KUWAIT: The Chinese Embassy in Kuwait held a presentation on Taiji, a form of Chinese martial arts, at the Chinese Cultural Center in Kuwait on Sunday to enrich people with knowledge about this sports’ significance, which belongs to the rich cultural heritage of China. As a symbol of ancient Chinese culture and an important component of Chinese Gongfu, Taiji adopts a humanistic philosophy that’s embedded in its beliefs, where it strengthens the mind and body together, creating a seamless harmony between man and nature.

“Every part of our body is closely associated with the whole world, where we should follow the natural rule of it. If we are against the natural law, we must pay a heavy price, and some prices are too high for us to pay,” Xia Jianfeng, cultural attache and director of the Chinese Cultural Center said in his opening remarks.

He explained how Taiji has a very special nature that distinguishes it from other Western sports like rugby, swimming, football, etc. Unlike these sports’ practitioners who heavily rely on body muscles and speed, Taiji relies on a more relaxed and softer approach, where the least amount of effort can generate the most efficient use of the body.

The event covered both the theoretical and practical aspects of Taiji, brought together by Li Chunrong, a nurse from the Chinese medical team, and Wang Xubin, a Chinese doctor and Taiji instructor. Li explained how Taiji evolved and survived a long history of 5,000 years through constant development that made it gradually transform from a form of martial art into a national sport adopted by many people around the world. She highlighted how it has successfully blended Taiji principles with physical fitness practices, making it the only martial art that serves two functions — fighting and maintaining one’s mental and physical health.

Another key point Li added is the multiple cultural components that Taiji integrates, such as philosophy, medicine, art, military, literature, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and aesthetics, which all blend between the concepts of goodness, righteousness, compassion, wisdom and more. Concerning the practical aspect, a live show was held for the guests to showcase the performance of this sport in a series of slow and gentle movements that flowed in harmony. Following the show, a workshop was held by Wang, teaching children about the basic movements of Taiji to help them apply the theoretical principles that they just learned.

At the end of the event, Xia told Kuwait Times about his excitement to bring more events and activities that proudly reflect Chinese culture. “Today’s lecture heavily contributed to this by raising awareness about a kind of tradition that shouldn’t only be in China, but in the whole world,” he opined. This lecture marks one of the very first events to be conducted at the cultural center since its opening in September, which gathered Kuwaiti and Chinese attendees in one hall to support the main objective of the cultural center in bringing both people closer despite the difference in traditions and languages.