The Chinese martial art taijiquan enjoys a broad grassroots following in Sri Lanka, the island nation located in the Indian Ocean.

To further enhance its influence in the country and deepen China-Sri Lanka cultural exchanges and friendships, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo is holding an "All Things in Harmony Tai chi Promotion Event – Celebrating International Taijiquan Day" on April 25 at Galle Face Green in the Sri Lankan capital.

The event aims to promote the development of taijiquan in Sri Lanka and provide people with an opportunity to appreciate the forms of Chinese culture and philosophy embodied in tai chi, stated an embassy media release.

With Galle Face Green one of the busiest areas in Colombo, the event is expected to attracted more than a thousand participants.

Along with the embassy, the event will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Sri Lanka, and the Western Provincial Council, organized by the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation, and supported by the Ministry of Education, the military, the Sri Lanka WUSHU Association, the Qigong Association, and other institutions.

Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports will address the event. The celebration will feature a spectacular showcase, including Taijiquan, Tai chi Sword, Tai chi Fan, Five-Animal Frolics, and Baduanjin, demonstrating the unique charm of the interplay between hardness and softness as well as the health benefits of tai chi.

The Lumbini Confucius Classroom is also set to open tai chi classes to the public at the Chinese Culture Classroom.

It will also incorporate tai chi courses into the cultural training camp for local Chinese language teachers, while participants will practice baduanjin aerobic exercises.

In 2020, Taijiquan was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In November last year, the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference officially adopted a resolution to designate March 21 each year as the "International Taijiquan Day”, the first United Nations designated day for a martial art.