'Tremendous changes'

Yu Songsong, from Zunyi, a city in the southwestern province of Guizhou, first encountered yoga in 2014, when illness forced him to take a 12-month break from his studies at the end of his first year in college.

During that time, his medical expenses exceeded his annual tuition and living costs, so to regain fitness as quickly as possible, Yu began practicing yoga by following instructional videos online.

He began a systematic study of yoga after attending a class and meeting a sympathetic instructor. His health gradually improved as a result of regular yoga practice, and he became much more outgoing. Since then, yoga has become a major part of his life.

"Thanks to yoga, I am no longer introverted and have become more confident and optimistic. My friends all say that I have undergone tremendous changes," the 24-year-old said.

He decided to apply for the master's in yoga after gaining a bachelor's in marketing last year. "Not everyone can study yoga here (because of the entry requirements). I am here because I love yoga," he said.

Wang Wan, a 36-year-old mother of two from Dali city in Yunnan, has also benefited from practicing yoga during the past 10 years.

After leaving college in 2005, she spent six years working as an interpreter in Africa. During that time, she met a yoga instructor from India and became his pupil.

She stopped practicing yoga when she was pregnant with her first child in 2014. However, after giving birth, Wang discovered that her health had deteriorated.

Although she tried a number of remedies, her health remained poor, so she decided to take up yoga again. "A miracle happened after about three months of yoga, and I could really feel the improvement," she said.

Wang had her second child in 2016, but as a result of her daily yoga exercises her weight and body shape have hardly changed during the past decade.

She applied for the postgraduate yoga course because she wanted to learn more about the discipline and explore her body's limits. When she was accepted, she moved her young family to Kunming.