2022 : A retrospection
by Stefan
2022 was another difficult year for our dojo due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While all over the world life in the Aikido community slowly returned to normal, dojos in China were still hampered by the official zero-Covid strategy, and our dojo was no exception. Luckily, we were able to keep the training going for most of the time, even during the snap lockdowns, and despite all the restrictions. 27 Yard and our dojo in Haidian closed and opened several times over the course of the year, but we were able to find another location, a martial arts school, which we could use. Still, quite a few of our students did not get much training this year, because of quarantines and restrictions of movement.
(1), (2): training in 27 Yard, (3), (4): Training in Zhengwu Guoshu
The situation was especially difficult for the Renda Aikido Association. Even though we were able to do our annual promotion event on the campus, and managed to attract a few new members, those members did not get the chance to practice much: The campus was in lockdown for most of the term, so the students could not leave the campus and attend our classes. I also was not allowed to enter the campus, so I couldn´t even offer weapons training for them. At least during late summer, we practised weapons in Purple Bamboo Park, which was a lot of fun. It´s a beautiful park and offers a nice atmosphere to train.
(1), (2) : At the promotion event in Renmin University, (3), (4): Training in the Haidian dojo, (5): Weapons training in Purple Bamboo Park
Those students who did practice regularly made good progress. We held our two annual kyu grading tests, one on July and the other one in December. And in August, Kuangkuang passed her Shodan test, which was a big event both for her and for our dojo. Takase Shihan conducted the test online.
Kuangkuang´s Shodan test
2022 saw the end of our Aikido Club at Peking University Middle School. Since 2014, I had been teaching there. During these years, I learned a lot about teaching kids, which is very different from teaching adults: much more demanding, in many ways, but also very rewarding. Children can benefit from Aikido in so many ways, and it was fantastic to see how enthusiastically some of them learned, and how fast they made progress. I will cherish those memories, and I hope that some of those kids will remember Aikido someday and find a way to continue their training.
Training at the Peking University Middle School Aikido Club
In August two of our students joined me in going to Guiyang where we visited Yuxiu dojo. It was our first visit there, and we had the chance to meet Yang Yexin and his students who gave us a very warm welcome, and to practice with them in their beautiful dojo. On the last day, I conducted a grading test for the students. Looking back now, this trip to Guiyang was my personal highlight this year. It was very nice to meet new Aikido friends, and to see how everyone worked hard to improve their Aikido.
The beautiful Yuxiu dojo in Guiyang
At the seminar in Guiyang
The delicious cuisine in Guiyang
The month after our trip to Guiyang, in early September, Xing Yue Sensei from Shudojuku dojo visited our dojo and taught a class. It was a very nice evening, and one of the few opportunities this year where we could connect to the Aikido community in Beijing.
With Xing Yue Sensei at 27 Yard
Looking at all the photos from this year, I can´t help but noticing: We had quite a few dinners together! I am still not sure how we managed that, despite all the lockdowns, but I am happy we did.
Dinners 2022
My biggest regret this year is that we were not able to organize a seminar to celebrate our dojo´s 20th anniversary. But on the other hand, now we are very much looking forward to a brighter 2023: The zero-Covid strategy has been scrapped. Travel restrictions have been lifted, and there won´t be any more lockdowns. By the end of this year, most of our members have already overcome their first Covid infection.
I hope very much that in 2023 we will finally see seminars organized in Beijing (and China) again, and I can´t wait to attend and to reconnect with the wider Aikido community, in China and abroad. I also hope we will be able to organize our seminar with Takase Shihan whom we last saw in 2019, before the pandemic.
I wish all my students good health, happiness, and of course good progress on the path of Aikido. Hopefully, those students who have stopped practicing this year will find their way back to the dojo and restart training.
I hope very much that in 2023 we will finally see seminars organized in Beijing (and China) again, and I can´t wait to attend and to reconnect with the wider Aikido community, in China and abroad. I also hope we will be able to organize our seminar with Takase Shihan whom we last saw in 2019, before the pandemic.
I wish all my students good health, happiness, and of course good progress on the path of Aikido. Hopefully, those students who have stopped practicing this year will find their way back to the dojo and restart training.
Best wishes for 2023!
