Do a headstand in a golden field, and do an extended arm pose on a huge haystack pulled by a tractor. Xintiandi, a huge poster in Shanghai, is a land of gold, which makes the urban beauties who walk here every day puzzled. For them, yoga is not unfamiliar, and confusion arises from the fact that these difficult movements are not performed by professional yoga instructors or in yoga classrooms, but by a group of simple women in the open fields..
The story in the poster takes place in Yugouliang Village, north of Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province. In this small village with only over a hundred people, there are mostly elderly people left behind, and among them, women make up the majority. In 2016, the previous village chief Lu Wenzhen brought yoga, a sport that originated in the city, to the village. Since then, this sport has changed the pace and state of life for everyone living here..
When the first ray of sunshine in the morning shines on the land in central Hebei, the village’s loudspeaker will wake up every sleeping person on time. No matter in spring, summer, autumn or winter, the sisters practicing yoga in the village will spontaneously gather in the square at the head of the village. This pace of life has lasted for seven or eight years..
People in the city seem to find it difficult to understand this persistence. For us, if it weren’t for the passive need to work, no one could break free from the strong “seal” of sleeping..
Quickly, they lined up and stood up, “mountain style,” “down dog style,” and “side panel style.” With the constantly changing commands in the crowd, the team was also constantly changing its form. These women, dressed differently, began to change positions, from standing to lying down, and then followed the command to turn their bodies uniformly to the east, with their legs straightened, their right hand propped up on the ground, and their left hand raised high into the sky..
During the harsh winter, their movements were not at all negligent. Yugouliang Village is close to Inner Mongolia, and in the winter of January, it can reach minus ten degrees Celsius in the morning. But they didn’t care, the atmosphere was focused and solemn, and they could only relax their bodies and prepare for the next action when the order was over. If the yoga mat cannot be paved in the strong wind, sisters will practice on the concrete floor. Until all the movements were over, their expressions would relax, they would tell jokes, and occasionally burst into hearty laughter..
At this point, when you ask them the reason for their persistence, they will tell you with a light expression: even if you like it, it’s not for any reason..
Not far from this square, there is a stone tablet with the words “China’s Number One Yoga Village” written on it. In the eyes of the people here, this is a unique honor belonging to this village. There are many women in their sixties and seventies here who can easily stand upside down, split, and lower their waist. The standard level is on par with the young coaches in urban yoga parlors. If they are dressed in professional clothing, no one will associate them with rural life. They uploaded their practice videos online and received a lot of praise. Many netizens said, “I can’t do grandma’s movements in my lifetime.”.
Yoga has been integrated into the lives of women in Yuguliang Village. Compared to the ubiquitous anxiety in big cities, their original intention to practice yoga is more from the heart. Don’t be troubled by body shape or appearance anxiety, enjoy every moment of harmonious coexistence with the natural environment..
People can be seen practicing yoga in rural forest farms, sheep pastures, and fields.
