Tai chi relieving Turks' tensions

Murat Baltaoglu is deep in concentration as he practices tai chi in a central Istanbul park.

He and 10 other barefoot devotees are trying hard to match the movements of their instructor, and are typical of a small but growing number of people in Turkey fascinated by the ancient Chinese martial art.

"Tai Chi has allowed me to have a good quality of life, and I recommend it to everyone," Baltaoglu, who works in advertising, told Xinhua in the Turkish capital this week.