Friends, grand masters, expats: Meet the community of Tai Chi practitioners in Dubai

Friends, grand masters, expats: Meet the community of Tai Chi practitioners in Dubai

Meet Chengran Mo, a 57-year-old Chinese expatriate living in Dubai for 19 years. She has been practising Tai Chi for five years. “First of all, Tai Chi makes me more relaxed. Every time I practise it, I can concentrate - it relieves stress and fatigue and has made me calmer and more confident. “Secondly, Tai Chi makes me healthier. Through regular practice, my body's flexibility has improved significantly. Meanwhile, it has enhanced my resistance to diseases.” Most importantly, Tai Chi made Mo pay more attention to her inner balance. “There is an important principle in Taijiquan [Tai Chi] - that is to overcome rigidity with softness. This principle tells us that not only external strength and determination are needed in life, but also a calm and soft heart is needed to overcome various difficulties and challenges. Therefore, practising Tai Chi is both a physical and a mental exercise.” She is not alone, there is a small community of expatriates who practice this ancient martial art form regularly. Huajin Liu, a Chinese teacher in a governmental institution in the UAE, has also been practising Tai Chi for years. “It improved my flexibility and balance. It made me discover the countless changes