[Global Connection] 2003 · Ten Thousand People Tai Chi Against SARS Virus

Author: JEFFI CHAO HUI WU

Time: 2025-7-11 Friday, 9:38 AM

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[Global Connection] 2003 · Ten Thousand People Tai Chi Against SARS Virus

In the spring of 2003, the entire Hong Kong was shrouded in a sense of oppression and panic. That year, the sudden outbreak of the SARS virus quietly invaded the city, initially manifesting as just a couple of cases of unexplained infections, but soon it escalated into a serious epidemic that shocked the entire city and heightened alertness across Asia. The constantly rolling numbers of confirmed cases on television, the daily increase in death tolls, and images of medical staff dressed in protective gear made it feel as if one were in an apocalyptic movie. People were anxious, shopping malls were deserted, masks became the standard accessory of the city, and even the air seemed to grow heavy.

During the most difficult period of the nationwide fight against the pandemic, the Hong Kong Qigong Tai Chi Association made an unprecedented move — organizing the "Ten Thousand People Tai Chi Health and Anti-Epidemic" event, using Tai Chi to strengthen the body and enhance immunity, in order to unite citizens and face this crisis together.

Although I was unable to attend the event in person due to the tense pandemic situation, as an honorary advisor of the "Hong Kong Qigong Tai Chi Association," I closely followed the preparation and execution of this historic event and actively promoted it online, assisting in spreading this public welfare initiative to a wider community.

It was a globally watched collective action. The event took place at the Hong Kong Stadium, where on the day of the activity, 12,500 people dressed in white lined up neatly and collectively practiced Tai Chi under the guidance of President Lin Wenhui of the Tai Chi Association. The scene was unprecedented in Hong Kong's history. This was not just a Tai Chi performance, but also a collective spiritual cleansing — finding hope in fear, rebuilding order in chaos, and combating the invasion of the virus in the gentlest way possible for humanity.

Before the event, I actively promoted the health benefits of Tai Chi through various channels such as the internet and forums. I also wrote articles on several Chinese websites, encouraging citizens not only to passively prevent disease but also to actively enhance their physical fitness. I advocate for Tai Chi as a lifestyle that should be widely adopted by everyone, suitable not only for the elderly but for all age groups; it is not just for self-cultivation but also a hidden strength against viruses. At that time, social media was not yet widespread, so I primarily used mass emails, newsgroups, and traditional web promotion methods to repeatedly publish the event poster and ideas, reaching out to Tai Chi friends in Canada and Australia to jointly support Hong Kong.

What impressed me the most was that on the day of the event, the Tai Chi music broadcasted from the stadium was transmitted into thousands of households through live television. Many citizens, although unable to attend in person, participated simultaneously in their living rooms and balconies. When more than ten thousand citizens stepped, turned, initiated, and concluded their movements together, it felt as if the entire city was breathing in the same rhythm, conveying the spiritual strength of "unity and harmony." This was no longer just a fitness activity, but a balm for the collective soul of the nation.

During the pandemic, Hong Kong people demonstrated a high level of self-discipline, not only following rules, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently, but also willingly participating in these public welfare activities that enhance physical and mental well-being. Tai Chi has revealed its hidden power during this time — it does not rely on strength and explosiveness, but on the continuous flow of internal energy to harmonize the organs and stabilize the mind. The "Tai Chi Anti-Pandemic" that we advocate is not a superficial slogan, but a true understanding derived from thousands of years of Chinese wisdom regarding the relationship between the body, breath, and nature.

During that time, I spent several hours each day organizing relevant news, editing activity briefs, and sending Tai Chi health teaching videos and simple exercise tutorials through various health lifestyle platforms in Hong Kong. Some friends even started "Simplified Tai Chi" courses in their community centers overseas after seeing the promotional materials I organized, introducing this health practice, which originates from the East but is suitable for any group, to Western audiences.

Although I was unable to be present at the stadium, my efforts online made me feel deeply involved in the event. More importantly, I witnessed an organization stepping up in times of crisis and a city healing itself in adversity. I have always believed that true strength lies not in defeating opponents, but in maintaining one's composure and keeping one's inner rhythm amidst chaos. That year, Tai Chi was the rhythm of our Hong Kong, the steadiness we held in the face of the virus.

As of today, looking back on this history, more than twenty years have passed, and the "Ten Thousand People Tai Chi Anti-Epidemic" event from back then has long become a unique landscape in the global history of epidemic prevention. It also marks a milestone for Tai Chi as it transitions from traditional martial arts into the field of public health. What it showcases is not only the beauty of the martial art and the precision of the formations, but also a kind of reserved yet steadfast belief in Eastern culture — that in the face of any external disturbance, we all have an inner aura to rely on.

In 2003, the virus took away many of our friends and family, but it also made us understand more deeply the importance of physical health, the power of mental resilience, and the value of community solidarity. All of this was conveyed through the soothing movements of Tai Chi, penetrating to the bone and remaining in the collective memory of the people of Hong Kong.

That year I couldn't be there, but I was always paying attention!

Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=696806