Saish Prabhu says that practicing taichi is one of the best ways to achieve inner peace and good health. Photos by Alywin Chew / China Daily

With regard to health benefits, Prabhu said that practicing taichi moves and focusing on achieving the right form has inherently helped improve his posture. This has in turn resulted in better overall health — TCM practitioners believe that correct posture is important in maintaining a smooth flow of qi in the body.

It has been five years since he picked up Yang-style taichi but Prabhu still practices several times a week, either in a quiet park or at Ying's new training ground in the Zhangjiang area in Pudong district. While there used to be a number of foreigners attending the classes, including Americans, Germans and Thais, Prabhu is currently the only foreigner among nearly 100 members.

Though he has never undertaken an exam in taichi and hence doesn't hold a rank, Prabhu has been deemed competent enough by Ying, who has encouraged him to start coaching in some of the classes.

Scheduled to graduate from SUTCM next year, Prabhu has to choose between heading back to Goa to practice TCM or flying to Portland, Oregon in the United States to study for a Masters degree in the same field. But regardless of where he would eventually end up in, Prabhu has no intention of leaving taichi behind in China.

"No matter where I go, I will never stop practicing taichi. I'm also considering teaching the martial art, as encouraged by my shifu. After all, teaching is also another way of learning, and there's just so much more to learn about taichi," he said.