Chinese students required to master Tai Chi to graduate high school
Mastery of 24 basic Tai Chi moves is now required for students to graduate from high school in east China’s Fujian Province, according to the latest statement from the province’s education administration, triggering heated debate.
Tai Chi is listed as a mandatory sport in the high school physical education test, which makes up around 10 percent of the total grade, said the Fujian education department, reported Xinhua News Agency.
As one of the many branches of Chinese Wushu, the broad term applied to the country’s various forms of martial arts, Tai Chi is known for its slow moves that are part of defense training. It’s also practiced for its health benefits. Accompanied by regulated deep breathing, it allows the body to achieve a state of relaxation and harmony.
While supporters welcome the change as a way to promote traditional Chinese martial arts and help junior students to relieve academic pressure, others think Tai Chi is too mild a physical activity for active teenagers.
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