LIfestyles In China

I woke up this morning at 5:30 am.  I looked outside and I seen elderly people practicing Tai Chi.  It is quite amazing on how the life style here in China is.  It is so very alive with activities and everyone is outside either enjoying fresh air or going to work.  It is quite different than most of any other places I have been to.  Here, most elderly people enjoy early morning exercising, and healthy activities.  Longevity is a very important thing in the Chinese culture and most believe in healthy diets along with exercising and keeping their body active.

People start their day here usually early, and close most of their small businesses early as well.  Their operating hours usually run from 7am – 6pm.   It was quite difficult adjusting to this type of lifestyle.  Of course most of the day will pass you by if you are a late sleeper.  As I walk outside I see many people going places and having something to do.  I also see a lot of elderly people walking outside, and also believe it or not, running. 

At night downtown center of Chongqing, China people still walk the streets shopping.  Also you hear music in the background and you see a large group of people dancing, and enjoying themselves.  It is very alive at night sometimes over here in China.  Although the city is quite similar to downtown Manhattan, but people outside are very active.  There are people that fly kites at the park or outside reading books and having a picnic.  Some nights have concerts in the middle of downtown and you can watch people sing. 

I took a late night walk through some of the housing areas of Chongqing.  I seen people outside socializing and neighbors were together having a barbeque and elderly people playing cards and drinking liquor.  Everyone was friendly and welcomed me as a foreigner to their home.  Of course I may have been one of the only foreigners that has ever seen go through their neighborhood, but I was treated with the upmost respect and welcomed. 

In China, many things seem to be all natural in different aspects of how foreigners live.  Walking the streets here in China you may often find a mother allowing her 2 year old use the bathroom on the sidewalk and no one would have a problem with it.  Also it is not uncommon especially natives from the country for a mother to breast feed her child in public.

“In Buddhism, there is no place for using effort.  Just be ordinary and nothing special. Eat your food, move your bowels, pass water and when you're tired go and lie down. The ignorant will laugh at me, but the wise will understand. “
- Tao of Jeet Kune Do