James Kon
Over 1,000 participants took part in a Tai Chi session yesterday, as part of China Day and an attempt to gain an entry into the Brunei Book of Records.
The event was held in separate locations and adhered to the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) guidelines for mass gatherings.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Wang Haitao and Chairman of the Brunei-China Friendship Association Muhammad Firdaus bin Abdul Rahman also took part in the event at the Indoor Stadium.
Ambassador of France to Brunei Darussalam Christian Ramage and national Wushu coach Li Hui also joined.
Leading the session was tai chi master Zhao Chunjie.
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yu Hong meanwhile attended the session at Muara Beach.
The other venues were Chung Hwa Middle School Bandar Seri Begawan (CHMS BSB), the National Service Programme (PKBN) Training Camp in the Temburong District and Lanes Hotel in the Tutong District.
Following the half-hour tai chi session, the deputy permanent secretary congratulated the participants for their efforts in attempting to set a new record.
He said, “Through this session, we hope to create awareness on tai chi and its benefits for a
healthy lifestyle.”
“This is part of an event under China Day, in conjunction with Brunei-China Year of Tourism 2020 and the Brunei December Festival 2020.
“China Day is hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Brunei Darussalam and organised by the Brunei-China Friendship Association, with support from the MPRT and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS).”
Recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added the centuries-old martial art and exercise to its intangible cultural heritage list.