In Beijing, it's quite common to see people exercising early in the morning. This is an excellent way to remain healthy and to continue a thousand year old tradition.

They just can't live without it. For more than a thousand years, Chinese have a secret which allows them to defy time and to keep them from ageing: morning exercise. Every day, when the sun is rising, anyone aged forty and over heads to the closest park or else stays in their compound courtyards to practice Tai Chi, ribbon and fan dancing, Beijing Opera, formal dancing, sword fighting etc. Their purpose: to keep healthy and well.

Before the tourists arrive, many Beijingers head for the 674.6 acre Temple of Heaven Park. Unlike Ming dynasty emperors (1368-1644) who came her to give offering and sacrifices for good crops, they come here so they can enjoy a privileged moment of tranquility and to find their own peace before the stresses of their day. At the East Gate of this important site, which was built in 1420, a few couples dance to the sound of a tape player while waving long colourful ribbons over their heads. This style of dancing has been known since the Han and Wei Dynasties (206 B.C-220 A.C), when it was performed at banquets.

The ribbons are all different lengths: 6, 10 or 12 metres. Today, most of the people practicing their dancing are middle to late aged women. For example there's Guan, a 56 year-old woman who spins a 12 metre long ribbon with disturbing ease. "It's not that difficult. At first, we use a 6 metre ribbon," she explains. "This exercise is good for cervical and kidney flexibility," she adds throwing her ribbon in the air. "See, my shoulder rheumatism has gone since I've started to practice ribbon dancing," she boasts. "It's good for the mind".