Free Running in Beijing

My new favorite Chinese word: paoku 跑酷 - a beautiful combination of the phonetic and the meaningful. Paoku (composed of the characters "to run" and "cool") is the Chinese rendering of "parkour," a seriously cool form of running first developed in 1980s France. It looks like a little like break-dancing meets track and field (see videos here and here), and it has officially arrived in Beijing.

The term "parkour" is often used interchangeably with "free running," and to the layman, they're more or less the same - crazy gymnastics-inspired feats in an urban environment. True aficionados, however, separate the two disciplines on a philosophical level. Parkour is the pragmatic of the two; it seeks to cover ground as quickly and efficiently as possible, clearing obstacles and evading pursuers. Free running, on the other hand, emphasizes freedom of movement and artistic expression. Whereas incorporating a double-handspring into jumping a fence might be seen as extraneous (and a bit show-offy) in parkour, to free runners it's just "following your way."

None of this really matters in Beijing, where as far as we can tell, the scene is at such an early stage that no one is about to split hairs on the virtues of aesthetics vs. pragmatics. What's key is that there IS a paoku scene in Beijing. You can find some basic information at China's very own pro-parkour website, Paoku.org.cn, and see some videos of young paoku practitioners here and here (warning: turn the volume down unless you're into Kid Rock - these young Beijingers may be athletically talented but their choice in music is painful).

For more professional paoku, check out the video below, featuring the agile David Belle, founder of the parkour movement.

How to get involved in paoku in Beijing:

Try contacting this freshly formed Chinese parkour troupe or post on the forums of the Paoku.org website.

The people behind the Circle of Iron Martial Arts Academy have expressed interest (just last month, on our forum) in starting a Parkour group - see their website for contact details.

Links and Sources
Answers.com: Free Running
Parkour in China: www.paoku.org.cn
Youtube: Dvinsk Clan, Le Parkour
Tudou.com (video): Julie Angel's Parkour Generations
56.com (video): Beijing Parkour Troupe
Dv.ouou (video): One young Beijing dude's Parkour story
Image - LOLand.net: Free Runner in Beijing
New York Times: Parkour and Free Running in the United States
Wikihow: How to get started in Parkour or free running
Wikihow: How to run up a wall and flip
Wikihow: How to become an Urban Ninja: Ninjutsu + Parkour
CRI Online: 城市里“飞檐走壁”的人