My morning at Jingshan park in Beijing. By Glenn Belverio

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Above: The Forbidden City viewed from the peak of Jingshan Park

Dear Shaded Viewers,

I was up this morning even before the tireless, nocturnal cricket in the courtyard outside my bedroom had stopped its loud, manic singing. I headed straight out for a long walk down Beijing’s ancient central axis, starting from the Bell & Drum Towers, to Jingshan Park. I hiked up to the top of the high park to take in the famous view of the Forbidden City–a little shrouded in smog this morning, but still impressive.

Even more impressive were the thousands upon thousands of Chinese people out in the park exercising, many of them over 70 years old. Everything from tai-chi to scarf dancing to jogging to stretching and jumping and running while chanting loudly, military-style–not to mention the old couple I saw doing a sort of laid-back tango to old Chinese songs–Chinese people, at least the older ones, are extremely disciplined about physical fitness. If only all the sloth-like Americans (outside of NYC, LA & Miami) could get off their lazy asses and learn from the Chinese. This discipline is one of the reasons that China is gaining on America and on its way to becoming the world’s # 1 super power….

Some shots of tranquil Jingshan Park. A perfect way to start one’s morning in this ancient-futuristic metropolis….

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View of the ancient Imperial Garden with the Children’s Palace on the opposite side of Jingshan Park. You can see the Drum Tower in the distance (my hotel, The Orchid, is near there).

Some sights on the central axis….

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Christmas store featuring all the animals of the Chinese zodiac

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The Drum Tower

Love,

Glenn Belverio

 

 

Glenn Belverio

Glenn Belverio is a writer and New Yorker. He has been reporting for ASVOF since 2005 and currently works at The Museum of Modern Art as the Content Manager for MoMA Design Store.