Twenty years ago, Oliver's back injury ruined her childhood dream of becoming a ballet dancer. But the injury led her to t'ai chi when Oliver saw a poster for a t'ai chi class and decided to try the mysterious Chinese sport."I was active and could not bear resting in bed and I thought I had to find some way to recover,"she recalls. She was struck by the beautiful movements and the"nice, patient instructor--Nelson", who later became her husband. The couple opened a t'ai chi school in the UK. But they soon found themselves in a bottleneck. So the couple decided to move to China. They taught English in universities and learned t'ai chi under various masters. After years of practice, Oliver found her occasional backaches had disappeared. But three years after moving to China to pursue their dream, Nelson died, bringing her much pain. She thought of quitting, but considering the career in which her husband took pride, she stuck to it. She says her t'ai chi"family"-- the masters and students -- also provided great support, including her then tutor Dong Bing. She speaks of their first meeting:"I had been told that his skill was of a very high level and for some reason I had a mental image of a powerful, big man. But my fellow pointed to a small, thin old gentleman, sitting on the ground. Then a sudden feeling of pleasure hit me. Of course this was exactly the kind of person who would be a t'ai chi master -- the last person you could imagine. His idea is that one should not pursue wealth and fame but should endeavor to be happy and share one's knowledge and wisdom with others." Following the master, Oliver now learns to live a simple life -- one perhaps more traditional than many Chinese. She does t'ai chi in the morning , makes kung fu tea for guests and draws ink-wash bamboo paintings. She spends her time outside t'ai chi attending cultural exchange events. What made Oliver keep playing t'ai chi?
Her love for t'ai chi. Her tutor Dong Bing. Her fellow's encouragement. Nelson's pride in t'ai chi.