The Temple of Heaven enjoys beautiful autumn scenery at this time. As the largest largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings in China, the Temple of Heaven occupies an area of 2.73 million square meters, three times the area of the Forbidden City.

The principle buildings include the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, Imperial Vault of Heaven and Circular Mound Altar. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven – the human world and God's world – which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony, and also the special role played by the emperors within that relationship.