Trump-Xi Summit to Take Place at Beijing's Temple of Heaven

The high-stakes summit between the American and Chinese presidents will take place at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a religious complex where Chinese emperors once performed annual ceremonies praying for good harvests, peace and stability. The historical setting has been selected for the first summit in nearly a decade.

The Temple of Heaven is located about 7 kilometers south of the Forbidden City. During the leaders' last summit in 2017, the Chinese president and his wife gave the American president and the first lady a private tour of the Forbidden City. Surrounded by ancient pine and cypress trees, the temple today serves as a popular tourist site and public park where locals practice tai chi, play chess or dance.

The 15th-century complex once symbolized the emperor’s Mandate of Heaven, the belief that a ruler’s authority derived from divine approval. Emperors were viewed as the link between heaven and earth, and the rituals demonstrated that harmony.

During imperial rule, emperors traveled once a year from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven in processions involving thousands of attendants and elephant-drawn carriages. These ceremonies reaffirmed their mandate to rule. Famine, poor harvests or unrest were traditionally seen as signs that an emperor had lost divine favor.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the complex’s most recognizable structure, was rebuilt in the late 19th century using redwood imported from the United States. It was a frequent destination of former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who visited more than a dozen times.

A Beijing-based historian and founder of a historical walking tour company said the venue allows the Chinese side to highlight the depth and longevity of Chinese history. The Temple of Heaven park administration announced the site will remain closed to the public on May 13 and 14, with refunds issued for pre-purchased tickets.

The American president arrived in Beijing on Wednesday. Meetings are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. m. m. The American president is also due to visit the headquarters of China’s ruling Communist Party at Zhongnanhai during the stay. Summits between the two countries are meticulously choreographed, with every step timed.

In 2017, the Chinese president descended 39 red-carpeted steps outside the Great Hall of the People to welcome his counterpart.

Attention will also focus on the state banquet, where food choices carry symbolic weight in Chinese diplomatic tradition. Chefs typically balance the menu with 50 percent Western and 50 percent Chinese dishes to meet the guest halfway. A veteran Chinese chef and master of Huaiyang cuisine from Hangzhou, who has cooked for world leaders including Barack Obama at the 2016 G20 summit, suggested clear-braised crab roe “lion’s head” meatballs for such an occasion.

He described the dish as soft, tender, fragrant and melting in the mouth, requiring no heavy chewing or facing a whole animal. During the 2017 visit, the menu included seafood chowder, kung pao chicken, stewed beef steak in tomato sauce, braised vegetables in premium broth, grouper fillets in hot chili oil and a version of the American president’s preferred steak with ketchup.

The official state banquet menu for this week’s summit has not been released.