Temple of Heaven (Tiān Tán) is a historic imperial sacrificial altar complex in southeastern Beijing, built during the Ming Dynasty. The name literally means 'Heaven Altar': 天 (tiān) means 'heaven' or 'sky', symbolizing the celestial realm and imperial mandate, while 坛 (tán) means 'altar' or 'sacred platform'—a raised structure used for rituals. Together, 天坛 refers specifically to this UNESCO World Heritage site where emperors performed annual ceremonies to pray for good harvests and national prosperity.

The Temple of Heaven is renowned for its symbolic architecture—circular buildings representing heaven, square outer walls representing earth—and remains one of Beijing’s most visited cultural landmarks. While 天坛 can occasionally appear in poetic or metaphorical contexts, it functions almost exclusively as a proper noun referring to this specific site; it is not used generically for other altars or temples.