| This used to be a dirt road that ran along the canal. In the background where you see apartment buildings were vast stretches of temporary housing for farmers and workers who had come to Beijing. That was 20 years ago. Most of them now have an apartment of their own and their grandchildren are starting school in Beijing. The playground belongs to apartments on this side of the canal. The exercise equipment can be found in pocket parks all over China. In the evening, even though it is bitterly cold, there will be people walking and playing here. Once the weather warms a bit it will become quite crowded with children playing, adults dancing, doing Tai Ji (太极拳 tàijíquán - in English, it is often spelt Tai Chi chuan), or flying kites, and grandparents with young children in strollers. |
