One of the strong points of Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympics is that the city had recently staged a major sporting carnival. It wasn’t as huge as the Olympic Games, but it was pretty big. It was the 1990 Asian Games.

 

The Asian Games are held two years after each Olympic Games. They bring together thousands of athletes who compete in sports like swimming, cycling and weightlifting.

 

Competitors represent about 40 countries from all over Asia and the Middle East, including places as far west as Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, and as far east as Japan and Indonesia.

 

The first Asian Games were held in New Delhi, India, in 1951. The second were staged in Manila, Philippines, in 1954. They’ve been run every four years since then.

 

Early mornings in Beijing are alive with people exercising—quite appropriate for an Olympic city. Many Beijingers start the day with traditional exercises designed to strengthen the body, make it more flexible or increase its energy. Other exercises are designed to help clear or focus the mind.

 

Some exercise routines, like tai chi, are slow and controlled. Some, like the martial art wushu, involve faster movements and even swords.

 

While many Beijingers exercise, some simply stand around doing nothing—well, that is how it seems. In order to clear their minds, some Beijingers stand for minutes, even hours, just staring at a tree.