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Age-old wisdom: Seniors stay healthy, inside and out
Tai chi is just one way some elderly Jakartans maintain their physical fitness and an active social life, high above the bustling rat race and traffic snarls below.
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Gentle vitality: Fung Mei (right) and fellow practitioners attend a morning tai chi class on Feb. 19, 2025, at the parking structure of Mal Ciputra in West Jakarta. (JP/Nur Janti)
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s vehicles carrying workers and students rush to congregate at the Grogol intersection in West Jakarta, dozens of senior citizens enjoyed a peaceful start to their day practicing tai chi, just a few floors above the typical chaotic morning in Jakarta.
Tai chi chuan, or tai chi, a Chinese martial art with obscure origins dating back as far as the 6th century, is known for its slow, flowing movements. Among its regular practitioners are reportedly high-profile figures like Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and Indonesian billionaire Michael Bambang Hartono.
Often described as meditation in motion, a group of elderly men and women focused on balancing their chi, or vital energy, through quiet, practiced movements on the fourth floor of the parking lot at Mal Ciputra in West Jakarta. Following guidance from their instructor, they moved their hands in a series of slow, circular patterns in sync with deep, steady breaths.
Yuyuk, 73, who has been doing tai chi for five years, told The Jakarta Post that it has strengthened his legs and overall health.
“Honestly, I feel 20 years younger since I started,” he said, laughing.
"My life is no longer lonely. When you're old, many friends are gone. But this community organizes meet-ups, and the more we go out, the more friends we make," he added.
Nearby is 77-year-old Fung Mei, who has been a tai chi practitioner for four decades since 1984.
