An international yoga festival kicked off in Wuxi, East China’s Jiangsu province, on June 25, attracting participants from across China as well as from countries including Australia, India, Japan and Singapore.

Jointly hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Wuxi Branch, the sports bureau of Wuxi, and Consulate General of India in Shanghai, the 2017 China Wuxi International Yoga Festival marked International Yoga Day, which falls on June 21 and is designed to promote the benefits of yoga.

Some 10,000 yoga fans from both home and abroad gathered in Lingshan scenic area and practiced yoga with 10 top yoga gurus from India.

Prakash Gupta, consul general of India's consulate in Shanghai, expressed his gratitude to the participants present, and said that the International Yoga Day is one of the most important cultural exchange events between China and India. Gupta expressed his hopes that yoga events become an activity Wuxi is known for.

Stanley Tong, a Hong Kong film director, attended the yoga event with Miya Muqi, one of the leading stars of Kung Fu Yoga.

The yoga festival, now in its third session, has witnessed an increase in the number of participants, with nearly 10,000 people taking part this year.

Yoga, a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices originating in ancient India, gained international fame for its effectiveness in reducing physical discomfort and alleviating certain conditions.

An international yoga forum was also held the same day during which experts and yoga gurus from China and India discussed yoga and its development.

The China Wuxi International Yoga Festival kicks off in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on June 25. [Photo/Wuxi Sports Photography Association]

Some 10,000 yoga enthusiasts from home and abroad perform at the yoga festival on June 25. [Photo/Wuxi Sports Photography Association]