The Temple of Heaven is commonly known as a 600-year-old royal altar, but it is also one of the best places in Beijing to spot birds and be close to nature.
As the novel coronavirus takes its toll on people in China, how about the wildlife residents?
On February 11 when Beijing confirmed another 10 patients with the virus, many residents were still under a 14-day quarantine that kept them mostly indoors. As a result, the Temple of Heaven became a real haven for wildlife.
Squirrels could be seen running about freely, and the sounds of woodpeckers pecking on trees were never so clear.
In the ancient idea of hierarchy, plants also have class differences. The coniferous trees are considered as a high-level tree to represent preciousness. In the royal temple, over 3,000 cypress trees from the original plantings have thrived for hundreds of years.
The old coniferous trees in the garden provide shelter for birds and squirrels.
There were no newly confirmed patients with the coronavirus in Beijing on February 23 and most people had completed their quarantine. Urban parks and gardens welcomed more citizens, including the Temple of Heaven.
People danced and exercised in the garden while squirrels retreated to the shrubs and trees, but if you looked carefully, you could still find them jumping among branches. Music and human chat competed with birds chirping on the treetops.
Urban eco-systems play a critical role in achieving public health and wellness. The coronavirus outbreak may teach us a lesson on how to cherish nature and build a shared future for all life on earth.
About 'City of Wild'
Nature exists not only in distant mountains and oceans, but also in cities and our daily lives. In the new series City of Wild, CGTN not only reveals a world of wildlife you may not have seen before but also shares a concept of this year's CBD COP 15 theme: "Ecological Civilization: Building a shared future for all life on earth."
(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com)