he term "colorwalk" has been everywhere in China recently - on social media, in news coverage and even on a radio talk show hosted by Yours Truly. When I first heard about it, I assumed it might be something similar to Holi in India, with people throwing brightly colored powders at one another. In fact, it is far simpler, and far less messy.
A colorwalk is exactly what it sounds like: a walk or day out in which you choose one color and spend the day spotting landmarks, objects and details that match it. Think of it as a treasure hunt with a color-coded brief. It is a little like the Pokémon Go craze, only without the digital screen and crowds of people charging into each other trying to catch the same thing at once.
So why has something so straightforward taken off on Chinese social media? With 1.88 million posts and counting, there is clearly something to it.
Part of the answer is timing. The recently completed Tomb- Sweeping Festival gave families a long weekend, perfect for short trips and city tours. Another reason, according to a psychologist quoted in the media, is that activities like this suit our ever-shortening attention spans. That certainly rings true. I, too, sometimes feel as though my brain is being eroded by endless scrolling.
The same psychologist pointed out that colors can help regulate emotions. As a parent, this definitely tracks. After all, on any family outing, one of the main objectives is not simply to get from A to B, but to avoid a full-scale confrontation over snacks, shoes or air-conditioning. If a color-themed walk can keep everyone happy and moving, it begins to look less like a trend and more like a lifeline for parents.
Naturally, never one to let a trend pass by unnoticed, my family and I decided to give it a go in Beijing. Each of us chose our own color to track through the city. I went for red, which felt like a safe and suitably patriotic choice in a city filled with crimson temples, painted gates and historic architecture. My 5-year-old chose bright pink, which I have to admit is bold choice. Pink is not exactly the most common color on Beijing's streets, but we made an effort to find the pinkest tea shop in town to avoid tears.
The result was a surprisingly enjoyable day out. What made it work was not just the color hunt itself, but the fact that it gave us a reason to look at familiar places differently. A wall that might normally have been just a wall became a rich shade of red. A flower bed became a triumph. A bus stop poster became a minor victory. It is amazing how quickly a simple objective can turn an ordinary stroll into an adventure.
In the spring sunshine, with color to notice and a child determined to outdo her father at every turn, the day felt brighter and somehow more worthwhile. It gave us structure without feeling rigid. It has struck me how a new activity can breathe fresh life into city streets we had walked through hundreds of times before.
China is, in many ways, the ideal setting for this sort of trend. Over the past decade I have been fortunate enough to travel widely across the country, and one thing is undeniable: it is not short of color. Beijing offers deep reds, Shenzhen brings layers of lush green trees, and the Gobi Desert gives you golden grains of sand. There is an enormous visual variety here, which makes color-based exploration feel like a natural fit.
On a local Chinese radio show I frequent I was asked whether a similar trend would catch on in the UK. I joked that we could call it "Colorqueue," because if there is one thing Brits do well, it is standing in line. But on reflection, I think the idea could actually work quite nicely. British families have long enjoyed small, self-made games on walks and car journeys. We may not have called it a trend, but many of us have been doing some version of it for years.
As I finish writing this, there is a bright blue sky outside my window and the grass is turning a vivid spring green. It feels like the perfect excuse for a mini-colorwalk before dinner. My daughter will probably choose a more difficult color than mine, and she will almost certainly win.
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