areas: Changchun Garden, Qichun Garden, and Yuanming Garden proper. Aside from the tiny Western-style section, most of the scenic spots were traditional pavilions, terraces, and halls. The garden had numerous lakes—Front Lake, Back Lake, Sea of Blessings—and an uncountable number of studios, halls, chambers, and halls. Today they are only names on a map. The stone Western structures merely collapsed, but the wooden pavilions were reduced to ashes in the inferno.

(Hanjing Hall in Changchun Garden was once Qianlong’s retreat after abdication)

Now the liveliest sights in Yuanmingyuan are the wild ducks, red carp, and black swans on the lakes...

Not far to the west of Yuanmingyuan lies the Summer Palace. Compared to Yuanmingyuan, the Summer Palace was luckier. After the destruction by British and French forces, the Qing government rebuilt the Summer Palace, which had suffered lighter fire damage, thus preserving most of its structures.

The Summer Palace was first built in 1750 under the name Qingyi Garden. It is the best-preserved ancient imperial garden in China, composed of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, and renowned for its precious artifacts and various palaces.

After entering through the Renshou Gate, you’ll see the Longevity Star Stone, which was moved here in 1886 when the Summer Palace was rebuilt, originally from Mergen Garden (now on the campus of Peking University). The stone is bluish and lustrous, with a peculiar shape resembling an old immortal.

Behind the stone is the Hall of Benevolent Longevity, where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu handled state affairs, received congratulations, and met foreign envoys while staying in the garden.

Yiyun Hall was first built in 1750 and, after reconstruction under Guangxu, became the residence of Empress Yehenara in the garden.

Jade Ripples Hall was Emperor Guangxu’s living quarters and the place where he reviewed memorials and handled state affairs. On September 16, 1898, he summoned Yuan Shikai, who held military power, hoping Yuan would back the Hundred Days’ Reform. After the reform failed, Guangxu was confined here.

The Summer Palace has six city-gate structures, the largest being Wenchang Tower shown here, housing bronze statues of the God of Literature and immortal children. Together with Suyunyan on the west side of Longevity Hill, which enshrines the God of War, they symbolize the aid of both civil and martial prowess.

Within the Summer Palace is a garden-within-a-garden, the Garden of Harmonious Delights, built in 1751 in imitation of Jichang Garden at Huishan in Wuxi, a famous Jiangnan garden. It features several mu of square ponds, with towers, pavilions, halls, studies, bridges, and waterside pavilions arrayed around, linked by a hundred-bay covered walkway that twists and turns at every few steps, creating an enchanting progression of scenes.

Jingfu Pavilion on Longevity Hill was where Empress Dowager Cixi enjoyed moon watching and rain viewing; she also received foreign envoys here. In February 1942, negotiations for the peaceful liberation of Beiping were conducted here.

There’s also a poetic little hall on Longevity Hill called “Yichi Yun Zai” (Clouds Linger at Ease), named after a line from Du Fu’s poem “River Pavilion”: “The water flows, the mind does not compete; clouds remain, intentions dwell leisurely.”

The most eye-catching structure in the Summer Palace is the soaring Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill. Standing on a 20-meter-high stone platform, it is magnificent and serves as the compositional center of the whole garden.

Inside the tower is a bronze Thousand-Armed Guanyin cast during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, sublime and radiant.

Climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of Kunming Lake.

Below the tower, from the base to the summit, stand the “Cloud-Radiating Jade Palace” memorial arch, the Hall that Dispels Clouds, the Hall of Virtuous Radiance, and the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom—together forming the main structures on Longevity Hill.

The Hall that Dispels Clouds was where Guangxu held birthday celebrations for Empress Dowager Cixi. Inside are displayed the birthday gifts presented by princes and officials of the time.

(The Sea of Wisdom at the top of the hill)

Descending from Longevity Hill and strolling along Kunming Lake, you’ll find the lake views exquisitely beautiful and the waterside architecture still stunning.

The Hall for Listening to Orioles by the lake was originally built by Qianlong for his mother to enjoy opera. Since the ancients compared the song of orioles to beautiful music, it’s named accordingly. Later, Empress Dowager Cixi also often watched performances here. Today, it has become a restaurant specializing in imperial cuisine, having hosted over a hundred heads of state, and is a renowned imperial-style restaurant in China.

