The winds of November have brought new scenery to tens of hundreds of parks in Qingdao. Maple leaves are turning red, ginkgo leaves turn yellow while aging and then fall from trees onto the ground, phoenix trees seem to be dyed with gold, pine and cypress trees are green and luxuriant. It is persons exercising in a lively manner in woods that enliven such a grand spectacle. Their exercise postures add energy and vitality to these tranquil scenes.

In a square, dancers move their bodies to the rhythm of music, and their sleeves floating in the wind contrast finely with the surrounding scenery. On a football court, players move amid laughter, injecting youthful spirit to the space under a bridge. On a footpath, hikers tread in a brisk manner on fallen leaves, producing a rustling sound. In all sorts of athletic fields, children are sporting, and the elderly are stretching and relaxing their bodies. Everyone can find his or her own fun in the age-friendly society.

Such scenes embody in a vivid manner Qingdao’s “sports+parks” model. Exercisers can breathe fresh air and see a riot of colors when they play sports amid beautiful woods. Exercising in closed indoor spaces cannot provide such feelings. The idea of “becoming an integral part of picturesque scenery” makes the fun of exercising arise spontaneously.

Nowadays, the “parks+sports” model has become a new sought-after lifestyle. Thanks to Qingdao’s unrivalled natural endowments, sports facilities and green landscapes complement each other. As a result, citizens can see green scenery and play sports at their doorsteps, and green resources can be transformed into a shared sense of well-being.  (Liu Dong)

An increasing number of sports facilities are built in parks.  By Liu Dong