More than 140 students from Peking University take part in a tai chi competition at the campus in Beijing on Dec 23. [PHOTO BY WEI XIAOHAO/CHINA DAILY]

Zhang even teaches tai chi to family members to help boost their health.

The 19-year-old electrical engineering major admits that traditional culture is increasingly irrelevant to young people.

"But we young people should pass down traditions like tai chi. They may otherwise disappear."

Li points to the reasons that young people may be less likely to take up the martial art.

"It requires a solid foundation, unlike other more entertaining sports like soccer. Beginners may have a hard time buckling down to repeat the slow movements."

Peking University stages an annual martial arts event and encourages students to enroll in the school's wushu association.

The university also employs martial arts masters, including a successor of Chen-style tai chi from Chenjiagou village, the cradle of the tai chi school in Henan province, Wang says.

The university plans to found a tai chi club to teach international students and visiting scholars this year.

"Those practitioners will get the chance to showcase their skills in our international cultural festivals on campus and among embassies," Wang says.

"They can also pass along what they learn when they return home. That's a great way to promote tai chi."