Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

China teaches a traveller a very valuable lesson: that you are not the center of the universe. Their walls have stood to see centuries of great feats, wars and national rebuilding, and live to tell the story. At the Temple of Heaven, the walls boast of the ancient Chinese rites in a proud voice; it has my vote for the Best Liberal Use of Reds and Blues. Strolling in a nation that's very different, yet so confident in their national identity, sends your senses into a frenzy.

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If you could take just one photo: The detail under the tiers, sky beyond

Why the air within the confines of the Temple of Heaven is different from that outside, which smudges and colors even the most resplendent hotels, temples, and skyscrapers gray, it cannot be said. Here, it is light, for carrying music, dancing, singing, laughing—vitality. Sprightly men chase badminton birdies, couples gambol about in a choreographed social waltz, chain smokers snicker on each side of a mah-jong or chess board as crowds watch over their shoulders, and there’s music everywhere, emanating throughout the area without ever giving away its origin. Of the three edifices, the most outstanding is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It sits atop an expansive, some 30-steps high square—the Chinese representation of earth—splayed out like a Victorian ball gown. A three-tiered colossus, it’s tastefully dressed with classic golds and blues and reds, all capped with a golden ball atop a rod as if to attract lightning or penetrate the heavens. For a healthy dose of energy and some Taoist let-it-flow inspiration, drift toward the Temple of Heaven.

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