Following many years of strong economic growth and propelled by the Olympics, the Chinese are now forking out on fitness, writes Clifford Coonanin Beijing
AT 5.50pm, a time when Chinese people normally have dinner, the Hokay Gym and Fitness Centre is heaving with sweating bodies. Scores of mostly young people are forgoing their evening dumplings in favour of getting active in a variety of ways.
The gym's 20 treadmills are full, more than 20 people are ice-skating, while dozens of women in a yoga classroom are contorting themselves into difficult positions. Across the room, a group of men are doing free weights, while near the door a small group drinks coffee and chats.
The Hokay chain has 67 clubs in Beijing, and more than 90 clubs in China, and is a sign of how China's rising affluence, rising health consciousness and the increasingly sedentary nature of working life in the country is driving people to the gym. The success of China's athletes in the Olympics in the summer has also driven a lot of patriots to the fitness clubs.
Wang Peng (30), who works for the state oil company, Sinopec, has been going to the fitness club for two years now.
"I didn't have time to go to the gym when I was at college because I had so many courses. After graduation, I had to focus on my work. But now my work is stable and I have more time and more money," says Wang.
"I started to think I needed to pay attention to my health. Spending a lot of time in front of the computer gave me a sore neck, so I started going to the gym. I don't go as often as I'd like, but my body does feel better and I like the feeling of getting sweaty," says Wang.
Li Yueqi (49) is a home-maker whose husband works in the government, and she has been coming here for about a year.
"The older I get, the easier it is to get fat. My son graduated from university last year and has got a job in the government so I have more time and a bit of extra money," she says.
"All my life, I was very busy managing my family. I used to play a bit of mahjong in my spare time, but I always had a sore neck and shoulders. One of my friends started going to the gym and feeling much more energetic," she says. "So she got me to join and I feel great, much healthier. I love coming here," says Li.
Time was when this was just bourgeois indulgence, but strong economic growth in the past three decades means Chinese consumers have money to spend on the fitness industry. Investment in sports and other recreational equipment is rising strongly.
Sun Tiantian (27) is a fashion designer, and has been coming to the gymnasium for a month.
"After three years of hard work, my company began to make a bit of money, so I hired two more employees to work in my office, which gives me more time to enjoy my life," she says. "Also my love life had problems, so I chose to go to the gym. It makes me happy and optimistic, and that's a good thing. And the Olympics made me start thinking about my health," she says.
It's not all private enterprise, either. Lots of people do it for free.
In Ritan Park in central Beijing in the early morning, older people are walking around fanning themselves as they walk backwards, practise their t'ai chi or play a bit of badminton.
Encouraging physical fitness is government policy. The state has introduced a Nationwide Physical Fitness Programme to encourage more people to exercise. The target is that by 2010, more than 40 per cent of China's population will take part in regular physical exercise.
Currently, 70 per cent of about 17 million residents in Beijing are getting regular exercise, says Sun Xuecai, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Sport.
The most popular sport is, surprise, surprise, table tennis, followed by jogging and ta'i chi, as well as basketball and gym exercise, he says.
By last year, all urban communities and 90 per cent of rural villages in Beijing had installed facilities for physical exercise, and these included more than 12,100 stadiums and gymnasiums. Property developers have to include public sport facilities when they build residential projects.
University student Chu Hong (23) has been coming to the gym for two months, inspired by the Olympics.
"The Olympics make people love life, I think," says the hotel management student.
"During the winter, I gained too much weight, so I'm determined to lose it during the summer. It's the holidays," she says.
In her parents' time, exercise was not a big part of life, but that has changed as health awareness grows.
"They support me to go to the gym and they also encourage me to lose weight. They usually do some walking after dinner now. I think more people will go to the gym in the future. That's good for the human body," says Chu.