It was from the Temple of Heaven – built in the 16C and remodelled in the 18C and 19C – that the Ming and Qing emperors adopted the role of spiritual intermediaries with the gods on behalf of the nation. In keeping with such an event, everything here is on a grandiose scale. The ceremonies started at the circular altar, whose remarkable acoustics transferred every murmur into an echo. The Imperial Vault of Heaven still contains the original prayer tablets. The huge 15C Temple of Prayer for Good Harvest, supported by 28 cedar wood pillars and crowned by circular roofs, is one of the symbols of China.