On May 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Temple of Heaven with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China.
In early summer, the Temple of Heaven appeared in all its splendor: ancient cypresses stood solemnly, a light breeze was refreshing. Xi Jinping met Donald Trump at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
On the spacious square in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump took a joint photo.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests impresses with its grandeur and monumentality, its multi-tiered eaves shining with glaze. The heads of the two states ascended the steps and entered the Hall. Together, they examined the unique architecture of ancient China—the precise combination of 'sunmao' and 'dougong,' the harmonious integration of the astronomical calendar with the temple's structure, which embody the idea of harmony of all existence and following the dictates of time.
As Xi Jinping noted, in 2017, we walked along Beijing's central axis through the Gugong Museum (Forbidden City), and today we are visiting the Temple of Heaven, which was built in the same year as the Gugong Museum. Its design is based on ancient beliefs that the sky is round and the earth is square, embodying the worldview and life philosophy of the Chinese people. Rulers of ancient China performed sacrificial rituals here, praying for the well-being of the state and the people, and for favorable weather conditions. This reflects China's traditional ideology, namely: 'the people are the foundation of the state, and the stability of the state is impossible without the well-being of the people.'
The Communist Party of China has inherited and developed the ideology of Chinese civilization that 'the people are paramount,' and always adheres to the principle of 'serving the people wholeheartedly,' which enjoys strong and sincere support from the Chinese people.
Donald Trump noted that the visit to the Gugong Museum (Forbidden City) remains memorable. The Temple of Heaven, standing for over 600 years, still majestically rises, showcasing the exquisite art of classical Chinese architecture and multifaceted traditional culture, which inspires admiration. The U.S. and China are great powers, and the peoples of the two countries are great and wise peoples. The two countries should deepen mutual understanding and strengthen friendship between their peoples.
Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Yin Li participated in the event.
