The Temple of Heaven， built in the first half of the 15th century， is a dignified complex of fine cult buildings set in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In its overall layout and that of its individuai buildings， it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven-the human world and God s world —— which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony， as well as the special role played by the emperors within that relationship.Seat of supreme power for over five centuries （1416-1911 ）， the Forbidden City in Beijing， with its landscaped gardens and many buildings（whose nearly 10000 rooms contain furniture and works of art）， constitutes a priceless testimony to Chinese civilization during the Mingand Qing dynasties.The Summer Palace in Beijing —— first built in 1750， largely destroyed in the war of 1860 and restored on its original foundations in 1886-is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions， halls， palaces， temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.Scientific work at the site， which lies 48 km southwest of Beijing， is still underway. So far， it has led to the discovery of the remains of Sinanthropus pekinensis， who lived in the Middle Pleistocene， along with various objects， and remains of Homo sapiens dating as far back as 18000-11000 B.C. The site is not only an exceptional reminder of the pre-historical human societies of the Asian continent， but alsoillustrates the process of evolution.
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