2026 International Wudang Tai Chi Cultural Festival opens

China News Service, Wudang Mountain, Hubei, October 17 (Reporter Ma Furong) The 2026 International Wudang Tai Chi Cultural Festival opened in Wudang Mountain, Hubei on the evening of the 17th. Martial arts enthusiasts, Tai Chi practitioners, representatives of cultural and tourism enterprises at home and abroad attended the event.

Wudang Mountain is the birthplace of Wudang Martial Arts. Today, there are 57 Wudang Wushu promotion centers around the world, covering more than 150 countries and regions, training more than 3 million overseas students, and driving more than 500 million people to practice Tai Chi.

On October 17, the 2026 International Wudang Tai Chi Cultural Festival opened in Wudang Mountain, Hubei. The picture shows Chinese and foreign Tai Chi enthusiasts performing Tai Chi moves on the same stage. Photo by China News Service reporter Ma Furong

This year’s event is themed “Wudang for the World, Tai Chi for Humanity”. Outside the venue, more than a hundred Chinese and foreign Tai Chi enthusiasts performed on the same stage. The opening ceremony's cultural performance comprehensively used music, poetry, painting and dance, situational recitation, human-computer fusion performances and other forms to interpret the ideological connotation of Wudang Tai Chi culture of harmony but diversity, inclusiveness and symbiosis.

Zhu Shanzhong, Ambassador of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, said in his opening speech that the core concepts of yin and yang, hardness and softness, and harmonious coexistence contained in Tai Chi are in line with mankind's common pursuit of physical and mental health, world peace, inclusive symbiosis, and sustainable development, and are of far-reaching value in today's era. He said that the United Nations World Tourism Organization will give full play to its platform resource advantages and help Wudang Mountain expand international exchange and cooperation channels.

On October 17, the 2026 International Wudang Tai Chi Cultural Festival opened in Wudang Mountain, Hubei. The picture shows Chinese and foreign guests attending the grand event. Photo by China News Service reporter Ma Furong

"With each move, my mind and body gradually calmed down." German girl Katharina Doerenkamp said in an interview that although she has only practiced Tai Chi for two months, she has become deeply fascinated by this sport.

Su Dawei, 61, is from New Zealand and has practiced Tai Chi for 45 years. "Tai Chi can not only nourish the temperament, but also strengthen the body. It has long been a part of my life." He said that the Tai Chi training classes he opened in New Zealand have trained more than 1,000 students. During this trip, I hope to learn skills from my peers and further improve my teaching.

The 2026 International Wudang Tai Chi Cultural Festival will last for three days and will also hold activities such as a creative market, cultural exhibitions, fun shopping, and Tai Chi to benefit people's livelihood.