A cultural bridge

From 2019 to 2020, Li taught tai chi at a university in Belarus, where she witnessed how the practice transcends language and culture.

"What moved me most was that despite language barriers and different backgrounds, we could connect through tai chi," she said, adding that foreign students showed genuine curiosity and respect for Eastern wisdom. "What they saw wasn't just movements, but the gentle, inclusive, inner qualities of Chinese people."

One student, a local painter, took a one-hour train ride daily to attend her class and never missed a single session. Moved by his dedication, Li sent him a pair of professional tai chi shoes from China after she left Belarus.

Handan, known as "the hometown of tai chi", gives Li's teaching a unique foundation.

"This land has given my tai chi its most authentic and profound foundation," she said. The culture and spirit of her hometown are a constant reminder that tai chi is a philosophy for living, overcoming hardness with softness, letting stillness overcome motion, and treating others with sincerity.

At the School of Tai Chi Culture, founded in 2011, the mission extends far beyond the classroom.

"Promoting tai chi culture globally has always been one of our core missions," said Xu. "We've built a comprehensive strategy spanning talent cultivation, overseas institutions, platform development and standard-setting."

The school established tai chi academies in Russia in 2014 and in Belarus the following year through partnerships with local universities. The Yang Luchan Tai Chi Institute, based in Handan, now has branches in Russia, South Korea and Germany. "These overseas institutes serve as long-term bridges for cultural exchange," Xu said.

Faculty members regularly teach abroad, including Li's 2019-20 tenure in Belarus. The school has also dispatched teachers and volunteers to 10 countries, from Mongolia to Malaysia, Chile to Colombia, while international students come to Handan to learn tai chi at its source.

"Rooted in its heritage and supported by overseas branches and official certification, the school is bringing tai chi from its hometown to the world," Xu said.

Yue Zhijuelin contributed to this story.

zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn