TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

The weather continues to be hot! 90's. That makes some of the sightseeing little more of a challenge. We went to see the Temple of Heaven this afternoon, and it was a spectacular and a UNSESCO World Heritage site. Since it was a Sunday and the beginning of "marriage season" in China, there were many couples who go there to have their professional wedding pictures taken.  The girls were in elaborate gowns and  very made up. At first we thought they were models. We watched them being posed and sometimes hundreds of pictures were taken in many scenarios.  On the way out of the park we saw the matchmaking rock area.  Parents or relatives of some single people come there and lay notes on the ground and nearby rocks and others come and look at them and sometimes take the info which has "vital statistics" of the people that their parents  feel need a partner! Of course, they want a "top floor man" for their daughters. This means that when a young man gets an apt or condo, the higher the floor, the more money he makes. Very important! And the parents of the males all want a "beautiful daughter in law". In this age of internet and match.com, this matching making in the park on a Sunday afternoon still is a vital part for some Chinese people. Marriage is extremely important in the culture, and a good  match elevates all the participants in society.