Hundreds of people gather in Beijing’s parks every morning to practice tai chi and other traditional exercises. Among them is 64-year-old Ye Guirong, who took up tai chi after retiring and now leads one of the Temple of Heaven’s practice groups. While many practitioners describe it primarily as a way to improve their physical and mental health, the centuries-old tradition is rooted in broader Chinese ideas about balance, harmony, the relationship between humans and nature, and philosophical traditions including Taoism and Confucianism.