A 92-YEAR-OLD man fascinated by China since childhood has graduated with a degree in one of the country's ancient arts.

Bill Hart has gained a foundation degree in Professional Coaching of Lishi Movement from Horsforth-based Leeds Trinity University.

Lishi is a 3,000-year-old Chinese culture that trains in the function and role of posture and alignment, the development of breathing skills, and the context of using energy for movement and dance. The course is physical, requiring regular training each week, as well as research, reading and essay writing.

Bill – the university's oldest student – said China and its culture have been in his blood for as long as he can remember. The passion was kindled by a photograph of the Great Wall of China his grandmother showed him when he was seven, and intensified when he watched the film Lost Horizon, an adaptation of the book best known for being the origin of Shangri-la.

Bill, a former chief engineer in the Royal Navy, has been practising Lishi since 2008, spending six hours per week training.

He has visited China many times throughout his career as part of an independent business network.

Speaking earlier in his university career, he said: "The best thing about the course is the research and reading.

"I’ve always read, but the degree gives me a purpose to actively research. Although it’s challenging, studying and practising Lishi has definitely kept me more active, and I particularly love studying it at Leeds Trinity University. It’s a lovely campus with a welcoming community."