Police to use tai chi in law enforcement

Judicial police learn tai chi in Chongqing city in southwest China during a 10-day special training class, on May 25, 2014. [Photo/IC]

Chinese police are planning to use tai chi on duty during confrontations to avoid getting injured or hurting the public, according to a report by thepaper.cn.

Zhou Yao, vice president of the Police School in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, has been working on a law-enforcement routine based on tai chi, a traditional Chinese martial art centered on the philosophies of Confucianism and Taoism. It is known for its slow movements but can be very aggressive when used for combat.

"With tai chi, police can get control of people without hurting them. That is exactly what their work requires," Zhou said.

Zhou said the police often face dangerous situations on duty, but also a dilemma that inappropriate movements may be interpreted as abuse of power and damage the image of the police.

Zhou added that he and his colleagues are doing more research to polish tai chi movements for law enforcement. He hopes the new enforcement method will be put into use as soon as possible.