STORY: How traditional Chinese exercise thrives worldwide| Cultural China
DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:05:17
LOCATION: HEFEI, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Wuqinxi
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG YUYING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHEN JING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WANG YUYING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): CHEN JING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
6. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): WANG YUYING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG YUYING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
"Hello everyone, this is Wang Yuying talking to you in Bozhou City of Anhui Province. I'm now at Huaxilou, a national 4A-level tourist attraction.
My work is to introduce my hometown of Bozhou to the world. I was born and grew up here.
As one of the four major traditional Chinese medicine production centers in China, Bozhou is the birthplace of a number of famous figures of ancient China, such as Lao Zi, Zhuang Zi and Cao Cao.
Legend has it that Hua Tuo, one of the greatest doctors in Chinese history, created the health-preserving exercise Wuqinxi based on his observations of tigers, deer, bears, apes and birds at the end of Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).
Hua Tuo and I are natives of Bozhou, and I'm now an inheritor of Wuqinxi created by him. I began to learn Wuqinxi from my parents when I was young. Because my father is an inheritor of Wuqinxi, I have had a natural affinity for it since childhood. Now I want to let more people know about Wuqinxi and fall in love with traditional Chinese culture.
Wuqinxi has five parts that include 40 different movements. Practitioners need to imitate the movements and expressions of animals, such as the powerful fighting gestures of tigers, the stretching and running gestures of deer, the slow motion of bears, the jumping and climbing gestures of apes, and the flying gestures of birds.
The concept of traditional Chinese medicine is also incorporated into Wuqinxi. Tiger play is to train waist and bone; bear play is to preserve stomach and joint; deer play is to protect liver; ape play is to improve blood supply to brain; while bird play is to expand chest, increase the capacity of lung and the muscular strength of leg, which is very helpful for the urban residents living in a fast-paced life."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHEN JING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
"Like Wang Yuying, there are many people who start to practice Wuqinxi in their childhood. We have improved the traditional movements and created different versions for workouts and school students, etc., so that people of all ages and different walks of life are able to choose a suitable training method. Today in Bozhou, almost every community has teaching points and instructors of Wuqinxi, and more than one million people have practiced Wuqinxi here.
Wuqinxi was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2011, which has helped Wuqinxi to display its charm in the world. Now there are not only a large number of practitioners all over the country, but also a lot of overseas fans. Wuqinxi has been spread to more than 50 countries and regions. My foreign students told me that they like Wuqinxi because of the excellent traditional Chinese culture behind these exercises.
As an ancient Chinese aphorism goes, 'As Heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman constantly strive for self-perfection.' Wuqinxi cultivates people morally and physically, so that the body and the mind can integrate with nature. The philosophical system behind it reflects the idea of being vigorous. It tells us to learn from all things in the world, be an integral part of nature, keep strong and innovative, and never stop striving.
Just like this ancient city, it has not only developed constantly, but also paid attention to ecological civilization. There are traditional fitness activities and the traditional Chinese medicine industry, as well as innovations in green food, cultural tourism, etc."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WANG YUYING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
"I have participated in various competitions and volunteered to teach in remote mountainous areas. Wuqinxi has witnessed my growth. Now we are trying to use new media to promote Wuqinxi and bring traditional Chinese exercises such as Wuqinxi, Yijinjing and Baduanjin to scenic areas to promote the integrated development of sport, fitness and tourism, and improve the city's image."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): CHEN JING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
"Although Wuqinxi has a long history, I think it will stay young forever."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): WANG YUYING, Inheritor of Five-Animal Exercises
"Because we are young."
  
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hefei, China.
(XHTV)