It's 10 am on a school day morning in Shanghai and students are standing in lines on the playground, doing their morning exercises. As a teacher at the front calls out, "Yi, er, san, si..." the students extend their arms, then bring them to their chests; bend their knees, then straighten up. Many of the students seem bored.
Meanwhile, in a primary school in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, students are dancing to pop music. Which would you rather do?
Since 1951, morning calisthenics(健身操) have been a part of Chinese life. The school in Xiangyang wanted to make morning exercises more fun, so it looked to a group of people who seemed to really enjoy exercising damas(大妈)! These "aunties" dance on public squares each evening, often driving neighbours crazy with their loud music. But it is good exercise and they are having fun. So, why shouldn't students be allowed to follow their example?
Well, on the Internet, most posters said dancing in the primary school in Xiangyang looked funny. One poster said that calisthenics were old-fashioned and that "the organized movements leave no room for personal freedom".
Fitness is essential for young people. Too much study and too much computer time are making many young Chinese fat and unfit, so it's important that they become more active. And being active is the key, even if that means doing away with calisthenics and, instead, dancing like damas.
