Tai-chi Qi-Gong

Tai Chi Qigong

Jianhou passed the art to his two sons, Yang, Shao-hou (楊少侯) and Yang, Cheng-fu (楊澄 甫). This branch

of Taijiquan is popularly called Yang Style (楊氏). Also, Wu, Quan-you (吳全 右) learned from Yang, Ban-hou and started a well-known Wu Style (吳氏).

Also, Chen, You-ben passed his New Style to Chen, Qing-ping (陳清萍), who created Zhao Bao Style Taijiquan (趙堡). Wuu, Yu-rang (武禹讓) learned the Old Style from Yang, Lushan and New Style from Chen, Qingping, and created Wuu Style Taijiquan (武氏太極拳). Li, Yi-yu (李亦畬) learned the Wuu Style and created Li Style Taijiquan (李氏太極拳). He, Wei-zhen (郝為楨) obtained his art from Li Style and created He Style Taijiquan (郝氏太極拳). Sun, Lu-tang (孫祿堂) learned from He Style and created Sun Style (孫氏).

1.6 Qigong Theory

Many people think that qigong is a difficult subject to comprehend. In some ways, this is true. However, you must understand one thing: regardless of how difficult the qigong theory and practice of a particular style are, the basic theory and principles are very simple and remain the same for all of the qigong styles. The basic theory and principles are the roots of the entire qigong practice. If you understand these roots, you will be able to grasp the key to the practice and grow. All of the qigong styles originated from these roots, but each one has blossomed differently.

In this section we will discuss these basic theories and principles. With this knowledge as a foundation, you will be able to understand not only what you should be doing, but also why you are doing it. Naturally, it is impossible to discuss all of the basic qigong ideas in such a short section. However, it will offer beginners the key to open the gate into the spacious four-thousand-year-old garden of Chinese qigong. If you wish to know more about the theory of qigong, please refer to The Root of Chinese Qigong by Dr. Yang, available from YMAA Publication Center.

Qi and Man

In order to use qigong to maintain and improve your health, you must know that there is qi in your body, and you must understand how it circulates and what you can do to ensure the circulation is smooth and strong.

You know from previous discussions that qi is energy. It is a requirement for life. The qi in your body cannot be seen, but it can be felt. This qi can make your body feel too positive (too yang) or too negative (too yin).

Imagine that your physical body is a machine and your qi is the current that makes it run. Without the current the machine is dead and unable to function. For example, when you pinch yourself, you feel pain. Have you ever thought, “How

do I feel pain?” You might answer that it is because you have a nervous system in your body that perceives the pinch and sends a signal to the brain. However, there is more to it than that. The nervous system is material, and if it didn’t have energy circulating in it, it wouldn’t function. Qi is the energy that makes the nervous system and the other parts of your body work. When you pinch your skin, that area is stimulated and the qi field is disturbed. Your brain is designed to sense this and other disturbances, and to interpret the cause.

According to Chinese qigong and medicine, the qi in your body is divided into two categories: managing qi (ying qi , 營氣) (which is often called nutritive qi) and guardian qi (wei qi , 衛氣). The managing qi is the energy that is sent to the organs so they can function. The guardian qi is the energy that is sent to the surface of the body to form a shield to protect you from negative outside influences such as cold. In order to keep yourself healthy, you must learn how to manage these two qi efficiently so they can serve you well.

Qi is classified as yin because it can only be felt, while the physical body is classified as yang because it can be seen. Yin is the root and source of the life that animates the yang body (physical body) and manifests power or strength externally. Therefore, when the qi is strong, the physical body can function properly and be healthy, and it can manifest a lot of power or strength.

In order to have a strong and healthy body, you must learn how to keep the qi circulating in your body smoothly, and you must also learn how to build up an abundant store of qi. In order to reach these two goals, you must first understand the qi circulatory and storage system in your body.

