Master Peng Youlian and 30 of his students will demonstrate Taiji fan movements in front of the National Stadium on October 17 to convey their wishes for a successful Olympic Games in Beijing.

These members of the Peng You Taiji Quan Association hail from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

After immigrating to Thunder Bay in 1990, Master Peng Youlian discovered that many locals were interested in martial arts – especially Taiji. Master Peng later ventured to start a Taiji club to share his knowledge and spread Chinese culture to Canadians. The club eventually became the Peng You Taiji Quan Association.

The Peng You Taiji Quan Association gets its name from the sound of the founder's surname (Peng) and part of his given name (You); 'pengyou'in Chinese means 'friend.' Master Peng wanted to foster health, happiness and friendship through Taiji, and many people in Thunder Bay have benefited from the club. The association now boasts over 250 close-knit members.

Two such members are Albrecht Mauser and Roberta Addreley; both will be joining Peng in front of the Bird's Nest on Wednesday.

A retired mechanics master, Mauser immigrated to Canada from Germany about 25 years ago. He first got involved with Taiji through the Peng You association and has practiced the martial art for 14 years now.

Roberta Adderley became aware of Taiji through her father, who has practiced on and off for several years; she picked it up herself about two years ago. "It's for all ages," says Adderley, adding, "and we all practice together." Adderley's mother, who has arthritis, has also recently started practicing Taiji. Compared with Pilates or yoga, Taiji requires memorizing more movements, and it is this mind-body connection of Taiji that Adderley, a nurse, has found especially beneficial.

Both Mauser and Adderley have developed an interest in China either directly or indirectly because of Taiji.

Mauser has been to China nine times since 1998 and has witnessed a lot of change. "I see improvements, even in the people," says Mr. Mauser, referring to the increasing financial freedom that Chinese people have gained in recent years. With a keen interest in ancient civilizations, Mr. Mauser is both surprised and excited by the rapid changes he has seen in Beijing's transition to a modern city.

This is Adderley's first trip to China, and she is excited about being here. And she is excited about demonstrating the Taiji fan movements in front of the National Stadium. For Adderley, the youngest member on this tour, "that's a chance in a lifetime!"

Taiji has become a part of the popular culture in Thunder Bay over the years. In 2003, 1,200 people (one percent of the local population) gathered at Marina Park near the neighboring Lake Superior to do Taiji for Canada Day. Master Peng and the Pengyou Taiji Quan Association continue to inspire more and more Thunder Bay residents to become interested in the ancient martial art and in Chinese culture.

(BOCOG October 17, 2007)