Yoga and martial arts show India-China connect: Official

Yoga, the ancient Indian spiritual and physical wellness practice, together with China’s acupuncture and martial arts, embody the shared civilisational connect of the Dance of Dragon and Elephant, a senior Chinese official said. “In recent years, Yoga has become very popular in China. Likewise, Chinese acupuncture and martial arts are well known in India”, Luo Zhaohui, Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), said, releasing the book titled “My Five to Thrive”, written by former UN diplomat Siddharth Chatterjee, on the techniques of breathing and Yoga at a function here on Wednesday. The civilisations of China and India now shine together symbolising the “Dance of the Dragon and the Elephant,” Luo, former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, who also worked as China’s Ambassador to India, said.  

Chatterjee practised controlled breathing and meditation. “Through physical movement and his own unique practice, he sought to purify his mind and find inner freedom. This reflects the Indian philosophical spirit of the ‘Unity of Brahman and Atman,’ and it also resonates with the Chinese ideal of the “Unity of Heaven and Humanity,” Luo said. Luo’s comments came ahead of International Yoga Day, which every year is celebrated enthusiastically in China.

The Day is celebrated around the world on June 21 every year, ever since it was adopted by the United Nations in 2014.