Another famous sight on Kunming Lake is the Clear and Peaceful Boat (Qingyan Fang), built in 1755 and named after the phrase “river clear and sea calm.”

The all-embracing Summer Palace also features a Suzhou Street, situated in the middle of the Rear Lake. The commercial street runs along both sides of a waterway, re-creating the bustling atmosphere of a Jiangnan water town.

The most prominent building on the shore of Kunming Lake is the Pavilion of Expanse, covering over 130 square meters—the largest pavilion-style structure in ancient China. Its suspended plaques bear verses composed by Qianlong and excerpts from classical masterpieces.

Beside the Pavilion of Expanse is the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, linking the East Causeway to the islet in the lake—Nanhu Island. It is the longest bridge surviving in a Chinese imperial garden. Its balustrade columns are carved with over 500 stone lions in various poses, a masterpiece of Qing dynasty stone carving.

Crossing the Seventeen-Arch Bridge brings you to Nanhu Island, a central islet in the front part of Kunming Lake, echoing Longevity Hill from afar. The island has halls such as Hanxu Hall, Jianyuan Hall, and Yuebo Tower.

Hanxu Hall was an ideal spot for the emperor and empress to admire the moon in summer and autumn. Qianlong once reviewed naval drills of the Fragrant Hills elite troops here, and Cixi watched naval academy exercises.

By the time we finished exploring the Summer Palace, dusk had fallen. Two black swans were leisurely gliding over the sparkling water, a heartwarming and romantic scene.

If it’s your first visit to Beijing and you have limited time for just one sight, I think most people would choose the Forbidden City.

As the imperial palace of China’s last two feudal dynasties, the Forbidden City is a culmination of ancient Chinese architectural culture. Like Russia’s Kremlin and France’s Versailles, it embodies the essence of a nation’s traditional culture.

The Forbidden City is also China’s largest museum of ancient art and culture, housing over one million precious artifacts—one-sixth of the nation’s total. It is an invaluable historical testimony to the relics of the Ming and Qing eras.

Those who have been to the Forbidden City know it’s huge—over seventy large and small palaces and more than nine thousand rooms. So in this section, I’ll introduce the most important buildings.

During the pandemic, you need to enter through the East Prosperity Gate (Donghua Gate). This is the eastern gate of the Forbidden City, built in 1420 during the Yongle reign. Near the Crown Prince’s residence, it was originally used exclusively by the crown prince to enter and leave the Forbidden City. Typically, palace gates have nine rows of studs; Donghua Gate has only eight.

Entering and reaching the central axis, the Meridian Gate lies to the south. Built in 1420, it is the main gate of the Forbidden City, shaped like a “U” with the central part facing south—hence the name, as it aligns with the meridian. Imposing and solemn, it looks like three hills embracing with five peaks rising, majestic and magnificent, popularly known as the “Five-Phoenix Tower.”

North of the axis, you can see white stone bridges and yellow palaces. The bridges are called the Inner Golden Water Bridges, five in total, built in the early Ming. The Inner Golden Water River flows beneath them. The middle one is the Imperial Bridge, exclusively for the emperor. Its balustrades are white marble with baluster heads carved with cloud-and-dragon patterns, making it the premier bridge. The flanking bridges decrease in length and width, with baluster heads featuring twenty-four solar term patterns, used by princes, ministers, and military and civil officials.

Crossing the bridges brings you to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, one of the Three Main Halls. Also called the “Throne Hall,” it was built in 1420, modeled after the Fengtian Hall in the Nanjing imperial palace, and is China’s largest surviving timber-frame hall.

Many people think the Hall of Supreme Harmony was for daily court sessions, but it was actually used for grand ceremonies. Ming and Qing emperors held daily audiences mainly at the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Gate of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and the Hall of Mental Cultivation (where empress dowagers ruled from behind a screen in the late Qing). All 24 emperors of the two dynasties held magnificent ceremonies here—enthronement, imperial weddings, empress investiture, and appointments for military campaigns. On the three major festivals (Emperor’s Birthday, New Year’s Day, and the Winter Solstice) the emperor received homage from officials and gave banquets for princes and high ministers.

The plaque in the hall reads “Jian Ji Sui You,” in the handwriting of Emperor Qianlong (the current plaque is a replica; the original was removed and lost when Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself emperor).

