In Beijing, the parks are always abuzz with activities at any time of the day, in all seasons - well, almost. There are currently about 350 parks covering nearly 11,000 hectares in total. The capital adds about 20 new parks a year. Many of the most famous parks were originally royal or private gardens, which over time have developed into public green city spaces. The first known public park in Beijing, Wansheng Garden opened in 1906 and is now the site of Beijing Zoo. They are particularly popular with the elderly, who use them for morning exercise and social activities. To see the videos, go to www.hwdly.com.cn/video.

A man dances to traditional Chinese songs in the Temple of Heaven Park. The Temple, first built in 1420, used to be the imperial sacrificial altar during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Photo by D J Clark / China Daily

The small terrace on the hill of the Jingshan Park overlooks the Forbidden City. A man dresses up in an imperial robe for a photoshoot. Photo by D J Clark / China Daily