Young Americans embrace 'Chinese-style wellness' trends

A growing number of young Americans are becoming increasingly curious about Chinese lifestyle habits and wellness practices which have been trending online, with more people now trying them out for themselves, from drinking hot water to exploring traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

The popularity comes as many of these everyday Chinese trends gain traction online and even go viral on social media outlets, with many considering how to integrate these distinctly Chinese exercises and routines into their own daily lives.

The fusion of cultures is shaping new wellness choices, with a greater health consciousness leading more young people in the United States to experiment with these Eastern routines.

On the streets of New York City, several youths shared how they have been drawn to these habits.

"I do know about this because I've seen it a lot on social media. And I feel like it's coming with the rise of health foods being popular. So people are kind of really interested in methods like Traditional Chinese Medicine, and I definitely am. So, I shop at Chinese grocery store and I do drink hot water and I make soup for breakfast. And I've noticed a big difference. I'm mostly gluten-free. So a lot of those recipes appeal to me," said an interviewee.

"I also have leaned into acupuncture. And I feel like, recently, a lot more people have been leaning into more Eastern medicine," said another.

Some who have already had the chance to travel to China say they were influenced heavily by the experience and are eager to return.

"I've been to China like when I was in high school. I went to Beijing, Hunan, Changsha and Zhangjiajie. I like that, it was like for a school trip because I was taking Mandarin in high school. I would want to go back. I think Beijing was really cool. I think Hunan was also really cool as well. I remember going to some art festival or something, like their arts district, and I enjoyed it. I really like the culture and learning about it for a while was really cool," said another young New York resident.

Contestants from universities, middle schools and elementary schools staged intriguing performances during the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition Colombia regional finals.

At the finals held in Bogota, capital of Colombia, from Wednesday to Thursday, the contestants delivered speeches on the theme of "one world, one family," and their excellent performances won rounds of applause.

During the talent show segment, the contestants demonstrated their love and understanding of Chinese culture through a variety of performances, including shadow puppetry, folk dance, Peking Opera, traditional Chinese musical instrument, vocal music, and Chinese calligraphy.

The three winners of the championships in the university, middle school, and primary school groups will represent Colombia to participate in the global "Chinese Bridge" competition finals in China.