Health Qigong Duan Wei: Most Australians are not Welcome to the Melbourne Health Qigong Event

to be held on 7 – 13 August 2019 in Melbourne, Australia

Wushu & Tai Chi NSW supports the global movement of Health Qigong as a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training.

Wushu & Tai Chi NSW recognises International Health Qigong Federation (IHQF) as an international body coordinating the development of Health Qigong world-wide according to the directions from the leading experts in the area.

For a long time, Wushu & Tai Chi NSW has maintained friendly relationships with Tai Chi Australia Pty Ltd (TCA) which is based in Melbourne and, as a member organisation of IHQF, has the exclusive right for dissemination of all essential resources provided by the IHQF to all Health Qigong practitioners in Australia.

Currently, the IHQF is organising the 8th World Health Qigong Tournament and Exchange and 4th World Health Qigong Scientific Symposium in Melbourne “to provide a platform for international Health Qigong exchanges and friendly communications in order to promote and strengthen the rapid development of Health Qigong world-wide in a positive and healthy way”.However, for many Australian Health Qigong practitioners, excitement of being able to update their skills and confirm their qualifications on the international level by Duan Wei exams is turning into disappointment as the arrangements by the TCA – the host of the event – are being disclosed.

1. All participants in Tournament and Symposium not residing in Melbourne are required, along with paying the reasonable fees, to take up the mystery “compulsory accommodation” organised by the TCA around the undisclosed event’s venue at the exorbitant price well beyond what could reasonable be expected by regular visitors to Melbourne. This requirement is claimed to be originated from the decision of the Second Executive Board of the IHQF and allegedly aimed “to ensure the safety and security of the participants of the 8th World Health Qigong Tournament & Exchange and the 4th World Health Qigong Scientific Symposium and improve the efficiency of work relating to the event”. While the original regulations published by the IHQF postulate that “this accommodation is compulsory for all participants”, the Melbourne Organising Committee relaxed it and made compulsory for non-Melbourne residents only. These unfair and discriminatory conditions are against the Australian Consumer Law and are clearly aimed to disadvantage interstate participants.
2. Significant interest in this event among the Australian Health Qigong practitioners was caused by, together with obvious benefits of direct communication with the Health Qigong experts and sharing their own experience and knowledge between themselves, the opportunity to undertake Health Qigong Duan Examination and obtain the internationally recognised qualification. These examinations are not generally available in Australia and those who wishes to obtain or upgrade their qualifications have to travel to China. It is therefore understandable that to do that locally would be of great benefit to all Australian Health Qigong practitioners. It was to the rather great disappointment of multiple individuals, groups and organisations when, on their enquiries they received essentially the same stern rejection from the Organising Committee: “Regarding Duan Wei exam, unfortunately I will not be able to help you as you are not a member of TCA”. Despite numerous requests for clarification and explanation of their requirements, TCA did not provide any response. It should be noted that TCA is a proprietary company limited by shares and, unlike non-profit organisations, its members are shareholders (business owners). In other words, according to the TCA resolution, Duan Wei exam conducted by IHQF is available to his company’s shareholders only. This is hardly the strategy to “promote and strengthen the rapid development of Health Qigong world-wide in a positive and healthy way” as envisaged by IHQF but, interestingly, the IHQF constitution indeed allows private businesses to be its members. While there is nothing wrong with a proprietary company being a member of IHQF, it should be kept in mind that the primary purpose of any private business is generation of profit for its owners while providing services to its customers in a lawful way it deems appropriate. These services are not expected to extend to a wider public beyond its customer base and there is very little control of how the business operates. As such, private companies should not represent a country. Acceptance of private companies as members of IHQF in addition to the unwritten policy of restricting the number of members per country creates the ideal conditions for monopolising Health Qigong by private companies. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the IHQF refused to accept the application from an Australian non-profit organisation and advised, instead, “to make friends” with existing members. Apart from TCA, there is another IHQF member in Australia – Tai Chi Fitness Australia which is also a private business. So, in practical terms, regular Health Qigong practitioners in Australia have no access to resources and benefits provided by the International Health Qigong Federation whose objectives are, according to its Statute: (a) to pool and leverage the strengths of the Member Organizations; (b) to lead the Member Organizations in enhancing mutual respect and win-win cooperation; (c) to promote and enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of people around the world.

With just two months remaining before the 8th World Health Qigong Tournament & Exchange and the 4th World Health Qigong Scientific Symposium and the Organising Committee ignoring public enquiries, it is most likely that the long-anticipated event will be nothing more than a private gathering for Tai Chi Australia Pty Ltd and its customers who will be falsely presented to the visiting IHQF officials as “members”. No doubt, the event will be proclaimed a great success, regardless of the number of participants. No doubt, the IHQF officials, while being kept in the dark about the real situation with Health Qigong in Australia, will be happy to greatly appreciate the extraordinary efforts of the TCA in promotion and propagation of Health Qigong in Australia.

by Amanda Heidke

The Tai Chi Association of Australia (TCAA) Annual Tai Chi Championships in Sydney Australia.
1 June 2019

An accident which resulted in substantial injuries meant withdrawing from the competition last year,  however, one year on and despite my crunchy, noisy knees and bucket meniscus tear I was determined to compete. I am absolutely over the moon with my results, in particular 32 Sword Form. I lost my focus and faltered during the end posture receiving score deductions but my final score tells me I performed well. If I can keep surgery at bay for another year I will continue to practise and improve my skills for next time.    

Thank you TCAA for a well organised event and for providing the opportunity for Tai Chi practitioners to immerse themselves in a community of sharing, encouragement and support.

Congratulations to all competitors!