On May 1st, with the sun shining brightly in Beijing, at Nanhazi Park — the largest wetland park in the southern suburbs — Mr. Cong, a cycling enthusiast in his fifties, brought his wife and son to join a group of like-minded friends for fitness activities such as loop riding.
Mr. Cong, who has worked in photography in Beijing, has loved cycling for over a decade. Influenced by him, his wife and son have also gradually taken a liking to the sport. Mr. Cong said, “Originally, we planned to drive out for a trip during the May Day holiday, but the thought of highways across Beijing being jam-packed made us give up on the idea. Instead, we decided to gather several families who also enjoy cycling and come to this largest wetland park in southern Beijing for a fitness ride. This way, we avoided the crowded roads and people, and at the same time, experienced the charm of Nanhazi — a suburban ecological park built on the site of the former Ming and Qing imperial gardens — through this green mode of cycling. It’s killing several birds with one stone.”
It is understood that green cycling, where people like Mr. Cong take advantage of holidays and weekends to head to the suburbs and enjoy the beauty of nature, has gradually become a fashionable leisure and fitness activity in Beijing. In recent years, there have been spontaneous or organized cycling events in the city almost every week, with participation ranging from dozens to over a thousand people. The number of people in the city who regularly engage in green cycling has already reached tens of thousands.
Sun Zhanpo, head of the Beijing Cycling Association, introduced that since April this year, the Beijing Cycling Association, together with units such as Minlong Century Building Materials Co., Ltd. and Capital Outlets, has successively organized green cycling activities under themes like “Low-carbon travel, energy conservation and emission reduction, drive one day less, make Beijing’s sky bluer and our bodies healthier.” Each event saw four to five hundred people signing up, with participants ranging in age from 76 years old down to just over ten. They wore helmets, professional cycling gear, and had all the necessary equipment — their cycling teams were quite impressive. Various districts and counties in the suburbs of Beijing and universities in the city also frequently hold amateur green cycling competitions. The Beijing Round-the-City Professional Road Cycling Race, which has been held for two consecutive sessions, has also attracted many people to take part in cycling activities.