Feeling nice on ice

Workers check the ice three times a day to ensure it is at least 15 centimeters thick, according to Beijing's standards, Xu said.

Wang Yusheng started skating at the age of 18. The 76-year-old paid around 3,000 yuan ($470) for his skates.

He spends an hour and a half to travel from his home to the rink, although his physical condition only allows him to spend about an hour on the ice.

"Skating is so fun! I come every day once the rink opens each year. I usually skate in small circles with my friends," he said.

"If I didn't get this exercise, I may not walk so well at my age."

Eight-year-old Wang Wenjing had only tried skating for three days but had already come to love the sport.

"I enjoy the feeling of skating faster than I walk," she said. "I like to try to 'sprint' on the ice."

Her next goal is to learn how to brake, she said.

Beijing has significantly increased its winter sports facilities since Beijing won the 2022 Olympic bid in 2015. The number of skating surfaces grew from 86 to 179, and ski resorts rose from 22 to 32 by the end of 2021, according to the municipal sports bureau.

China has achieved its goal of engaging at least 300 million people in winter sports. A National Bureau of Statistics survey showed 346 million people nationwide had participated in winter sports between 2015 and last October.