Enter by the east gate into Beijing's best morning-exercise scene, then follow the long corridor where card players and singers gather to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and walk the axis south over the Danbi Bridge to the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound Altar.
Best time: 7:00-9:00 am, when retirees do tai chi, sing, dance and kick shuttlecocks in the park; the park opens at 6:00 (Apr-Oct) or 6:30 (Nov-Mar).
The route, stop by stop
- 1East Gate
Enter here; the fitness area about 100 m in, on the north side, is where retirees do gymnastics, tai chi, jianzi (shuttlecock) and opera singing in the morning. 30 min
- 2Seven-Star Stones
Group of stones on the south side of the long corridor. 5 min
- 3Temple of Heaven
72-section covered corridor where sacrificial animals and offerings were once carried; today locals sit in it playing cards and chess, or knitting. 20 min
- 4Temple of Heaven
The round triple-roofed hall; its pillars count the seasons, months and hours. 25 min
- 5Temple of Heaven
360 m raised walkway south along the temple axis. 10 min
- 6Temple of Heaven
Round vault inside the circular Echo Wall, where a voice carries round the wall. 20 min
- 7Nanmen Shuanrou (Temple of Heaven flagship)
Three-tier open altar for the winter solstice ceremony; stand on the Heavenly Heart Stone in the centre and speak to hear the echo. 20 min
- 8Nanmen Shuanrou (Temple of Heaven flagship)
Leave by the south gate. 5 min
More walks in Beijing
- Central Axis north: Jingshan to the Drum and Bell Towers
- Shichahai lakes loop: Yinding Bridge, Yandai Xiejie and Houhai
- Nanluoguxiang side hutongs to the Lama Temple
- Dongsi hutongs: Zhihua Temple to Dongsi Sitiao
- Qianmen, Dashilar and Yangmeizhu Xiejie to Liulichang
- Beihai to Jingshan at sunset
- Summer Palace: East Palace Gate, Long Corridor and Seventeen-Arch Bridge
- Niujie and Fayuan Temple: the Hui quarter and Xuannan hutongs
- 798 Art Zone and 751 D-Park
- Ming City Wall Relics Park to the Ancient Observatory