A biting wind swept through Beijing on Tuesday and the thermometer read -7°C. Not enough to deter Yang Zi, 62: in his swimsuit, he plunged without hesitation into the icy waters of a lake.
"It's a way to enjoy nature," the retiree told AFP.
Every winter, daring Beijingers brave the cold to bathe in Shichahai Lake, in the heart of the Chinese capital.
"The air is better around a natural body of water than in a swimming pool, where everything is confined," says Mr. Yang, who first tried the experiment in 2007.
The place attracts regulars every year, especially seniors. Although more young people, concerned about their health, have recently joined the group.
Among them: Zhang Xin, a 40-year-old self-employed worker.
“I was always catching colds,” he says. “But by running and swimming, you can get stronger and improve your health.”
At the edge of the lake, passers-by stop to watch the man in his forties. He stays in the water for about a minute, long enough to do a few crawl and butterfly strokes.
"You can't stay too long," explains Mr. Zhang, who describes this winter swim as an "extreme sport."
– “Like a massage” –
Nearby, Gu Yueping, a 46-year-old bus driver, takes advantage of his lunch break to go for a swim.
"Once you're in the water, it's like a massage and acupuncture on your body," he assures.
Since he started practicing, the long days spent behind the wheel seem less trying to him.
"When you drive a bus, you sit all day," explains Mr. Gu, who regularly suffered from leg pain.
"Now, driving isn't as tiring anymore," he says.
The most experienced swimmers claim that global warming has made winters less harsh.
“When we started, it was always around -10°C during the day,” Yang Zi recalls.
Around him, some swimmers who had just come out of the water were washing themselves with the contents of large water bottles. Others were jogging to warm up before diving in.
For bus driver Gu Yueping, it's habit that allows him to withstand the cold.
"The skin registers the sensation and gets used to it," he explains. "Swimming in cold water is a brief moment of discomfort, followed by a day of well-being," he summarizes.
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