Entering April, as flowers blossom and birds sing, the majestic ancient Great Wall at Badaling is surrounded by apricot blossoms that eagerly burst into bloom all over the mountains. Clusters of white and pink apricot blossoms adorn the ancient wall, making it exceptionally enchanting.
Standing on the seventh beacon tower of the ancient Great Wall at Badaling and looking into the distance, the winding Great Wall resembles a giant dragon dancing among the mountains, traversing ridges and valleys, stretching toward the far-off horizon. The beacon towers stand one after another, and sections of the wall connect endlessly. As an outstanding representative of the Ming Great Wall, the ancient Great Wall at Badaling embodies the remarkable wisdom and silent dedication of our ancient people.
On April 8, as the crisp sound of a whistle pierced the sky, nearly a thousand agile figures in yellow entered through the gate of the ancient Great Wall at Badaling, marking the start of the "2017 China Fitness Mountains Launch Ceremony and the 4th Badaling Ancient Great Wall Apricot Flower Festival" organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association and the Chinese Scenic Areas Association. The thousand-person hiking event on April 8 also included hands-on experiences such as “Love Our China, Restore the Great Wall,” as well as tree-planting activities themed “Plant a Green Future, Look Forward to Blue Skies over the Capital.” There were also a variety of colorful activities, including “Ancient Costume Themed Great Wall Hike,” Yanqing folk performances, and local delicacies from Yanqing.
The "China Fitness Mountains" (official English name: Famous Fitness Mountain China, abbreviated as FFMC, and commonly referred to as the China Mountains Race in Chinese) is currently the most renowned thematic mountaineering brand competition in China. With the goal of promoting national fitness, the event combines professional competitions with mass sports activities. Its primary objectives are to popularize mountain and outdoor sports, showcase the charm of China’s famous mountains, promote ecological and environmental protection, and advance the sustainable development of scenic areas. The ancient Great Wall at Badaling has become the first “China Fitness Mountain” in Yanqing. The 2017 China Fitness Mountains will be held in multiple locations including the Enshi Grand Canyon in Hubei, Jinfo Mountain in Chongqing, Sumu Mountain in Inner Mongolia, Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) in the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang, Huashan Mountain in Shaanxi, and Pingtian Mountain in Guangxi. The number of participants in the fitness hiking events is expected to exceed 10,000.
Since July 31, 2015, when Beijing and Zhangjiakou were announced as the host cities of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Yanqing has become the center of global attention. A variety of national-level events—such as cycling, mountaineering races, marathons, and rock climbing—have been held across Yanqing’s landscapes, adding even more brilliant splendor to the capital’s most beautiful suburb. (Written by: Han Xiaofang, Dong Jiawen | Photos by: Wang Hongquan, Wang Jiabin)