In front of the hall stand a stone sundial and a jia liang (standard volume measure), symbolizing the ultimate authority to dictate time and unify weights and measures throughout the realm.

(Jia Liang: an ancient standard measuring vessel)

(Sundial: an ancient timekeeping device)

Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony are the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The Hall of Central Harmony was where the emperor, before attending grand ceremonies, received the homage of ritual officials. “Central Harmony” comes from the Book of Rites, meaning to handle all matters without bias and just right. Above the throne hangs a plaque inscribed by Qianlong: “Yun Zhi Jue Zhong,” signifying that impartial governance is the way to rule well.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony was called “Jianji Hall” in the Ming dynasty and served as the emperor’s changing room before grand ceremonies. It was renamed in 1645, with “Preserving Harmony” from the I Ching, meaning to maintain harmony among all things. On every Chinese New Year’s Eve, the Qing emperor held a banquet here for ethnic minority princes and ministers. From 1789, it became the fixed venue for the final palace examination.

These are the Three Main Halls. Past the Hall of Preserving Harmony and through the Gate of Heavenly Purity, you reach the inner trio of palaces, starting with the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

From the Yongle period of the Ming to the Kangxi reign of the Qing, this was the emperor’s residence and office. Later, Emperor Yongzheng moved his living quarters and official work to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, though Qianlong still used the Palace of Heavenly Purity for state affairs. It also served as the lying-in-state place for deceased emperors, symbolizing the end of a peaceful life.

Inside, behind the plaque inscribed “Open and Aboveboard” is the place where Emperor Yongzheng established the secret succession box, containing the name of the heir handpicked and handwritten by the reigning emperor. After the emperor’s death, the box was retrieved and verified publicly, and the secretly designated prince ascended the throne.

After the Palace of Heavenly Purity comes the Hall of Union, one of the three inner palaces. “Union” comes from the I Ching, meaning the union of heaven and earth, the harmony of yin and yang. Hence it sits between the Palace of Heavenly Purity (heaven) and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility (earth).

A throne sits in the center of the hall, with a plaque above that Qianlong copied from Kangxi’s calligraphy: “Wu Wei” (non-action). Below is a screen with Qianlong’s “Inscription of the Hall of Union.” Qing emperors received congratulations here on the Empress’s birthday, New Year’s Day, and the Winter Solstice. In 1748, Qianlong placed the twenty-five imperial seals, symbolizing sovereignty, in this hall.

After the Hall of Union is the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the Ming empress’s bedchamber. Together with the Palace of Heavenly Purity, they represent the emperor’s and empress’s residences, with names suggesting heaven clear and earth quiet. Built in 1420, the current version was reconstructed in 1655 after the Qingning Palace in Shengjing (Shenyang), with its door offset to the east, creating a Manchu-style “pocket room.” Emperors Kangxi, Tongzhi, Guangxu, and Puyi all had their nuptial ceremonies here.

Beyond the central axis halls and inner palaces, on both sides are the Six Eastern Palaces and Six Western Palaces where imperial consorts and princes lived, as well as the Imperial Garden. Wandering among these palaces, you truly feel the vastness of the Forbidden City—courtyard after nested courtyard, dazzling and overwhelming. With similar red walls and yellow tiles and nearly identical rooms, it’s easy to get lost and often wonder: did I just pass through this courtyard?

Among these countless courtyards, there’s a clear hierarchy. The Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, for instance, is grander. In the Ming dynasty, it housed imperial consorts. During the Shunzhi reign, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang lived here, and thereafter it became the residence of the Grand Empress Dowager and Empress Dowagers.

Nearby, the Palace of Longevity and Health is equally splendid, built in 1735 by Emperor Qianlong for his mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing. After her death, Qianlong placed a specially-made golden stupa enshrining her hair here as a memorial.

The Imperial Garden at the north end of the Forbidden City combines delicacy with grandeur. Lush pines, cypresses, and bamboos are interspersed with rockeries, creating an evergreen landscape. Pavilions and halls spread under shady trees, embodying the unity of heaven and humanity.

The history and culture of the Forbidden City are incredibly rich. Here I’ve only introduced a few main buildings, leaving others and the treasured collections unmentioned. Those interested can visit in person. Next, let’s stroll around the Temple of Heaven.

