Taiji/unity of man and nature

Taiji, meaning the supreme ultimate, was used by ancient Chinese to refer to the chaotic state of the world before the separation of heaven and earth. It was thought that Taiji was the origin of the universe and that people and all things were constituted by the interaction of the two poles (yin and yang) and the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth).

Taijiquan is a typical form of shadow boxing in Chinese martial arts, characterized by the "combination of the dynamic and static, and the interdependence of hardness and softness".

The performances demonstrated the Eight Diagrams of Taiji, symbolizing eight natural phenomena, including heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp and bringing out the changes of all things on the earth.

During the performances, children colored the ancient Chinese paintings of nature green, expressing the idea of environmental protection which is also the key concept of Taiji -- unity of man and nature.