Renowned American artist James Turrell is famous for his immersive light and sound installations and created this site-specific piece in the grounds of a 600-year-old Buddhist temple in 2012/13. The space is in fact part of the award-winning TRB restaurant complex not far from Beijing’s Forbidden City, so it’s the perfect thing to experience prior to a special meal. Participants are invited to lie on the floor of the space for an hour at sundown, looking up at the sky through a rectangular aperture in the ceiling as different coloured artificial lights within the space – and the sunset without – combine to stunning effect. Tickets must be purchased at least two weeks in advance via WeChat, and the experience is scheduled to coincide with the exact time the sun goes down. It’s a meditative, transformative hour that will leave visitors spellbound.

Address:

TRB, No.23 Songzhuyuan, Dongcheng District