周贵华 Zhou Guihua - Qigong & Taiji (Jérémy Ates, 2024)

My name is Zhou Guihua. I come from Zhejiang, a province in the south of Shanghai. I arrived in France in 2001 after a master's degree in management. To become a Chinese teacher in France, I did a full course of Chinese language and literature studies at the University of Rendon. In addition to my studies, I continued my regular practice of Tai Chi and Qigong, which I learned from an early age. My first master of Tai Chi was Shi Rongtao of Hangzhou. I studied the styles of Yang and Wu. My second master was Cheng Shiyu, a Taoist master who teaches Tai Chi in the world. Every summer, I go to one or the other to perfect my practice. At the Confucius Institute, I teach Qigong and Tai Chi. Each course lasts two hours. The Qigong course takes place in three steps. First, warm-up and stretching. Then, standing Qigong practice. A Taoist-inspired Qigong practice. Finally, sitting Qigong practice. A Buddhist-inspired Qigong practice, practiced in the south, only in Buddhist temples. Each session is accompanied by a moment of meditation. The public of my courses is very diverse. They are of all ages. Young, retired, active people, students, etc. Qigong and Tai Chi are practices that apply to everyone. There is no pre-requisite. I practiced dancing since I was a child. I also practiced some basic martial arts. But I never practiced Tai Chi or Qigong. I learned some Tai Chi when I was in college. After that, I practiced with a group of people in the park for a while. I really started practicing Tai Chi after I got sick in 2001. At that time, I had liver cancer. I felt very tired. So I started practicing Tai Chi again. After practicing for a while, I found that my mental state was much better. So I continued to practice. Later, when I came back during the summer vacation, I officially became a master. Since then, I have never stopped practicing. I like to practice Tai Chi and Qigong because Tai Chi and Qigong is a practice of body and mind, not just a practice of the body. We practice softness, balance, relaxation, deep breathing, etc. This makes me feel that my body is very relaxed. Through practice, I learn how to internalize, so that I have a better understanding of myself. I can also achieve a balance in my body and mind. Through practice, I feel that my heart is calmer now. Qi is a tiny substance in the universe and the human body. Qi is the most basic substance that constitutes the human body and maintains the life of the human body. When the qi is dispersed, the universe and the whole body are more and more internalized. Qi plays an important role in the development of qi, nourishment, warmth, and defense in the human body. If we have enough qi in our body, our vitality will be enhanced, and we will have the effect of nourishment.