On Aug 17, the China Cultural Center in Wellington trained students from Wellington's East Girls' College in tai chi fan.

Twenty students attended the class and practiced under the guidance of Zhang Jianyong, a professional tai chi instructor from the center.

"Tai chi fan is a combination of tai chi and fan performance," said Zhang, when he introduced the origin, development and skills of the exercise.

According to the instructor, tai chi fan embraces the essence of martial arts and dance, and can be considered both an art form and a daily exercise.

A student said it is easier to just watch tai chi fan than to practice it. In fact, she was sweating a lot during the training session, as the sport requires people to control their breathing and muscles at same time for each move.

Guo Zongguang, the center director, said tai chi fan is a suitable exercise for people of all ages. In addition, it can be practiced at home, which makes it great for people who must stay indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.