IOC chief, athletes taken with remedies

Tai chi tutorials and displays of exotic Chinese herbs have been some of the hottest attractions at exhibition centers for traditional Chinese medicine during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

The charm of TCM has even caught the attention of Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee. During his visit to such a center located at the Yanqing Olympic Village last week, Bach curved his fingers to imitate tiger claws as he followed instructions shown on a giant screen demonstrating an ancient Chinese exercise dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220)

Du Yidi, a student at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, is a volunteer at the center."Each video that introduces TCM culture and each interactive activity here is designed to last only 10 seconds,"Du said."We welcome all foreign athletes to come and have a try."

By setting up several TCM-themed demonstration and experience zones at Olympic venues, foreign athletes, team officials and reporters are invited to have a taste of TCM in between competitions and events.

At the 2022 Main Media Center in Beijing's Chaoyang district, a 100-square-meter room is dedicated to promoting TCM culture.

A variety of exhibits are on display, including a 3D replica of the oldest known lingzhi mushrooms discovered in Zhejiang province by archaeologists, as well as wormwood, from which Chinese scientists have developed the lifesaving drug artemisinin against malaria.

Yamamoto Kayo, a reporter from Japan's NHK, delighted in practicing tai chi with the help of an artificial intelligence gadget that can provide feedback evaluations on participants' poses and movements.

"In Japan, I had seen some seniors doing tai chi as their early morning exercise, but I was unable to join them due to my busy work schedule," she said."I am so happy that I got to squeeze in some time to try some authentic tai chi moves here."

Song Yingmei, a guide at the exhibition, said that since it opened on Jan 4, the number of daily visitors had doubled to about 200.

"A great number of them ... have begun to form their own understanding of TCM and are very willing to communicate with us," Song said.