Marlene Martin practices taichi in Yantai, East China's Shandong province, Dec 4, 2011. The 27-year-old French woman quit her job at a medical clinic in Bordeaux and moved to China in August to learn about taichi. To pay for her living expenses, she found a teaching job at Ludong University and works part-time at a local restaurant. "I used to be quick-tempered," she said. "But taichi calms me down and makes me feel comfortable." Taichi is a type of Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits.

Martin practices taichi with her teacher Zhang Hongmei, who is a member of the Chinese Wushu Association and vice secretary general of Yantai Taichi Study Center.