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[Global Connection] 2024 International Tai Chi DayAuthor: JEFFI CHAO HUI WU Time: 2025-7-11 Friday, 6:29 AM ········································ [Global Connection] 2024 International Tai Chi Day October 12, 2024, is a day I will never forget. As the President of the Australian International Qigong Tai Chi Academy, I was invited to Hong Kong to attend the "2024 International Tai Chi Day" celebration organized by the Tai Chi International Academy (Hong Kong). This was not only a grand event for Tai Chi practitioners but also a large celebration that integrated culture, health, national sentiment, and a global perspective. On that morning, the Wong Tai Sin Square in Kowloon was bustling with people, red flags fluttering, and drums beating. Thousands of citizens, Tai Chi masters, and international guests gathered together to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, using Tai Chi as a medium to showcase the spiritual strength of Chinese culture. Dressed in a unified red event outfit, I stood shoulder to shoulder with Tai Chi representatives from various regions and distinguished guests on stage, watching the electrifying atmosphere of the crowd, feeling a surge of excitement in my heart, as if I were standing at the center of a new era of cultural inheritance. This event is hosted by Taiji International Academy (Hong Kong), which originated from the Hong Kong Qigong Taiji Association. It is a grassroots, non-official, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Taiji. Over the years, without any mandatory resource support, it has relied on a group of passionate grassroots mentors, volunteers, and educators who are committed to promoting Chinese culture and the spirit of Taiji, successfully transforming what was originally a niche traditional cultural project into one of the largest Taiji education platforms in Hong Kong. Unlike typical schools or commercial institutions, Taiji International Academy (Hong Kong) has always adhered to the principles of "voluntariness, inheritance, public welfare, and popularization," promoting Taiji through grassroots efforts in communities, parks, schools, and organizations, while also actively engaging in exchanges both domestically and internationally. Since 2022, the academy has initiated the "National Tai Chi Day," designating October 12 each year as "International Tai Chi Day." For three consecutive years, it has organized synchronized exercises across Hong Kong, invited international guests, and showcased cultural displays, gradually evolving from a regional promotional initiative into a global cultural celebration. I personally resonate with this approach of fostering cultural consensus through grassroots efforts and non-governmental backgrounds, as it is closer to people's hearts and more enduring than institutional arrangements. Therefore, I am deeply honored to have been appointed as an honorary advisor to the academy since 2001 and to serve as the chief guest at this year's International Tai Chi Day, standing on this land of Hong Kong alongside a group of people who truly "love Tai Chi from the bottom of their hearts." On the day of the event, the first was a video address by Chief Executive Mr. John Lee. He emphasized in the video that Tai Chi is a sport suitable for all age groups and is the best choice for Hong Kong people to exercise their bodies and minds anytime and anywhere. His words received applause from the audience and set a tone of health, inclusiveness, and participation for the entire event. Following that, 750 Tai Chi teachers and students gathered in the square to perform the "Global Synchronized Three-Minute Tai Chi Exercise." The synchronized movements were powerful yet gentle, creating an extremely impressive scene. I also participated in the performance on stage, completing this cultural interpretation that transcends language and borders alongside other Tai Chi representatives. As I stood on stage practicing Tai Chi, I felt the air around me become particularly calm, and every breath and every movement seemed to resonate with the core spirit of Tai Chi: harmony, stability, flow, and integration. In addition to the large collective Tai Chi performance, several senior Tai Chi masters took turns to showcase their skills on stage, including Master Shan Ying, a descendant of the Wu style Tai Chi from Hong Kong, Master Zhao Lei, Master Xu Xiying, and others, all of whom possess profound skills and a strong presence. I also took to the stage to demonstrate, presenting the essence of Tai Chi to the audience with the most simple and authentic movements. The applause from the audience was continuous, especially from some young spectators who had originally come just to accompany their elders but were captivated by the beauty of Tai Chi, which combines a sense of tranquility with dynamic energy and strength hidden within softness. At that moment, I became even more convinced that Tai Chi is not an outdated tradition, but a living culture that transcends time. The significance of this event lies not only in its scale but also