The Temple of Heaven is a sacrificial complex where Ming and Qing emperors worshipped heaven and prayed for good harvests. It is one of the highest-ranking and most complete altar-temple complexes of ancient Chinese dynasties.

The Chinese custom of worshipping heaven dates back to Emperor Yao’s era. The “Records of the Grand Historian” says: “He commanded Xihe to revere the vast heavens, to calculate the movements of the sun, moon, and stars, and respectfully to promulgate the calendar to the people.” Archaeological discoveries show over thirty Neolithic sacrificial sites in China. In the Western Zhou dynasty, suburban sacrifices to heaven and earth became important state rites recorded in the “Rites of Zhou,” and every subsequent dynasty formulated strict ceremonies, all originating from that classic.

During the Ming and Qing, the rite was taken very seriously. From Emperor Yongle’s first joint heaven-earth sacrifice at the Temple of Heaven in 1420 to the last ceremony in 1887, twenty-two emperors held grand events here. In addition to heaven worship, for natural disasters or quelling rebellions, the emperor would attend in person or send officials to conduct sacrifices.

The Temple of Heaven consists of two altars: the Circular Mound Altar to the south and the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests to the north. Two concentric walls form inner and outer altars; the walls are square in the south and round in the north, symbolizing round heaven and square earth. The Circular Mound Altar area contains the mound itself and the Imperial Vault of Heaven; the Harvest Altar area includes the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Hall of Imperial Heaven, and the Gate of Prayer.

Entering from the north gate, you first see the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Built in 1420, it was originally called the Great Sacrificial Hall for joint heaven-earth rites. In 1545, it was changed to a triple-eaved round hall with blue, yellow, and green glazed tiles symbolizing heaven, earth, and all things, and renamed the Great Enjoyment Hall. In 1751, the tiles were unified to blue with a golden top, and it was named the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, dedicated to spring harvest prayers. Its interior bays represent the four seasons, twelve months, twelve two-hour periods, and the constellations of the zodiac—an only surviving example of ancient Mingtang-style architecture.

Another important structure in the Harvest Altar complex is the Hall of Imperial Heaven, reached through a glazed gate from the Hall of Prayer. It enshrines the spirit tablets of the Supreme Ruler of Heaven and the imperial ancestors.

South of the Hall of Prayer is the Echo Wall, a circular enclosure with a hard, smooth surface that reflects sound excellently. Because of its precise curvature, sound waves travel along the wall’s inner surface, allowing two people standing at opposite sides by the side halls to converse in whispers and hear each other clearly—a fascinating phenomenon.

At the center of the Echo Wall stands the Imperial Vault of Heaven, built in 1530, the main hall of the heavenly storehouse for the Circular Mound Altar and house of spirit tablets used in heaven-worship ceremonies. It has blue tiles and a golden top, refined and solemn. Its caisson ceiling features a blue-green dragon design with a giant gold dragon in the center, a masterpiece of ancient architecture.

Further south is the Circular Mound Altar, also built in 1530. As the winter solstice heaven-worship grand ceremony was held here, it’s also called the Altar of Heaven. The number of steps, platform stones, and balustrades are all multiples of nine, corresponding to the nine layers of heaven and underscoring heaven’s supreme status.

The central stone on the top terrace is called the Heart of Heaven Stone. It is surrounded by nine stone slabs, then eighteen, and so on outward, increasing by nine each round until eighty-one, symbolizing the nine heavens. When someone stands on the Heart of Heaven Stone and speaks, their voice becomes especially resonant and loud.

The Temple of Heaven park also has the Seven Star Stones—seven massive stones placed southeast of the Great Enjoyment Hall during the Jiajing era, carved with mountain patterns representing the seven peaks of Mount Tai. After the Manchus took over, to show that they too were part of the Chinese nation, Emperor Qianlong ordered an additional stone added to the northeast, symbolizing the unity of all Chinese and the unification of the realm.

At the Temple of Heaven, you can learn about ancient sacrificial rituals and admire the majestic imperial altar buildings. With lush lawns, canopies of pines and cypresses, red walls and green tiles, the scenery is also beautiful. In the early morning or evening when the altars are closed, visitors still stroll and enjoy the park.

The Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven represent Beijing’s imperial grandeur, while hutongs symbolize its old-city street life. The most famous hutong in Beijing is Nanluoguxiang.

Nanluoguxiang lies in the Jiaodaokou area east of Beijing’s central axis, running from Gulou East Street north to Ping’an Avenue south. Built during the Yuan dynasty over 740 years ago, it’s one of Beijing’s oldest hutongs.

Originally, because the terrain was high in the middle and low at both ends, resembling a hunchback, it was called “Luoguo Lane” (Hunchback Lane). In the Qing dynasty, based on the “Complete Map of the Capital” drawn in 1750, it was renamed Nanluoguxiang (South Luogu Lane).

Nanluoguxiang is the street that best captures old Beijing charm. Along the main lane you’ll encounter many distinctive hutongs—Mao’er Hutong, Yu’er Hutong... even their names have a strong local flavor.

(Mao’er Hutong)

Nanluoguxiang and its surroundings were once the center of Dadu, the Yuan capital, and in the Ming and Qing, a gathering place for high officials and nobles, with countless princely mansions. After the fall of the Qing, its splendor gradually faded, but the hutongs still preserve various residences and colorful courtyards, steeped in history.

Beyond the old Beijing flavor, the area is dotted with many quirky trendy shops—“Elsewhere,” “Love Around the Corner,” “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” “Ghost Flavor”... even the names spark curiosity. Tradition and fashion collide here, creating an alluring romance and ease.

Not far from Nanluoguxiang is Houhai, within walking distance. Along the way you’ll pass another famous Beijing hutong—Yandai Xiejie (Tobacco Pouch Slant Street), filled with shops selling smoking accessories, antiques, calligraphy, stationery, and local snacks—a blend of commercial bustle and cultural charm.

Houhai is part of Shichahai, a large man-made lake fringed by a variety of bars. As night falls and lights come on, the lakeside paths bustle—people stroll and cool off under the shade, while inside bars, the atmosphere is lively with music and neon. It’s less raucous than Sanlitun, with more tranquility and a touch of artistic flair.

Feng Tang once wrote about “a courtyard with trees by Houhai” as something that’s “rare and can’t be sought.” Yet with so many trees and courtyard houses around Houhai, why is it so elusive...

After the 2008 Olympics, the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube became new landmarks of Beijing. In the Olympic Park where they stand, there are many other eye-catching buildings and sculptures. Let’s go take a look.

(The “Cloud of Promise” torch from the Beijing Olympics)

The “Bird’s Nest” was the main stadium of the Beijing Olympics and will be a venue for ice events during the 2022 Winter Olympics. It is one of the iconic structures of the Beijing Games. Designed by Pritzker Prize winners Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with Chinese architects, this cradle of life embodies human hope for the future.

(The Bird’s Nest at night)

The Water Cube, officially the National Aquatics Center, sits opposite the Bird’s Nest. It was the main swimming venue for the 2008 Games and is another iconic structure. For the 2022 Winter Olympics, it will be transformed into the “Ice Cube” to host curling. The square Water Cube and round Bird’s Nest reflect traditional Chinese concepts of “round heaven and square earth” and “nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.”

Olympic Park also has a sunken garden with a shopping center and antique-style courtyards, filled with Chinese elements, showcasing the cultural continuity between history and modernity.

(Tang Dynasty figures playing polo)

(Striking modern sculpture)

Two towering structures in the park really catch the eye: one is the Linglong Tower (the Olympic multifunctional broadcast tower), and the other is the Sightseeing Tower.

The Linglong Tower stands 132 meters tall in the center of the park, with a light, delicate, and transparent design. Originally built for TV broadcasting, it now displays the countdown to the Winter Olympics.

The Sightseeing Tower is outside the south gate of the park, 246.8 meters tall. Because of its slim shape, netizens nicknamed it the “Big Nail.” It consists of five independent towers of varying heights arranged in a staggered pattern, with the overall shape suggesting the Olympic rings from low to high. Visitors can take an elevator to the top for a full panoramic view of the Olympic Park.

From the parks and 798 in the previous article to today’s Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Bird’s Nest, I’ve shared with you the most well-known historic sights of the imperial capital Beijing. In the next post, we’ll explore the magical city of Shanghai. Another megacity—what different charms does Shanghai hold?