A moment in time: Change of routine

Chinese sports hobbies have changed over time. In the 1980s, traditional exercises were popular among all age groups, especially the elderly. In the photo above, taken in 1989, elderly people practice Shaolin Arhat boxing in a park in downtown Beijing. Today, people are also attracted by more modern exercises, such as dancing and yoga. In some parks, mature women, known as dama, dance to music in public squares, as in the photo at right, taken last year. Chinese square-dancing is also known to foreigners, because some Chinese dama even dance when they travel to other countries.