Of Taiji, Chinese culture and Zheng He
Mahmoud Allam does not only look like a sportsman, but also love sports, especially outdoor activities like hiking, tennis and, hold your breath, Chinese Taiji. He feels happy and content after exercising in open air, says Egypt's ambassador to China.
Allam hopes he could carve out more time to practice Taiji, a Chinese martial art devised by Taoist priest Zhang Sanfeng about 700 years ago. "My Taiji master is a strict disciplinarian and has told me that I should be more regimented," he says. "I'm supposed to practice at least half an hour a day, but my tight schedule sometimes doesn't allow me to enjoy such luxury."
Allam loves practicing Taiji because he likes the idea of harmony, which is the basic element of Taoism. A Taiji player should have a peaceful state of mind, feel calm and relaxed and put aside sundry thoughts so that he can concentrate completely on it.
