Tai chi teacher a testament to benefits
Source: Shanghai Daily |
January 1, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
XIANG Gengui used to live in the shadow of death. He suffered from chronic hepatitis that forced him to quit his job and lie up at home for almost seven years.
Then he found tai chi.
He's been practicing the ancient Chinese exercise art once a day for more than 20 years, and he credits it with conquering his disease and giving him a new lease on life.
Now in his 70s, Xiang devotes his time to teaching others this gentle, slow-motion art. He is out in the public square of No. 7 Luoyang residential committee every morning at 6am, leading a loyal following of proteges in tai chi movements.
His "students" include people at their 20s, 80-something seniors, Shaolin monks and even a few expatriates from Canada, South Korea and Japan.
The classes, which include tai chi chuan, tai chi fan and tai chi sword, are free. He reckons he has helped more than 1,000 people learn the martial art in the last 20 years.
Xiang's medical recovery may come as a surprise to many people. It certainly came as a surprise to him. He had given up any hope of resuming a normal life.
The former worker at the Shanghai Sewing Machine Factory was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis when he was 43 and was hospitalized three times as his disease worsened. The prognosis wasn't encouraging. He couldn't work and was confined to his room. Then one day, after seven years of watching the quality of his life ebb away, his mother-in-law encouraged him to practice tai chi.
She was an instructor herself, so Xiang figured she might know a thing or two and he had noting to lose.
Thanks to tai chi exercises, his hepatitis disappeared and he returned to factory work for another 10 years before retiring. He didn't miss a single day of work because of illness during that decade.
"Even the doctors were amazed by the miracle of my recovery," Xiang said, with a big smile.
Tai chi is said to be good for blood circulation and peace of mind. Xiang studied under five celebrated masters of the art and obtained a certificate to teach tai chi chuan.
In 2002, he suffered another blow. His thigh bone was broken in a traffic accident. But that didn't stop his tai chi teaching. He sat in a wheelchair and continued his daily lessons.
"I could still give oral instructions, and I called upon students to demonstrate movements," he said.
He had a stainless steel thigh bone joint implanted, which gave him discomfort but didn't deter his teaching. His reward? The feedback from his students, many of whom credit him with helping to improve their health, restore energy and dispel body aches.
Then he found tai chi.
He's been practicing the ancient Chinese exercise art once a day for more than 20 years, and he credits it with conquering his disease and giving him a new lease on life.
Now in his 70s, Xiang devotes his time to teaching others this gentle, slow-motion art. He is out in the public square of No. 7 Luoyang residential committee every morning at 6am, leading a loyal following of proteges in tai chi movements.
His "students" include people at their 20s, 80-something seniors, Shaolin monks and even a few expatriates from Canada, South Korea and Japan.
The classes, which include tai chi chuan, tai chi fan and tai chi sword, are free. He reckons he has helped more than 1,000 people learn the martial art in the last 20 years.
Xiang's medical recovery may come as a surprise to many people. It certainly came as a surprise to him. He had given up any hope of resuming a normal life.
The former worker at the Shanghai Sewing Machine Factory was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis when he was 43 and was hospitalized three times as his disease worsened. The prognosis wasn't encouraging. He couldn't work and was confined to his room. Then one day, after seven years of watching the quality of his life ebb away, his mother-in-law encouraged him to practice tai chi.
She was an instructor herself, so Xiang figured she might know a thing or two and he had noting to lose.
Thanks to tai chi exercises, his hepatitis disappeared and he returned to factory work for another 10 years before retiring. He didn't miss a single day of work because of illness during that decade.
"Even the doctors were amazed by the miracle of my recovery," Xiang said, with a big smile.
Tai chi is said to be good for blood circulation and peace of mind. Xiang studied under five celebrated masters of the art and obtained a certificate to teach tai chi chuan.
In 2002, he suffered another blow. His thigh bone was broken in a traffic accident. But that didn't stop his tai chi teaching. He sat in a wheelchair and continued his daily lessons.
"I could still give oral instructions, and I called upon students to demonstrate movements," he said.
He had a stainless steel thigh bone joint implanted, which gave him discomfort but didn't deter his teaching. His reward? The feedback from his students, many of whom credit him with helping to improve their health, restore energy and dispel body aches.
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