A group of elderly people are exercising in a sports area near the crimson walls and dazzling blue tiles that encircle Beijing’s Temple of Heaven.
As a chilly breeze carries leaves from cypress trees throughout the park, interrupting another man in the middle of a headstand, one man concludes his pull-ups and says, “I’m 74 and I hope this helps me live a long time.” Women alternately hang from an overhead assault course, reaching for sweaters and gloves.
Once, Chinese rulers visited this sacred location during the Ming dynasty to offer prayers for a bountiful crop. After decades of helping to create China’s amazing development, the park is now used by people to enjoy their retirement.
