Guangzhou martial arts school offers taichi classes to promote the art

Tai chi is usually associated with retirement activities for the elderly. However, in Guangzhou, a martial arts school offers classes specifically for children and teenage students, hoping to make tai chi more popular among young people.

This morning in a park at Guangzhou's Panyu, powerful sounds of blades swinging can be heard. These children are practicing Chen-style tai chi, specifically, the Spring and Autumn Broadsword. There are thirteen blade techniques including chopping and upward cutting. Along with agile footwork, the lower body must also maintain stability.

This student says at the beginning of her practice, the blade would hit her legs, and she got minor injuries because of that. Now she is more careful and hits herself less. A parent says after her daughter started learning tai chi, her concentration and self-discipline improved. Seeing her daughter enjoy practicing so much, she also started learning tai chi. Ms. Lin says before learning tai chi, her daughter was quite active, as if she has ADHD. However, after practicing, her habit changed quite a lot, and she became much more self-disciplined.

The martial arts school offers classes for teenagers, charging 1,500 yuan per month, for four lessons per month, each lasting five hours. Coach Chen Zhuang was born in Chenjiagou, Henan, the birthplace of tai chi. He hopes students will persist in their learning. The coach says it is not just about learning a set of forms. More importantly, tai chi allows students to come into contact with traditional Chinese culture, experience tai chi's concepts of movement and stillness, as well as moderation and humility. The person in charge of the studio says she is interested in entering the Hong Kong market. She says at the end of November, she will bring the studio team to Hong Kong Baptist University as part of an outreach programme. She has always been quite interested in the Hong Kong market, but will not be in a rush to open a new studio in the city.