Poverty beaten, it鈥檚 time to play
Print Edition
As the weather becomes warmer, Zhe Liancheng, a ski enthusiast living at the foot of Liupan Mountain in Jingyuan County of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, knows his winter joy is ending.
This winter, Zhe often skied with his wife and children in the ski resort next to his home. 鈥淚 also made friends with some ski lovers,鈥 said Zhe.
Jingyuan is in Ningxia鈥檚 Xihaigu area, which until recently was labeled 鈥渢he most unfit settlement for humans.鈥
Poverty caused by frequent draughts and the terrible ecological environment is deeply entrenched in the memory of locals like Zhe, born before the 1980s.
People were too busy fighting poverty to enjoy themselves, with never a thought of winter sports, according to Zhe. Benefiting from China鈥檚 poverty alleviation scheme, locals have gradually shaken off poverty and demand for sport is rising.
Thanks to a great improvement in local ecology, there has been more rain and snow. Northwestern China鈥檚 cold and dry winters also make Jingyuan an ideal place to build ski fields.
With a couple of ski resorts opening in recent years, locals have become able to embrace winter sports right on their doorstep.
鈥淚 used to equate sport with fun games. When I grew up, I started to enjoy playing pingpong and now skiing is my new hobby,鈥 said Zhe.
As the director of the sports center in Jingyuan, Zhe has noticed that as more and more citizens become passionate about exercise and sports, such activities are a new way to socialize.
Almost every sports enthusiast that Zhe knows has a big network of friends that is built upon sports. Zhe himself has made new friends this season.
鈥淲e used to greet each other with small talk, like asking whether he or she has had breakfast or lunch, but now we usually start a conversation about sport,鈥 he smiled. The slogan 鈥榞o skiing, my treat!鈥 has become almost a daily expression during this winter holiday.
Under the Chinese government鈥檚 initiative to get 300 million citizens involved in winter sports by 2022, Ningxia has made considerable efforts to improve winter facilities and cultivate talents.
Eleven ski fields, in plateau, desert and city areas enable ordinary citizens to learn and enjoy winter sports. With a population of no more than 7 million, the annual number of people engaging in winter sports across Ningxia exceeds 500,000.
Winter sports are no longer a luxury for locals.
鈥淚 used to stay at home the whole winter, but now I like to enjoy the charm of winter and make new friends skiing,鈥 said Zhao Ling, a ski lover from Ningxia鈥檚 capital Yinchuan.
Zhao, 58, spends about 25 days every winter skiing across China, and then swims or practises Tai Chi the rest of the year to keep fit.
Zhao has traveled widely for different skiing experiences, during which she made friends with many ski lovers, old and young.
鈥淚 love the feeling of chatting and skiing with them, especially the young,鈥 said Zhao. 鈥淭hey are more energetic and I feel like I am becoming young again too.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
