by sportswriters Zhou Xin and Zhou Chang
BUDAPEST, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- In Budapest's City Park, just beside Heroes' Square, a group of locals moved slowly in unison, raising their arms, shifting their weight and regulating their breathing as they practiced health qigong under the guidance of Chinese instructors.
The weekly practice has become more than an occasional encounter with a Chinese exercise for many participants. It is now part of their regular routine.
The BPST European Center for Chinese Traditional Culture and Sports Exchange - whose name refers to Berlin, Paris, Shanghai and Budapest - was started by members of the local Chinese community and organizes health qigong practice sessions twice a week.
The center has drawn a steady group of Hungarian participants interested in traditional Chinese approaches to physical and mental well-being, and has also helped turn local interest into deeper cultural exchange.
"For the past three years, we have arranged for Hungarian practitioners to travel to China to take part in the International Traditional Sports Exchange Competition. We are now preparing for our fourth trip, to the fourth edition of the event in Nantong, Jiangsu Province," said Lei Zhang, chairperson of the BPST center.
Lei's group is only one part of a broader community in Hungary engaged with traditional Chinese culture. Across the country, other groups practice wushu and health qigong, while traditional Chinese medicine and various forms of Chinese intangible cultural heritage have also drawn local interest.
For many participants, the attraction goes beyond learning a sequence of movements. It is also a way to experience a wider cultural tradition through practice.
The scene in Budapest is far from unique.
Thousands of kilometers away in Bozhou, east China's Anhui Province, five Italian enthusiasts followed Wang Sanhua, an inheritor of wuqinxi, a traditional Chinese exercise that translates to "five-animal exercises," imitating movements inspired by the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird.
Bozhou is regarded as the birthplace of wuqinxi and the hometown of Hua Tuo, a renowned practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine who developed the exercise around 2,000 years ago based on his observations of animals.
Italian practitioner Ludovica Maria Ciarpi sees wuqinxi as more than physical exercise. "It gives me a chance to experience traditional Chinese medicine and China's health-preserving culture firsthand," she said.
Fellow Italian practitioner Diego Bianchi says the exercise deserves to be shared with a wider audience. "It can help more people understand Chinese culture and, at the same time, benefit their health," he said.
Health qigong and wushu are distinct disciplines within China's traditional sports culture. Health qigong has drawn overseas practitioners through its focus on health and well-being, while wushu has gained wider recognition through international competition.
A historic milestone will come at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, where wushu will make its first appearance as an official competition sport in an Olympic series event. ■
