Spring is the best season for planting, and planting trees has become something of a tradition in China. Last Saturday, a special group of people, most of them middle-aged, went to the suburbs of Beijing to put earth around the roots of dozens of saplings. The amateur gardeners are all "Plum Blossom Award" winners - China's top honors for traditional opera. And they're hoping to motivate people to create a better environment and help build a Green Olympics.

The 50 artists are all mainstays of 20 national-class art groups, such as the China Peking Opera Troupe, the Beijing People's Art Theatre and the Academy of Chinese Traditional Opera. Renowned for their passionate performances on stage, these well-known artists also want to help make their country a greener place.

Despite its vast territory, China has only 3% of the world's total forest area. With the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games drawing near, these artists are getting down and dirty to encourage more people to think about the environment we live in.

Singer Yang Hongji said, "We can all remember the terrible sand storms that hit us in recent years. So I think everybody should be concerned about the importance of protecting the environment. I feel lucky to be a member of this tree-planting group."

Peking Opera Singer Li Weikang said, "It's the first time I've planted a tree! I think everybody should contribute to improving the environment. If all Chinese people planted trees, China's environment could be changed in a short period. I sincerely hope this activity inspires more people to join us."

Not even stopping to rest, the stars of traditional Chinese opera signed their names to support a tree-planting plan involving the whole population. More artists will be invited to join the petition. Hopefully, all these saplings will grow into forests one day, and people will be able to fill their lungs with cleaner air.

(cctv.com.cn March 23, 2004)