From December 2, 2024, to January 13, 2025, at the invitation of Lycée des Mascareignes, two teachers from the Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius—Professor Zhang Kangfu and Ms. Wang Yajie—successfully conducted a four-week Taijiquan cultural experience program. This initiative opened a window for local secondary students to appreciate the charm of traditional Chinese culture, sparking their keen interest in learning Chinese and exploring Chinese culture.
The four-week training program focused on the fundamental movements and techniques of Taijiquan, emphasizing the "Five Steps and Eight Methods" through a progressive teaching approach, starting with basics and gradually delving deeper. At the beginning of the course, the two teachers used full demonstrations and step-by-step breakdowns to help students grasp the key movements and the essence of Taijiquan. The students began by practicing single movements, gradually mastering the force dynamics and variations of the "Eight Methods" while combining them with the "Five Steps. This allowed them to experience the rhythm and coordination inherent in the offensive and defensive transitions of Taijiquan.
Through repeated practice and sequential integration, the students not only improved their precision and fluidity of movement but also made notable progress in coordinating their breathing with their actions. In the final showcase session, their movements were smooth and imbued with the spirit of Taijiquan, preliminarily embodying its core essence of "balancing softness and strength." Some students even incorporated their own interpretations into their performances, showcasing unique personalities and styles
After the activity, Mrs. Helene MUSOUAR, a Mandarin teacher at Lycée des Mascareignes, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the two teachers from the Confucius Institute for providing the students with a wonderful and meaningful cultural experience in Taijiquan. The students also shared how much they had benefited from the experience, learning Taijiquan in a relaxed and enjoyable environment that not only improved their physical fitness but also deepened their understanding of traditional Chinese culture.
This cultural activity successfully introduced traditional Chinese culture into the local school, fostering cultural exchange between China and Mauritius and offering students an invaluable opportunity to personally experience Chinese culture. The Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius will continue to organize similar cultural activities to promote cultural exchange and language education between China and Mauritius.
