Ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ　ｉｎ　Ｂｅｉｊｉｎｇ.docVIP

Ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ　ｉｎ　Ｂｅｉｊｉｎｇ 　　 　　THERE are many places in Beijing where a visitor can get a glimpse of local culture. Many foreigners, whether they are from Europe, the United States, Africa or Latin America, often enjoy themselves by taking walks in local parks or along side streets, sipping tea in one of the old-style teahouses, watching a local opera, or visiting Panjiayuan, a marketfull of genuine ?C and sometimes less-than-genuine ?C antiques. 　　 　　Morning Exercises in Beijing’s Parks 　　 　　One of Beijing’s unique sights are the local middle-aged or retired people who do their morning exercises in the city’s many attractive parks, either bykicking a shuttlecock (a Chinese version of hacky sack), practicing taiji boxing, qigong (a system of deep breathing exercises), sword dancing, or simply dancing. Today, more and more local people have become morning exercisers, and the time they exercise has become longer, in some places even lasting until noon. 　　Non-competitive sports are very popular in China. Some of them are uniquely Chinese, like qigong and taiji boxing, or shadow boxing as some people call it.Qigong has a history of over 2,000 years, and it allows its practitioners to achieve a harmony of mind and body. Taiji boxing has many styles and is practiced by millions. Free tutoring is offered at free exercise venues to help novices. 　　Kicking a shuttlecock as a game is a Chinese folk sport, which began in the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago, as testified to by ancient brick carvings. The sport developed into four major schools during the Qing Dynasty over 100 years ago, when players often competed. Today, people are often seen standing in a circle enjoying it, and watching a skillful kicker is a true delight. 　　As folk sport activities are not limited by places, the number of participants and the form in which they are conducted, they have become part of local culture, and more than just a quest for good health. 　　 　　 　　Enjoying a Folk Opera in an