Fifty-one-year-old secretary G. Florence had always been interested about learning "qigong" after reading about it in the newspapers.
When her daughter told her about a "qigong" group about to start their practice in Taman Midah, Cheras, near where she lives, Florence did not hesitate to join.
Today, she claimed that all the Monday night classes had brought a lot of good to her. Her sleep is much better and she is more calm instead of being short-tempered.
Her qigong mate, an airline customers service executive, Nithya Sivabalan, 50, also claimed that qigong has helped her to release stress.
Nithya said that even though the exercise did not involve a lot of physical activity, young people should take it up as there are many stages in qigong, and the younger ones can go further in the traditional Chinese art to good health and peace of mind.
MANY "STUDENTS"
Both Florence and Nithya are part of a growing army of mainly Chinese qigong practitioners.
Qigong is simply the art of utilising the "chi" or the inner force within a person through the practice of breathing and body movement.
In Malaysia, there are several schools of the art, some originating from mainland China, some from Taiwan or Hong Kong. Among them is the Malaysian Hexiang Zhuang Qigong or the "Soaring Crane" qigong.
The school, which originated from mainland China, celebrated its first anniversary here last month as a registered association. It was attended by more than 1,000 members, including those from Singapore.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn was among its guests of honour and he too donated RM3,000 to help fund its activities.
Speaking to reporters later, Dr Fong said that the ministry had even sent a team from the Social Security Organisation (Sosco) to look at the Chinese method (including qigong) to help disabled workers to become productive again.
The Chinese approach, if proven successful, can help several thousand workers in the country who were disabled after being injured at work, he said.
MISSION TO HELP HUMANITY
Also present at the dinner was Hexiang Zhuang's 67-year-old founder, Master Zhao Jingxiang, a native of Shandong who resides in Beijing.
In an interview with Bernama, Master Zhao said that unlike the other qigong schools, Hexiang Zhuang's mission is to help humanity.
Probably due to the awareness of what had happened to Falun Gong, the most controversial of all qigong schools, Zhao said the school stressed more on the need to improve humanity.
Like many other qigong schools, Hexiang Zhuang was first introduced in Singapore before making its way here nearly 10 years ago.
Zhao said that among the reasons for the gaining popularity of qigong were that modernity had lessened the need for physical movements and that Malaysians were more health conscious than before.
"A lot of people who came had health problems due to the good life that they had and these problems can be avoided," he said.
Through practice, Zhao said, qigong can help cleanse the body of its "impurities" and improve the bodily functions.
EARLY HISTORY
Started in the early 1980's in China, the school now claims to have over 37 million practitioners worldwide.
In Beijing, the school is not only approved by the State Sports Council but it also has the support of Beijing Sport Council, Beijing Labour Union and Beijing Public Health Bureau.
Zhao, who was addressed as a "sifu" by his followers even had the opportunity to demonstrate his art at the United Nations.
He was invited there three times by diplomats and state representatives who were fascinated by his abilities.
For the future, Zhao hoped to be able to expand his qigong art here. The association which became a legalised organisation only about a year ago, has 10,000 practitioners throughout the country.
Its protem organising committee member, Steven How, who is also a qualified instructor said many people are interested to learn qigong.
Based in Kapar, the Hexiang Zhuang qigong school has four stations in the Klang Valley, namely, Taman Sri Rampai, Setapak, Section 14 in Petaling Jaya, and Taman Midah in Cheras.