We present you with a Local English tour guide and driver who picks you up between 7am and 8am from the hotel to the Temple of Heaven which is known as \"a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world’s great civilizations...\" as the \"symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries.\"
In ancient China, the Emperor of China was regarded as the Son of Heaven, who administered earthly matters on behalf of, and representing, heavenly authority. To be seen to be showing respect to the source of his authority, in the form of sacrifices to heaven, was extremely important. The temple was built for these ceremonies, mostly comprising prayers for good harvests.
Twice a year the emperor and all his retinue would move from the Forbidden City through Beijing to encamp within the complex, wearing special robes and abstaining from eating meat. No ordinary Chinese was allowed to view this procession or the following ceremony. In the temple complex the emperor would personally pray to Heaven for good harvests. The highpoint of the ceremony at the winter solstice was performed by the Emperor on the Earthly Mount. The ceremony had to be perfectly completed; it was widely held that the smallest of mistakes would constitute a bad omen for the whole nation in the coming year.
There are four main supportive, dragon pillars each representing a season. The structure, held up by these dragons, imitates the style of an ancient Chinese royal palace. Twelve inner pillars symbolize the lunar months, and it is thought that the twelve outer pillars refer to the 12 two-hour periods of the day.
We later drive you to a beautiful local restaurant to enjoy a great Chinese lunch. Hutong is our next destination. Hutongs originated during the Yuan Dynasty, begun by Kublai Khan grandson of Ghengis. The word “hutong” comes from the Mongolian word “hottog” meaning, “water well”. Hutongs are alleyways that connect the various courtyards and groups of traditional houses. They form a grid of endless passages and intriguing doorways, lined with bicycles and gossiping neighbors.
Explore and enjoy Beijing’s back-alley culture on a thorough walking journey into some of Beijing’s biggest hutongs, famously complex and confusing residential blocks which are scarcely seen.
Firstly, set off along the perimeter of Huguoshi Hutong, a 600-meter-long commercial street that dates back to the Yuan Dynasty 800 years ago. Its past life as the home of the Huguo Temple and its many religious festivals has led to its current fame as the best place to find Old Beijing-style snacks and treats! Try a few specialties before walking further into nearby Mianhua Hutong and toward its busy soybean stall. Learn how the experts here turn soybean into a favourite local treat – tofu and milk!
Stroll further on, passing bustling vegetable stalls, cramped alleyway convenience shops and even a hospital-adjacent area selling wheelchairs and artificial legs! Then, arrive at the banks of a nearby lake that’s dense with fishermen and swimmers. Pass through a government-subsidized outdoor exercise park and chat with the locals here before picking up a cup of xuan nai - a traditional fermented milk drink popular with residents here.
Lastly, we move to the Summer Palace which is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing. It serves as a popular tourist destination and recreational park. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres (1.1 sq mi), three-quarters of which is water. The entire Summer Palace is centered around Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, with the latter covering about three quarters of the area. Most of the important buildings were built along the north–south axis of Longevity Hill, which is divided into the front hill and the back hill. There are three small islands within Kunming Lake: Nanhu Island, Zaojiantang Island and Zhijingge Island. The West Dam of Kunming Lake divides the lake into two. The East Dam was constructed during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor. The attractions in the Summer Palace may be divided into six different sections or scenic areas: the Halls, Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake, the Farming and Weaving Picture Scenic Area, the Long Corridor, and the Central Axis area.
At the end of the trip, travelers’ will be finally transferred back to their hotel.
", "lastUpdate": "2026-03-09", "advancedTips": [], "countries": [ { "code": "CN", "name": "China", "destinations": [ { "code": "PEK", "name": "Beijing" } ] } ], "highligths": [], "language": "en" }, "order": 9999, "name": " Discover the Temple of Heaven, Hutong and Summer Palace - Full-Day Private Tour", "currency": "INR", "code": "E-CN3-26MALC0189", "type": "TICKET" } }