China Focus: Yoga conference to get more Chinese meditating

KUNMING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,000 Chinese yogis gathered for a group yoga performance in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on Wednesday to open the China-India Yoga Conference.

Lasting from May 18 to 22, the conference will feature activities including courses from Indian yoga masters and yoga introductions for communities.

Yoga has been gaining a foothold in China in recent years. Many of the country's 50,000 fitness centers now offer classes, and China's first dedicated yoga college, the China-India Yoga College based at Yunnan Minzu (Nationalities) University in Kunming, opened in November.

Han Mingxue, a teacher at the college, said many white-collar workers face mounting physical and mental pressure with the increasing pace of life. Yoga, which stresses a holistic approach to health, appeals to them.

Han's colleague, Wang Lingwei, quit her job in a public institution last year and joined the college as a yoga teacher. She started to practice yoga five years ago, and said it has greatly improved her health.

Velusamy Subbulakshmi, an Indian yoga expert teaching at the college, said yoga has a calming effect and can even help with conditions including diabetes.

Yoga's similarity to Chinese tai chi has helped its popularity in China, according to Fang Zhen, head of the China-India Yoga College.

Ding Shaoxiang, vice governor of Yunnan, described yoga as a good means of cultural exchange between Chinese and Indians, something exemplified by the China-India Yoga College. At least two Indian yoga instructors will give instruction at the college every year, and its Chinese students can choose to study in India.

The government wants to see more standardization as yoga develops in China, with the field already seeing fake yoga organizations, unqualified instructors and injuries caused by excessive practice.

In order to regulate the market, China's National Yoga Exercise Management Committee plans to publish a teaching manual and yoga instructor qualification criteria.

"Our college is also working to make industrial standards and differentiated teaching standards for different age groups," Fang said.