Popular venue

Seven months ago, Zhao Jie joined a club for aspiring models even though she is age 60.Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, she practices deportment near a lake in Daguanyuan, or Grand View Garden－a park in Beijing－together with other club members, mostly retired women age 60 or older.

The park is a popular destination for seniors, who visit it every day to exercise and have fun. Some of them play musical instruments and sing, while others practice calligraphy strokes on the ground.

Zhao and other members of the club have become a fixture in the park. Accompanied by music－mostly soft and soothing Chinese folk songs－the club members, who number more than 20, walk gracefully and confidently, attracting considerable attention from tourists.

"I do my own makeup, and the clothes we wear accentuate our beauty in our 60s," Zhao said, sporting a long, black gown decorated with red flowers.

Before she retired, the Beijing native was a policewoman, little expecting to model the gowns she saw on television in her "new life".

"I didn't even know how to smile while modeling, because in my job as a policewoman I needed to be quite serious," Zhao said.

She added that the main reason she decided to join the club was because it provided her with the opportunity to meet people in her age group who shared a similar interest.

Three years ago, Zhao's husband died of a heart attack, which left her devastated. Her son encouraged her to go out and make new friends, and she decided to give it a try.

In seven months, Zhao lost 15 kilograms, which made her look healthier and more attractive.

"Modeling helps improve body shape. It's not a high-intensity activity, making it suitable for people of my age," Zhao said.

The club was launched in 2019 by Zhang Shixiu, 60, who recruited a total of eight members of both genders. Before she retired, Zhang, who is a fan of various art forms, worked as a civil servant.

Her goal was to bring together seniors interested in modeling and help them become more involved with their community.

The seniors practice in parks and take part in fashion shows in communities and nursing homes in the capital. Zhang said, "It's a positive trend because it improves our sense of self-worth after retirement."

Wang Ziqiang, 69, attends shows staged by the club, as his wife, Wei Xiujuan, 65, is a member of the team.

A former event organizer in a government office, Wang is an enthusiastic ballet fan. He received training in the artistic dance form from the National Ballet of China as a young amateur dancer, performing roles such as Hong Changqing in the classic Chinese production The Red Detachment of Women.

After his wife joined the club for would-be models, Wang volunteered to be director and choreographer. He also helped design costumes and made videos for the club.

"Many elderly people who are about to retire look forward to finally being able to take a break, but after a few weeks or months, they may feel they are living a meaningless existence. Not having much to do may lead to boredom, and no longer having that many people to interact with may result in feelings of loneliness and isolation," Wang said.

"When my wife told me about the club, I felt happy for her and supported her. Retirement is about enjoying the rest of your life. We're retired in a sense, but we have not expired!"

The couple used to spend a lot of time traveling the world. Six years ago, their grandson was born and they devoted much of their time to caring for him. In September, he will go to school and the couple will have more opportunities for retirement activities.

Wei said: "This is an amazing time for seniors. I am happy and confident, and I'm not concerned about what people think of me when I put on a beautiful gown and makeup. In fact, I'm having such a good time that I hope I can keep doing this in my 70s."