As the first day light is cast on the old city the citizens of Beijing have begun their day. Old men carrying bird cages, swinging them backward and forward, and old women, with wooden swords in hand, all make their way to nearby parks, while young couples prepare breakfast for their only child before they go to work.
The morning in Beijing is very colorful and you may find it surprising. Why not get up a little earlier and take a walk in nearby streets or parks where you will witness unfamiliar sights that many tourists miss altogether?
Exercises in Parks
Beijing parks in the morning are places for exercise by people young and old. Here you can see people doing Taiji Boxing, Taiji Sword, Qigong or even disco dancing. Some practise by themselves, and others follow an instructor in groups. Taiji Boxing, also known as Shadow Boxing, and Taiji Sword are ancient Chinese martial arts, but are now mainly practised for exercise. They combine slow movements, deep breathing with strong and forceful postures. The exercises are good for your health if you practise daily for years.
Qigong is another kind of silent exercise passed on from ancient times, but has become very popular among people in recent years. The Chinese believe that the entire cosmos can be divided into yin (negative) and yang (positive), so everything has its belongings. When yin and yang are balanced, the world is in peace, and when the human body has yin and yang balanced it is in good health. Qigong helps make the yin and yang balanced. By concentrating one's attention at the center of one's abdomen and taking deep breaths, one makes certain movements according to the rules of different types of Qigong. Qi is an invisible element, as believed by the Chinese, which is contained in air, food, water and every living thing on the earth. By doing Qigong exercises, one absorbs the Qi element from the universe to build up one's body in order to have a long life.
Disco dancing has become part of the morning exercises in Beijing. A modern dance naturally enjoyed by young people, disco dancing has become a favorite for middle-aged and old people simply because of its strenuous movements. This fact has led to the bizarre situation of disco dancing having become a common sight as one of the morning exercises loved by old people in Beijing.
( 21dnn.com January 11, 2002)
