Slow and smooth... Each movement going in a circle... The practice of Tai Chi borrows plenty from the ancient Chinese theory of Yin & Yang, which believes everything has two sides.

That theory has gone into a national benchmark of science literacy for Chinese. It also includes the ideas of five elements, and that man and nature are of one entity.

Of course, it's been met with controversy.

One college student in Beijing said, “I don't think Yin & Yang has anything to do with science.”

Another told CGTN after some thought that, “Yin & Yang is one way of looking at things for some. Should it be known to all? I don't know.”

But Sun Xiaochun, a professor at the Institute of History of Natural Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, thinks it should. He is also one of the most vocal supporters of Yin & Yang's inclusion in measuring science literacy.

He said, “Yin & Yang is not today's science. But I welcome its inclusion in science literacy because it shows how ancient Chinese tried to understand the world in a systematic way. That's how science makes progress.” 

He also says knowing the ins and outs of Yin & Yang may lead to more breakthroughs, adding, “Science is never dead. You make new discoveries only when you have different perspectives. You can only know science when you know its history.”

People have believed in Tai Chi's benefits to the mind and body for thousands of years. Maybe, this ancient exercise can also lead to a better way of understanding science.