in the collective response it received from almost the entire mainstream media system in Hong Kong. Dozens of media outlets, including Hong Kong Television Broadcasts (TVB), Phoenix Television, Hong Kong Cable Television, Now News, Sing Tao Daily, Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Po, Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Orange News, and Bauhinia Magazine, not only reported in advance on the preparations for "International Tai Chi Day," but also conducted exclusive interviews, live photo coverage, video news, and feature column reports on the day of the event. Multiple news headlines mentioned phrases such as: "750 teachers and students practicing Tai Chi together," "International Tai Chi Day celebrates the 75th anniversary of National Day," "John Lee encourages nationwide Tai Chi participation," and "Tai Chi International Academy promotes global connectivity," indicating that this is not just a sports event, but also a cultural initiative, showcasing traditional Chinese wisdom in modern society. It is particularly worth mentioning that the speech of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong goes beyond the ceremonial level, resonating with Hong Kong's recent policy direction of "health for all." It combines Tai Chi with national fitness, cultural confidence, and intergenerational communication. This support at the policy level injects strong momentum into the social value of Tai Chi. As a representative of the Australian International Qigong and Tai Chi Academy, I deeply feel that this is not only an encouragement for the local development of Tai Chi but also a call for unity and collaboration among Tai Chi practitioners worldwide. After the event concluded that day, I exchanged ideas with several fellow practitioners from the Tai Chi community and friends from the cultural sector. Everyone expressed that the "2024 International Tai Chi Day" not only showcased the organizing team's professionalism and appeal but also served as an important milestone in connecting the Tai Chi strength of the global Chinese community. We also discussed the possibility of expanding such events to multiple locations in the future, such as setting up synchronized activities in Sydney, Melbourne, Taipei, Singapore, and San Francisco, allowing Tai Chi practitioners around the world to truly "perform on the same day, with one heart and one spirit," enabling the spirit of Tai Chi to transcend the boundaries of language, geography, and ethnicity. When I left the venue, the rhythmic sound of thousands of people practicing Tai Chi still echoed in my ears, a silent yet profound resonance. The "2024 International Tai Chi Day" was not only grand in scale and meticulously organized, but also a truly international event in every sense. In addition to the seven hundred and fifty Tai Chi teachers and students from Hong Kong, there were also Tai Chi delegations from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia present, performing, witnessing, and exchanging ideas together. This kind of cross-border, cross-cultural interaction truly made the phrase "International Tai Chi Day" live up to its name. I am particularly excited about this. As a representative from Australia, seeing the name of our Australian International Qigong Tai Chi Academy appear on stage and in official reports, and being able to share the same platform with fellow practitioners from North America and seniors from Hong Kong in this grand event, this cross-regional and cross-cultural Tai Chi connection is not just a resonance of physical movements, but also a resonance of hearts and ideas. I believe this will be the starting point for Tai Chi culture to reach a higher stage in the world. 
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[图 2/10] Video Address by Chief Executive Mr. John Lee 
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[图 5/10] Master Dan Ying performs Tai Chi 
[图 6/10] Wu Chaohui performs Tai Chi (Australia) 
[图 7/10] Master Xu Tianying (Hong Kong) 
[图 8/10] Chairman Wu Chaohui of the Australian International Qigong Tai Chi Academy, Master Shan Ying of Wu Style Tai Chi, along with international guests such as Master Xu Tianying and Master Zhao Lei, performed push hands and Tai Chi demonstrations on stage simultaneously. The nearly seven-minute performance was highly appreciated by the audience, who responded with enthusiastic cheers. 
[图 9/10] After that, for three consecutive years, as the "Tai Chi Ambassador," Mr. Jiao Jiannian participated in discussions on stage with Mr. Yong Shun, casually sharing their insights on sports and Tai Chi, while the audience applauded continuously. 
[图 10/10] From left: JEFFI CHAO HUI WU, Lawyer Liu, Lin Wenhui, Leng Xianfeng, Huang Guolong ········································ [Image loading failed: https://taichiau.org/cn/webpages/events/20241012taijiday/20241012_taijiday02.jpg] From left: Master Xu Tianying, Master Zhao Lei, Chairman Lin Wenhui, Mr. Pui Kwan Kay, Mr. JEFFI CHAO HUI WU Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=696803 |
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