Early Saturday morning we decided to walk to the Temple of Heaven. It was located very close to our hotel in the Chongwen district of Beijing. The temple was originally built in 1420. This building was a marvelous example of Chinese architecture. It was the place where the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties worshiped Heaven and prayed for good harvests. There were multiple buildings within the walls of the temple area. We toured the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. We were unable to see the echo wall because it was under renovation in preparation for the Olympics in 2008.
The area around the temples was also lovely. In fact it was my favorite part. There were ancient tree lined paths leading to all of the different areas. Outside of the main building areas, groups of people were scattered all over. Many were dancing or practicing Tai Chi. I have never visited a place in the US that was anything like it. We learned that it is a popular spot for retired people to meet and socialize. Everyone was very friendly. We talked with several people and I discovered that I need more practice on my Mandarin. One group invited Matt to exercise with them. They clapped and cheered for him as he used the various pieces of equipment. Then they all told me that I had a fine son.
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