{"id":4043,"date":"2012-01-10T15:45:50","date_gmt":"2012-01-10T20:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=4043"},"modified":"2012-01-10T15:33:25","modified_gmt":"2012-01-10T20:33:25","slug":"qigong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/qigong\/","title":{"rendered":"Qigong (\u6c14\u529f)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I’ve been told that it is best to make decisions over the space of seven breaths. It helps, mostly because it allows you to slow down and fully weigh your options. However, it wasn’t until I started practicing tai chi (\u592a\u6781\u62f3) and kung fu (\u529f\u592b) that I learned the true value of controlled breathing and its benefits on mental and physical health.<\/p>\n

Qigong or\u00a0\u6c14\u529f (q\u00ec<\/a> g\u014dng<\/a>)\u00a0is the philosophy and practice of aligning breath, physical activity and\u00a0awareness for mental, spiritual and corporeal health, as well as the development of human potential.\u00a0It includes certain forms of martial arts\u00a0and inward focus on meditation. Qigong, as a form of traditional Chinese medicine, is a type of “breathing calisthenics” designed to bring balance to one’s internal organs, while simultaneously limiting stress and improving mind-body harmony.<\/p>\n

Theory (\u7406\u8bba)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The central idea in qigong practice is the control and manipulation of qi (\u6c14), a form of internalized energy or spirit.\u00a0This energy is considered to exist in all things including the air, water, food, and sunlight.\u00a0In the body, qi represents the unseen vital force that sustains life. Qigong practice involves the manipulation and balance of the qi within the practitioner\u2019s body and its interaction with the practitioner\u2019s surroundings.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Mawangdui Qigong Scroll<\/p><\/div>\n

According to Qigong theory, people are born with original amounts of qi. A person gains qi from consumption of food by eating, from the air by breathing and from interacting with their environment. Supposedly, a person becomes ill or dies when the amount or type of qi is unbalanced within the body. The practice of qigong is to regulate and control the qi within the body. Thus, Qigong practices work to either build up and replenish your body’s qi (usually through breathing) and release it (usually through physical exercise).<\/p>\n

Forms and Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dynamic<\/strong> qigong involves a series of carefully choreographed movements or gestures that are designed to promote and manipulate the flow of qi within the practitioner\u2019s body.\u00a0T’ai Chi Chuan, a Chinese martial art, is one well-known representation of dynamic qigong (see National Geographic video below of Shaolin monks).\u00a0Other examples include Five animal frolics\u00a0\u00a0or White Crane Qigong,\u00a0Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong\u00a0in which the practitioner performs movements to mimic motions of animals. To an external observer, the series of movements are similar to\u00a0calisthenics or other types of athletic endeavor.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tX8mGt0K_JI<\/a><\/p>\n

Static <\/strong>qigong is performed by holding a certain posture, position or stance for a period of time and bears many similarities to the practice of\u00a0Yoga.\u00a0Yiquan, a Chinese martial art derived from\u00a0xingyiquan, is a strong proponent of stance training. Eight pieces of brocade (Baduanjin qigong), a well known set of health exercises, is also based on a series of postures. To the external observer, the practitioner appears to be fixed in space. To the qigong practitioner, the physical and mental effort required to keep the posture results in the appropriate manipulation of qi.<\/p>\n

Meditative<\/strong> qigong is a popular method of mind body training and can be found in a vast array of Eastern cultures. In Confucius scholar tradition, the meditation is focused on humanity and virtue with the aim of self-enlightenment. In one of the Buddhist methods, the aim is to “still the mind”, either through a focus outward such as a place, inwards such as the breath, a mantra, a koan, emptiness or the idea of the eternal as represented by a Buddha. In Daoist and Chinese traditions, meditative qigong seeks to lead qi through the proper meridian pathways with the aim of bringing balance and harmony to the patient.<\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

Try it yourself: <\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ncHziAUvM8I<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Ancient

I’ve been told that it is best to make decisions over the space of seven breaths. It helps, mostly because it allows you to slow down and fully weigh your options. However, it wasn’t until I started practicing tai chi (\u592a\u6781\u62f3) and kung fu (\u529f\u592b) that I learned the true value of controlled breathing and…<\/p>\n

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