Beijing, Jul 28 (IANS): Indian yoga teachers, who have been living and teaching the art since the first Indian yoga college in China was established in June 2015, find many similarities in both the countries.

Yatindra Amoli, an Indian yoga teacher at the Yunnan Nationalities University in Kunming city, finds Indian and Chinese cultures very similar, Xinhua news agency reported.

He is surprised at the similarities between the two peoples' minority cultures, lifestyles, dietary habits and even marriage customs.

"Chinese people once transported many commodities like tea to India through the Ancient Tea Horse Road (a trade link in southwest China, extending to South Asia). The history of trade may partly explain our similarities," he said.

Yunnan Nationalities University has also established a college of Tai Chi, a Chinese treasure usually compared with yoga, to help promote the two arts by learning from each other.

"Tai Chi is the best meditation method and can help us have more prana. Through Tai Chi exercises, we can feel the flowing energy of the world," Amoli said.

"Put your palms together in front of your chest with your spine in a neutral position," Xinhua news agency quoted another 37-year-old Indian yoga teacher Subbulakshmi Velusamy as telling her students at the college.

After showing the movements, she observed her followers and corrected them.

This intermediate yoga course was available for the general public. Although only a few people attended the class during summer vacation, Velusamy still imparted the skills and knowledge with great enthusiasm.

Having lived in China for a year and a half since 2015, Velusamy has adapted herself to the climate and life in Kunming and built her own social circle.

Velusamy has reaped friendship in China. "Local people are really friendly to me. While they may feel curious about me at the first sight, they show hospitality and warmth when they know I am from India."