Mutianyu Great Wall + Temple of Heaven 1-day tour [Private English tour for 2-7 people with optional cable car]

Friendly reminder

1. Travelers aged 60 and above must ensure they are in good health and suitable for travel, and must be accompanied by at least one adult traveler aged 21-55 throughout the trip.

Minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied throughout the journey by at least one adult traveler aged 21-55.

3. This tour is not suitable for special groups such as pregnant women, people with heart disease, or acrophobia. There is a risk of being rejected, so please book with caution.

We regret to inform you that visitors aged 80 and above cannot be accommodated. We appreciate your understanding.

5. Please note that the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Circular Mound Altar, and Echo Wall in the Temple of Heaven are closed one day each week.

1. Mutianyu Great Wall

Located in Mutianyu Village, Bohai Town, Huairou District, Beijing, approximately 73 kilometers from downtown Beijing, the Mutianyu Great Wall is an important part of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, renowned for its unique architectural style and historical significance. Constructed in 1368 under the supervision of General Xu Da, a subordinate of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, on the ruins of the Northern Qi Dynasty Great Wall, it represents the finest section of the Ming Dynasty's Great Wall. Stretching east to Gubeikou and west to Juyong Pass, this segment has long served as a crucial military stronghold defending the capital. The well-preserved walls of the Mutianyu Great Wall vividly showcase the ancient charm of the Great Wall, embodying profound historical and cultural value. In 1987, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Converted into a scenic area in 2000, it was rated as a AAAAA-level tourist attraction by the China National Tourism Administration in 2011.

Temple of Heaven

The Circular Mound Altar in the Temple of Heaven was the site where ancient Chinese emperors performed the Heaven Worship Ceremony. The history of heaven worship in China dates back to ancient times. According to legend, heaven worship practices existed as early as the Yellow Emperor's era, and by Emperor Yao's reign, the ceremony had already developed considerable scale with records stating he "commanded Xi and He to reverently observe the vast heaven." The exclusive right to worship heaven belonged to rulers, as documented in the Book of Rites: "Only the Son of Heaven may sacrifice to heaven and earth." Given its special significance and close connection with state governance, this ritual was faithfully maintained by successive dynasties throughout Chinese history for over two millennia, making the Heaven Worship Ceremony the "Grand National Sacrifice."

In ancient China, there was a tradition of "offering sacrifices to heaven at the circular mound on the winter solstice," which was followed by emperors of successive dynasties. From the mid-Western Han Dynasty onward, through the Tang and Song dynasties, the altar for heaven worship was called the Circular Mound [15]. From the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, the rituals for heaven worship at the Temple of Heaven included the "Three Offerings" (presenting wine to the tablet of the Supreme Emperor of Heaven three times consecutively), the performance of the "Eight-Row Dance" (an ancient ceremonial dance reserved for the Son of Heaven, performed in an eight-by-eight formation), and the "Nine Musical Movements" (playing nine pieces of ceremonial music). On the winter solstice each year, the emperor would proceed to the Circular Mound Altar at the Temple of Heaven, receive the ceremonial wine presented by the official in charge of offerings, and then present it in sequence before the sacred tablet of the Supreme Emperor of Heaven (during the Qing Dynasty, tablets of ancestral emperors were also enshrined alongside).

Visitors photo souvenir