Visit the Temple of Heaven,... by wongjiahui
Visit the Temple of Heaven, even if you've seen more temples than you ever believed you would. It's worth it for the local people you see there.While at the Temple of Heaven, we saw all the usual Chinese architecture in the icon that people usually associate with the city of Bei Jing. The building turns out to be the Temple of Good Harvest. An impressive structure built without nails, it is a sight to see.
However what really stands out in my mind is the local people there. As we walked down the Long Corridor to the East Gate of the temple, we encountered an elderly couple learning how to waltz, old men with brushes and water practising their calligraphy on the ground forming ice characters. There were people singing and playing Chinese chess and flying silk kites, the corridor was so full of the local culture that we actually spent more time watching them than looking at the 500 year old trees in the court yards.
