Fortune favors farmers finding solace on slopes

In a sweltering hot room in a Beijing suburb, Lang Enge and his peers diligently practice their skiing on a fast-moving machine.

The men, though, are not Olympic hopefuls but rather small local farmers, who supplement their income with part-time work on construction sites or in secondhand car markets.

Lang, a 29-year-old former shepherd, is the leader of the group, which goes by the name of the Haituo ski team and consists of 25 villagers from Yanqing District, 74 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

“We love skiing and gather together for one dream — hoping to work as volunteers at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics,” said Lang.

Yanqing was thrust into the global spotlight three years ago when Beijing and Zhangjiakou in Hebei province won the right to co-host the 2022 Games.

“My life has changed a lot since then,” said Lang.

We are seeing a growing enthusiasm for ice and snow sports since Beijing’s successful bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics.”

Cui Xulong, Party secretary of Zhangshanying township in Yanqing district, Beijing

Farewell to the flock

Born in a village in Zhangshanying township in Yanqing, Lang owned a small corn field and a flock of around 300 sheep.

“I was a good shepherd,” he said. “I could identify a sheep even if I closed my eyes and only heard its bleating. I could also help them give birth and administer an injection or medicine when they were ill.”

Zhangshanying is set to stage events including alpine skiing, bobsled, skeleton and luge in 2022, and, as a result, the township’s government has enforced stricter environmental regulations in recent years.

As greedy grazers of the mountain vegetation, Lang’s sheep were frequently in breach of the new rules, and so he made the difficult decision to sell his entire flock in 2016 for just 330 yuan (around $48) a head, far lower than the 1,300 yuan he’d paid.

“It was not a good time as there was an outbreak of infectious diseases affecting the sheep. The buyers squeezed down the price,” he recalled. “But I dealt with the loss for the sake of the environment, and the government officials told me that they would offer support if I wanted to start a meaningful business.”

Lang sensed an opportunity. In the late 1990s, he and his friends had become good skiers at the then newly opened Shijinglong resort near their hometown. Some local residents worked there and often secretly took their children inside to play.

“I felt curious about this sport, and learned on my own by watching and imitating the skiers’ movements,” Lang said. “I forgot my troubles after a day out on the snow, and I rarely get sick due to ski practice. It’s good for the body and the mind.”

With the support of local government, Lang and his farming buddies formed the Haituo ski team in July 2017, aiming to get more locals to join them on the slopes. The team now totals 25.

Getting up to speed

To help hone their skills, the local sports bureau offered the villagers opportunities to train with both foreign and Chinese instructors. Many team members have since passed proficiency tests and earned various ski instructor certificates.

In preparation for the Beijing Games, China plans to have 300 million people involved in snow and ice sports by 2022.

Even in the colder north of the country, winter sports have traditionally not been popular, mainly because of the relatively high costs involved and lack of snow. Participation rates, however, are rising.

“We are seeing a growing enthusiasm for ice and snow sports since Beijing’s successful bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics,” said Cui Xulong, Party secretary of Zhangshanying township.

“First of all, people should enjoy and master the skills of skiing. Haituo ski team sets a good example.”

With the help of government subsidies, Lang’s team has trained over 5,000 people from a wide variety of backgrounds, including farmers, students and volunteers.

Yanqing primary and middle school students began learning how to ski and skate during their PE class in 2015. As of early this year, the project has involved around 10,000 kids.

The district plans to teach at least 2,000 residents how to do a variety of ice and snow sports each winter over the next two years.

Lang has his own plan: to turn his hobby into a profession by working as a ski instructor.

Currently he works for a local government agency, earning 2,000 yuan a month checking villagers’ heating systems and fire-protection equipment. As an instructor, he could earn around 40,000 yuan during a three-month ski season.

It’s certainly an enticing prospect for Lang, who said: “Three years ago when I cracked my herding whip, I never expected that one day my skiing dream would come true.”