It is outstanding how parks are important to Chinese people. Back in Europe, parks are places where people bring their children to play with, take a stroll or to have a picnic.
In China (as far as I know in Shanghai, Beijing & Xi’an), parks have a more central place for Chinese. Amongst the basic activities, they also have other hobbies. Those are places to practice sports such as tennis table, basketball, kung-fu, taichi and even dancing square.
What is dancing square? It is an exercise routine performed through music in squares, plazas but also in parks. It is popular for middle-aged and retired women. Because of its non-existent/very low cost and ease of participation, it is estimated that more than 100 million of Chinese people practice it. (Source: CCTV)
If you are intrigued by this common activity, click on this link and watch the VIDEO!
All parks are equipped for people to practice sports and exercises, all you need is to bring your basic gear.
In Shanghai, you can find the People’s Park, in Chinese: 人民公园 Rénmín Gōngyuán, located in the very center of the city. It is a public park south of Nanjing Road, a main shopping street with several major museums nearby, it is one of the top tourist destinations in the city. It is also famous for its marriage market, which is held every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Parents of unmarried adults come and share information about their children to find the perfect match and/or the love. Basically, you can find the age, height, job, income, zodiac sign, education and personality of your future beloved one. All of this information is written on a paper, which is presented among other parents’ advertisements for their children. The parents walk around chatting with other parents to see if there is a harmonious match.
If you want more information about the marriage market in Shanghai, I invite you to check this link from Chinahighlights.
I am sharing a video showing the neighborhood of Zhongshan, which is located in the West Center part of Shanghai, and especially the Park of Zhongshan. It is a huge park where you can find a water field, running trails, work-out machines, playgrounds, many kung-fu practitioners but also an amusement park inside.
If you want to be up to date about what is happening and what is trendy in China, I invite you to check the articles of my MBADMB colleagues.
