中国范儿120 冰嬉：冰上的体育竞技
During the Qing Dynasty, ice frolicking was carried out as part of national military activity. Soldiers put on ice shoes to train and performed various maneuvers on the ice. This was a twin-pronged strategy meant to entertain as well as help soldiers build combat flexibility and resistance to cold. After the winter solstice, the emperor would hold a grand ice frolic ceremony in Beihai Park. In addition to the ice singing and dancing performances, ice sports competitions were held. The classic events included “skating, grabbing the ball, turning the dragon and shooting the ball” which essentially meant speed skating, football, group acrobatics and other competitive games. In 2019, the Forbidden City held an exhibition on ‘Celebrating the Spring Festival in the Forbidden City’. In this exhibition, the painting ‘Frolic on Ice’ drawn by court painters Zhang Weibang and Yao Wenhan during the Qianlong period was displayed. The painting was based on the grand performance of the courtiers on ice at that time.
Folk ice activities are also very popular. In Beijing, every winter, the ice rinks scattered in the capital, big and small, usher in the most lively time of the year. In Shichahai, Summer Palace and other places, people from all walks of life gather to play ice. This scene has been mentioned by numerous literary and film works and has become an unforgettable part of winter memories for those in Beijing.
The Chinese, who love ice sports from the bottom of their heart, have been looking forward to hosting the Winter Olympics. On July 31, 2015, at the 128th plenary session of the International Olympic Committee held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Committee announced that China’s Beijing and Zhangjiakou had won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Beijing would become the first 'Double Olympic City' in the history of the Olympic Games that has hosted both the summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games. With this, ice sports will climb up the popularity ladder once more.