Earlier this month, Beijing's municipal government announced that, as part of its preparations for the 2008 Olympics, it would spend 148 million yuan next year on renovating 11 parks. That follows the 140 million yuan this year on renovations to the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven Park and Beihai Park. All of which is good news indeed for Beijing's senior citizens.
Although the capital's 160 parks are some of the most popular places in the city, with 5.5 million people passing through them during this year's Spring Festival alone, it's the over-60s who are their most avid fans.
In part, that is because many of them, especially the ones off the tourist trail, offer free admission. That though, doesn't fully explain their popularity among the elderly.
Rather, it's the fact that in Beijing, far more than in western cities, parks play a crucial role in communal life. It's no exaggeration to say that without them, many elderly residents would have nowhere to go.
With over-60s making up almost 11 per cent of the capital's population, but with few state-sponsored facilities for them, the city's parks provide many of the functions performed by social services in the west. Whereas in Europe and the United States, local governments provide social centres and activities to keep their senior citizens occupied, in Beijing the elderly turn to the parks for succour.
From the moment dawn breaks, regardless of the weather, the parks begin to fill up. Vigorous pensioners occupy the exercise machines for their daily workout. Some hold gongfu tea ceremonies or practise tai chi or wushu, displaying a flexibility that would put many younger people to shame.