Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
The desire for a slower-paced lifestyle is growing among exhausted workers in China. Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese qigong exercise usually practised by the elderly, is attracting younger enthusiasts.
Videos showing the routines have garnered 182 million views on Bilibili.com, a YouTube-like platform that younger people in China use. Baduanjin has been dubbed “Pamela exercise more suited to Chinese habits”. This is a reference to Pamela Reif, who is a famous fitness influencer.
Baduanjin dates back more than 800 years to China’s Song dynasty (960-1279). It is one of China’s oldest fitness routines. Translated, it means “eight-section brocade”. This refers to a combination of eight exercises that have slow, flowing movements.
The training combines breathing exercises, meditation and gentle body stretches that focus on regulating energy and blood flow.
Research suggests that practising baduanjin could relieve symptoms such as anxiety, muscle pain and extreme fatigue.
