Tradition on ice

Snow and ice activities are getting more play in Beijing, amid the Chinese capital's joint bid with neighboring city Zhangjiakou to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Winter sports already enjoy a long tradition in North China, with Beijing taking center stage.

"China had its own 'winter games' dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) - the national and royal games," said Wei Xiaokang, a professor at Minzu University of China who specializes in Chinese traditional sports.