If you watch a lot of movies on direct tv, then there is a good chance you might have come across the Karate Kid remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. In the movie, the country of China itself was one of the biggest stars featuring a plethora of fascinating landmarks and locations that were truly breathtaking. One of the sites, in particular, that many people remember was a scene shot at the famed Temple of Heaven, which is located smack dab in the heart of Beijing.
Also known as the Altar of Heaven, this dynamic and complex religious building was annually visited by Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. They believed that by offering up ceremonial prayers to the Heavens, a good harvest would be their reward. The mysticism surrounding this location made it somewhat of a sacred place and in 1914, Yuan Shikai, the President of the Republic of China, even performed a sacred Ming prayer ceremony to have himself declared Emperor of China.
Today, the temple is open to the public and has been turned into a park and recreation area. All manner of people are welcome to visit and enjoy this phenomenal piece of architecture and the location is quite popular for exercise purposes.