The event was organized by Hangzhou Canal Group Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd. and the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal (Hangzhou Section)
Comprehension Protection Commission, and hosted by Jinhe Travel
Agency.At 8:40 AM, the opening ceremony of the 2019 Walk and Prayer for
Good Luck's Blessing for Health formally kicked off. Following a
performance of high-intensity aerobics entitled Beauty and Force, the
event ambassador made his formal appearance.
This year's event ambassador, Yu Haida, is a former deputy secretary of the Party Committee and associate professor of the School of
Physical Education and Health at Hangzhou Normal University. During his
speech, Mr. Yu said, with the work on the Hangzhou Section of the Canal
rapidly nearing completion, people who reside in the immediate area have
been actively pursuing health and wellbeing, which has also proven to
be a major factor contributing to the general satisfaction with life
felt by the vast majority of Hangzhou's populace.
Finally, the ambassador waved the flag to begin the walk and opened the prayer door. The more than 300 participants formally started on the
walk.
The group took off from Yunhe Tiandi, walked along the Qiaoxi and Xiaohe Historical and Cultural Blocks, finally reaching their
destination, Lang Lang Art World at Dadou Road Historical and Cultural
Block, a distance of 4.88 kilometers. Some participants chose the water
route, first going to the end point on canal boats and returning by
foot, in this case, a distance of 6.88 kilometers.In addition to walking
along the Canal, the Walk and Prayer campaign identified several points
of interest along the three historical and cultural blocks.
Participants arrived at the points as indicated in the campaign manual
and took part in the scheduled activity, winning a special coupon handed
out by the organizers. Those who engaged in all of the scheduled
activities and collected the complete set of coupons earned an exquisite
prize once they had reached the final destination.
At Yunhe Tiandi, participants got to know each other by engaging in the activities, exchanging tips about fitness and health care. In Qiaoxi
Historical and Cultural Block's Fanghuichuntang, several of the city's
leading traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors offered free
consultations based on feeling the person's pulse, a key indicator of
health according to TCM, while fielding questions concerning health and
wellbeing. Those who received the free consultations also were given a
small gift. Further on, at Lang Lang Art World, participants walked
through an exhibit of the famous musician's trophies alongside a
curation of products based on the city's unique culture and traditions,
while enjoying musical selections from Lang Lang's latest album.
Several participants who had joined the event in the past explained that the Walk and Prayer for Good Luck has been held for many years,
with ever-changing themes and forms. It has been one of the most popular
outdoor activities for Hangzhou's denizens, combining hiking, a sport
that has recently spiked in popularity, with the traditional culture of
the city.