Chinese doctors discovered long ago that the human body has twelve major channels and eight vessels through which the qi circulates. The twelve channels are like rivers that distribute qi throughout the body, and also connect the extremities (fingers and toes) to the internal organs. I would like to point out here that the “internal organs” of Chinese medicine do not necessarily correspond to the physical organs as understood in the West, but rather to a set of clinical functions similar to each other, and related to the organ system. The eight vessels, which are often referred to as the extraordinary vessels, function like reservoirs and regulate the distribution and circulation of qi in your body.

When the qi in the eight reservoirs is full and strong, the qi in the rivers is strong and will be regulated efficiently. When there is stagnation in any of these twelve channels or rivers, the qi that flows to the body’s extremities and to the internal organs will be abnormal, and illness may develop. You should understand that every channel has its particular qi flow strength, and every channel is different. All of these different levels of qi strength are affected by your mind, the weather, the time of day, the food you have eaten, and even your

mood. For example, when the weather is dry, the qi in the lungs will tend to be more positive than when it is moist. When you are angry, the qi flow in your liver channel will be abnormal. The qi strength in the different channels varies throughout the day in a regular cycle, and at any particular time one channel is strongest. For example, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. the qi flow in the heart channel is the strongest. Furthermore, the qi level of the same organ can be different from one person to another.

Whenever the qi flow in the twelve rivers or channels is not normal, the eight reservoirs will regulate the qi flow and bring it back to normal. For example, when you experience a sudden shock, the qi flow in the bladder immediately becomes deficient. Normally the reservoir will immediately regulate the qi in this channel so you can recover from the shock. However, if the reservoir qi is also deficient, or if the effect of the shock is too great and there is not enough time to regulate the qi, the bladder will suddenly contract, causing unavoidable urination.

When a person is sick because of an injury, his qi level tends to be either too positive (excessive, yang) or too negative (deficient, yin). A Chinese physician would either use a prescription of herbs to adjust the qi, or else he would insert acupuncture needles at various spots on the channels to inhibit the flow in some channels and stimulate the flow in others, so balance can be restored. However, there is another alternative and that is to use certain physical and mental exercises to adjust the qi. In other words, use qigong.

Since the 1970s, Western medicine has gradually begun to accept the existence of qi and its circulation in the human body. Several studies indicate that what the Chinese call “qi” is the bioelectric circulation in the body. It is now generally accepted by Western medicine that imbalance of the bioelectric current is a cause of many illnesses. Modern science is now learning many things that will help us to better understand qigong and will also increase Western medicine’s willingness to accept the validity of qigong.

If qi is the bioelectricity circulating in the human body, in order to maintain the circulation of qi or bioelectricity, there must be an EMF (electromotive force) generating an electric potential difference. It is like an electric circuit, which must be hooked up to a battery or other source of EMF before there can be a current.

There are two main purposes in qigong training: first, to maintain the smooth circulation of qi (bioelectricity), and second, to fill up the qi vessels (qi reservoirs) with qi. In order to have smooth circulation of qi we must regulate the electric potential difference that controls the qi flow, and also remove all sources of resistance in the path of the circulation. In order to fill up the qi

vessels, we need to know how to increase the charge in our “battery.”
At this point you may ask, “If we keep increasing the EMF of the battery, that

is, the qi reservoirs, won’t the excess qi flow overheat the circuit and make it too yang?” The answer is yes. This can happen. However, your body is different from a regular electric circuit in that it is alive and can change. When the qi flow becomes stronger, your body will react and build itself up so it can accept this new qi flow. Qigong should be trained slowly and carefully so that, as you build up the qi stored in your channels, your body has time to readjust itself. All of this also makes your body stronger and healthier.

