Fitting ancient wisdom into a modern lifestyle

"I need to be aware of exactly where my strength comes from, whether my body is upright or my stance is correct every second," Song explains, adding that the harmony of body and mind can help reduce anxiety and pain. "Taijiquan is a kind of meditation."

Song used to think taijiquan looked quite gentle but she soon realized that the practice contains infinite power and Chinese wisdom.

"The balance of yin and yang is reflected in each movement," she says.

After practicing taijiquan, Song feels that her skin and her energy levels have become better, as well as her circulation.

When exercising in the gym, Song worked out as hard as possible, to the point of exhaustion, so that she was burning calories all the time.

Practicing taijiquan has instilled in her a completely different outlook that she should save more energy in daily life.

"Saving energy enables me to finish more things," Song explains.

Song learns taijiquan from Li Guangjin, a master who creates his own Li-style taijiquan.

Li, 57, has been practicing martial arts since he was 7 years old. He started to learn taijiquan in his 30s.

After practicing various taijiquan styles including Chen-style, Yang-style and Wu-style, together with his experience of Chinese martial arts and knowledge of health preservation, Li created his own style of taijiquan, which focuses on maintaining health and combat.

Li says taijiquan is a reflection of traditional Chinese philosophy, including Taoist thoughts.

"One key of taijiquan is to keep upright all the time, which is not to stand still but put your center of gravity on your feet."

According to Li, another key of taijiquan is to relax, and practicing taijiquan can reduce stress, which is a major issue in modern society. He says that the slow fluid movements of taijiquan are suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels, and regular practice can improve overall health and well-being, but it has to be done under professional guidance

Li has taught over 10,000 students of different ages and now he has two apprentices who study with him full time. "They are both young university graduates and devoted to learning and inheriting taijiquan," he says.