Fifty years ago, Gough Whitlam visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing as part of a historic visit to China to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic.
Whitlam’s visit to the Beijing landmark produced an iconic image. In the photograph, the newly elected Australian prime minister is captured with his ear to the circular Echo Wall in the world heritage site. In the background, the Australian prime minister is watched by Stephen Fitzgerald, Australia’s first ambassador to China.
