The Upper Cloister is a modern-day interpretation of an ancient temple-complex, where the urban middle class from Beijing can find rest and relaxation within a grandiose natural and cultural landscape with a view of The Great Wall. It is located halfway between the Chinese capital and Chengde, the former summer residence of the Qing emperors. Although the surrounding landscape includes historical references such as The Great Wall, the setting is also defined by recent urbanization as reflected in a housing estate built by Aranya, the hip real estate developer that commissioned the Upper Cloister.