英语课程计划-World Tai Chi and Qigong Day（在线收听）

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day is an annual event held on the last Saturday of April each year. Its aim is to promote practices of Tai Chi and Qigong. In particular, followers of Tai Chi and Qigong hope to educate the world about the health benefits of the two exercises. The World Tai Chi Day website says it is also a day to help put people in touch with teachers and healing centres, to find out more about these two traditional Chinese disciplines. The annual event, which started in 1999, joins people in over 65 countries. That number grows every year as Tai Chi becomes better known. Celebrations include Tai Chi exhibitions and free classes in most participating cities around the world. The day is recognized by the World Health Organization.

Tai Chi is actually a Chinese martial art. It is called an internal martial art because it is not used for self-defence, but is instead practiced for health reasons. Doctors say it has benefits for those who have heart and blood pressure problems. Many people who practice it say it relieves stress and makes you live longer. Tai Chi is famous around the world for its followers doing their morning slow motion routines in parks. Traditionalists say that Tai Chi is a mixture of self defence and health and that these represent the two opposing forces of yin and yang. A form of Tai Chi with just 42 movements, called wushu, was a sport in the 11th Asian Games in 1990. There are attempts to make it an Olympic event.