Yoga, tai chi are the newest products in 'wealth' management

Yoga fans practise yoga on the farmland of flowers at Shiliting township in Shahe city, North China's Hebei province, May 23, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Since the first Indian yoga college in China was established in June 2015 at Yunnan Nationalities University in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, batches of Indian yoga teachers have come to China and their love for this country has taken root.

"Put your palms together in front of your chest with your spine in a neutral position," Subbulakshmi Velusamy, a 37-year-old Indian yoga teacher, said to her students.

After showing the movements, she observed her followers and corrected them.

This intermediate yoga course was available for the general public. Although only a few people attended the class during summer vacation, Velusamy still imparted the skills and knowledge with great enthusiasm.

Having lived in China for a year-and-a-half since 2015, Velusamy has reaped friendship in China. "Local people are really friendly to me. While they may feel curious about me at first sight, they show hospitality and warmth when they know I am from India," she said.

"While Indian cities also grow fast, Kunming performs better across a variety of metrics," she said. "If possible, I would like to continue to live in China."

Yatindra Amoli, another Indian yoga teacher in the college, is addicted to Indian and Chinese cultures.

He is surprised at the similarities between the two peoples' cultures, lifestyles, dietary habits and even marriage customs.

"Chinese people once transported many commodities like tea to India through the Ancient Tea Horse Road (a trade link in Southwest China, extending to South Asia). The history of trade may partly explain our similarities," he said.

Tai chi, a gentle Chinese exercise or martial art characterized by rhythmic circular movements, is usually compared with yoga. YNU has also established a tai chi college, which helps promote the two arts by learning from each other.

"Tai chi is the best meditation method and can help us have more praana (a term in Hindu philosophy, meaning the force that keeps all life in existence). Through tai chi exercises, we can feel the flowing energy of the world," Amoli said.

Living here for one-and-a-half years like Velusamy, he is treated like a friend by Chinese people, he said.