You can see that the key to qigong practice is, in addition to removing resistance from the qi channels, maintaining or increasing the qi level (EMF) in the qi reservoirs (battery or capacitor). What are the energy sources in our daily life that supply energy to our bodies, or, expressed differently, what are the sources by which the EMF can be increased in the body’s bioelectric circuit, which would increase the flow of bioelectricity? There are four major sources:

1. NaturalEnergy.Sinceyourbodyisofelectricallyconductivematerial,its electromagnetic field is always affected by the sun, the moon, clouds, the earth’s magnetic field, and by the other energy around you. The major influences are the sun’s radiation, the moon’s gravity, and the earth’s magnetic field. These affect your qi circulation significantly, and therefore have been responsible for the pattern of your qi circulation since you were formed. We are now also being greatly affected by the energy generated by modern technology, such as the electromagnetic waves generated by radios, TVs, microwave ovens, computer monitors, high-tension power lines, electrical wiring, and many other things.

2. FoodandAir.Inordertomaintainlife,wetakeinfoodandairessence through the mouth and nose. These essences are then converted into qi through biochemical reaction in the chest and digestive system (called triple burners in Chinese medicine). When the qi is converted from the essence, an EMF is generated that circulates the qi throughout the body. A major part of qigong is devoted to getting the proper kinds of food and fresh air.

3. Thinking.Thehumanmindisthemostimportantandefficientsourceof bioelectric EMF. Any time you move to do something, you must first generate an idea (yi). This idea generates the EMF and leads the qi to energize the appropriate muscles to carry out the desired motion. The more you can concentrate, the stronger the EMF you can generate, and the stronger the flow of qi you can lead. Naturally, the stronger the flow of qi

you lead to the muscles, the more they will be energized. Because of this,

the mind is considered the most important factor in qigong training.
4. Exercises.Exerciseconvertsthefoodessence(fat)storedinyourbodyinto

qi and therefore builds up the EMF. Many qigong styles have been created that utilize movement for this purpose.

In taiji qigong, the mind and the movements are the two major sources of EMF, though the other two sources are also involved. For example, when you practice in the early morning, you can absorb energy from the sun. When you meditate facing the south in the evening, you align yourself with the earth’s magnetic field. It is also advisable to eliminate greasy and other undesirable foods from your diet, and, if possible, to practice in the mountains where the air is fresh and clear.

1.7 General Concepts of Qigong Training

Before you start your qigong training, you must first understand the three treasures of life—essence (jing, 精), internal energy (qi, 氣), and spirit (shen, 神)—as well as their interrelationship. If you lack this understanding, you are missing the root of qigong training, as well as the basic idea of qigong theory. The main goals of qigong training are to learn how to retain your jing, strengthen and smooth out your qi flow, and enlighten your shen. To reach these goals you must learn how to regulate the body (tiao shen , 調身), regulate the breathing (tiao xi , 調息), regulate the mind (tiao xin , 調心), regulate the qi (tiao qi , 調 息), and regulate the shen (tiao shen , 調神).

Regulating the body includes understanding how to find and build the root of the body, as well as the root of the individual forms you are practicing. To build a firm root, you must know how to keep your center, how to balance your body, and most important of all, how to relax so the qi can flow.

Regulating the mind involves learning how to keep your mind calm, peaceful, and centered, so you can judge situations objectively and lead qi to the desired places. The mind is the main key to success in qigong practice.

To regulate your breathing, you must learn how to breathe so your breathing and your mind mutually correspond and cooperate. When you breathe this way, your mind will be able to attain peace more quickly, and therefore concentrate more easily on leading the qi.

Regulating the qi is one of the ultimate goals of qigong practice. In order to regulate your qi effectively you must first have regulated your body, mind, and

breathing. Only then will your mind be clear enough to sense how the qi is distributed in your body and understand how to adjust it.

For Buddhist priests, who seek the enlightenment of the Buddha, regulating the shen is the final goal of qigong. This enables them to maintain a neutral, objective perspective of life, and this perspective is the eternal life of the Buddha. The average qigong practitioner has lower goals. He raises his shen in order to increase his concentration and enhance his vitality. This makes it possible for him to lead qi effectively to his entire body so that it carries out the managing and guarding duties. This maintains his health and slows the aging process.

If you understand these few things, you will be able to quickly enter into the field of qigong. Without all of these important elements, your training will be ineffective and your time will be wasted.

