23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Tai Chi

This photo was captured during my summer visit in my grandmother’s hometown of Fengqiu, Henan, China. Every morning at 6 a.m., the elder community gathers to begin their daily exercise routines, a series of traditional movements carried by habit, care, and companionship. This photo depicts my grandmother and her friends doing Tai Chi, wearing their matching pink performance uniforms. The group is made up entirely of women, some of them her former colleagues from the school where she once taught. I followed the tender rhythm of the elders’ footsteps. In a town where many of their children have left to pursue better careers elsewhere, they find comfort in one another. These gatherings become a gentle ritual of staying healthy, staying connected, and finding joy in the simple presence of community.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2025
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: Fengqiu, China
Camera: ILCE-7RM2
Copyright: © Yoyo Li