Kissinger's secret passion for Beijing's Temple of Heaven

When Henry Kissinger and his Chinese interlocutors found themselves in a diplomatic dead-end in the early 1970s, they visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing – and immediately got back on track. And to this day, the once sacred place full of symbolism inspires astute analysis. Meanwhile, Kissinger, the mastermind of modern US policy towards China, despairs over the aggressive course the two superpowers have taken.

Last updated: 24. July 2025