It is a trend repeated across the richer, more developed parts of China, where a booming economy and rising standards of living have given people time and money to spend on their health.

The popularity of yoga is mirrored by the rise of other health trends, be it organic food or hiking in the countryside.

"Yoga changed my life. I cannot live without it," said Y. Cheng, an executive at a multinational company, sipping on a sparkling water in the coffee shop of an upmarket hotel after her 90-minute class.

"I used to live a very hectic and stressful life, working 14 or 15 hours a day," she said. "I could tell that I was not healthy. I could not sleep at night, had a bad temper, and I always found myself quarrelling with my colleagues.

"When I woke up in the morning I felt my heart was jumping out of my chest. I knew something must be done to change it."

Indeed, the All China Federation of Trade Unions has warned that increasing numbers of Chinese professionals die prematurely from working too hard, or simply burn out.

China does have its own form of traditional exercises, which are increasingly popular in the West, such as Tai Chi, which combines breathing exercises with gentle martial arts.

But young Chinese tend to see that as old fashioned.

Yoga, they believe, is not merely about de-stressing. It's about detoxing.

"The crowded city and serious pollution have made me very irritated," said accountant Wang Yiqun at a yoga retreat by a secluded lake on the outskirts of Beijing, one of the world's most polluted cities.

"So doing yoga helps me to cleanse my body and stay healthy," she added, adjusting the loose-fitting clothing she wears to practise yoga.

The stretching and breathing exercises in yoga are especially helpful to people who spend most of their time sitting in front of computers, according to instructors.

"When the life pace of people gets faster and faster, yoga provides them with a healthy body and mind," said teacher Mimi.

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