Tai Chi: A New and Ancient Reality: The Socio-Cultural Context of Older People who Practice Tai Chi in Halifax, Canada and Jinan, China

Abstract

We reside in an aging global society. What people do as they age has been studied extensively in the leisure and aging literature. A variety of theories, such as the activity, continuity, disengagement, and innovation theories, have been developed to understand how older individuals engage in opportunities. “Leisure” is a Eurocentric term that does not exist within all cultural frameworks. The question arises: how do older people find meaning in opportunities in which they engage, such as Tai Chi?

This study examined the meaning of Tai Chi for older participants in Halifax, Canada, and Jinan, the People’s Republic of China. An ethnographic approach guided my research. Nineteen participants were recruited in each city. Data were collected through participant observation and individual in-depth interviews using open-ended questions. The interviews in Canada were carried out in English, whereas the ones in China were conducted in Mandarin or the Jinan dialect. Four main themes emerged from the collected data: 1) Health and wellbeing; 2) Socializing; 3) A sense of group identity; and 4) Cultural pride. The themes were interactive and reflected the complexities of cultural influence.

The findings of this study suggest that although Tai Chi does have different philosophical meanings for participants in the two cities, it serves a similar role with regard to socializing with “Tai Chi friends,” experiencing a sense of group identity, and seeking good health. The characteristics of the Tai Chi experience may provide insights into future research similar to Susan Shaw’s characteristics of “leisure.”