Tai Chi in Space
Tuesday was the second night shift for China’s first-ever female astronaut Liu Yang. After finishing her work, she performed some Chinese Kung Fu, bringing her and the ground staff a few minutes of entertainment and relaxation.After finishing her routine tasks and communicating with the control center, Liu Yang strapped down her feet and began warm-up exercises. She then performed some Tai Chi, a kind of traditional Chinese shadow boxing. Tai Chi stresses body, form and meaning while emphasizing balance between Yin and Yang. Liu Yang’s performance is gentle and natural. Tai Chi also provides physical exercise. The program was specially designed for the mission crew by the physical trainer for the astronauts. Tong Feizhou, Astronaut Physical Trainer, said, “Performing Tai Chi is to regulate their breathing and relax their body and muscles and bones. Another important reason is that Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese sports activity." Tong also accompanied Liu Yang into the return capsule on the day the spacecraft blasted off. She says all the astronauts enjoy performing Tai Chi when they have spare time. The three-minute long show by Liu Yang also brought some enjoyment to the staff at Beijing Aerospace Control Center.
Source: https://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20120627/109232.shtml