1.7.1 Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen (三寶-精、氣、神)

Before you start any qigong training you must first understand the three treasures (san bao , 三寶): essence (jing, 精), internal energy (qi, 氣), and spirit (shen, 神). They are also called the three origins or the three roots (san yuan , 三 元) because they are considered the origins and roots of your life. Jing means essence, the original and most refined part. Jing is the original source and most basic part of every living thing, and determines its nature and characteristics. It is the root of life. Sperm is called jing zi (精子), which means “essence of the son,” because it contains the jing of the father that is passed on to his son (or daughter) and becomes the child’s jing.

Qi is the internal energy of your body. It is like the electricity that passes through a machine to keep it running. Qi comes either from the conversion of the jing that you have received from your parents, or from the food you eat and the air you breathe.

Shen is the center of your mind and being. It is what makes you human, because animals do not have a shen. The shen in your body must be nourished by your qi. When your qi is full, your shen will be enlivened.

Chinese meditators and qigong practitioners believe that the body contains two general types of qi. The first type is called prebirth qi (xian tian qi , 先天 氣), and it comes from converted original jing (yuan jin g, 元精), which you get from your parents at conception. The second type, which is called postbirth qi (hou tian qi , 後天氣), is drawn from the jing of our food and air. When this qi flows or is led to the brain, it can energize the shen and soul. This energized and raised shen is able to lead the qi to the entire body.

Each one of these three elements or treasures has its own root. You must know

the roots so you can strengthen and protect your three treasures.

1. Yourbodyrequiresmanykindsofjing.Exceptforthejingthatyouinherit from your parents, which is called original jing (yuan jing, 元精), all other jings must be obtained from food and air. Among all of these jings, original jing is the most important. It is the root and the seed of your life, and your basic strength. If your parents were strong and healthy, your original jing will be strong and healthy, and you will have a strong foundation on which to grow. The Chinese people believe that in order to stay healthy and live a long life, you must protect and maintain this jing. The root of original jing before your birth was in your parents. After birth this original jing stays in its residence—the kidneys, which are considered the root of your jing. When you keep this root strong, you will have sufficient original jing to supply to your body. Although you cannot increase the amount of original jing you have, qigong training can improve the quality of your jing. Qigong can also teach you how to convert your jing into original qi more efficiently, and how to use this qi effectively.
2. Qiisconvertedbothfromthejingyouhaveinheritedfromyourparentsand from the jing you draw from your food and air. Qi that is converted from the original jing that you inherited is called original qi (yuan qi , 元氣).11 Just as original jing is the most important type of jing, original qi is the most important type of qi. It is pure and of high quality, while the qi from food and air may make your body too positive or too negative, depending on how and where you absorb it. When you retain and protect your original jing, you will be able to generate original qi in a pure, continuous stream. As a qigong practitioner, you must know how to convert your original jing into original qi in a smooth, steady stream. Since your original qi comes from your original jing, they both have the kidneys for their root. When your kidneys are strong, the original jing is strong, and the original qi converted from this original jing will also be full and strong. This qi resides in the lower dan tian in your abdomen. Once you learn how to convert your original jing, you will be able to supply your body with all the qi it needs.
3. Shenistheforcethatkeepsyoualive.Ithasnosubstance,butitgives

expression and appearance to your jing. Shen is also the control tower for the qi. When your shen is strong, your qi is strong and you can lead it efficiently. The root of spirit (shen, 神) is your mind (yi, 意) or intention. When your brain is energized and stimulated, your mind will be more aware and you will be able to concentrate more intensely. Also, your shen will be raised. Advanced qigong practitioners believe your brain must always be sufficiently nourished by your qi. It is the qi that keeps your mind clear and concentrated. With an abundant qi supply, the mind can be energized and can raise the shen and enhance your vitality.

The deeper levels of qigong training include the conversion of jing into qi, which is then led to the brain to raise the shen. This process is called “Huan jing bu nao,” and means, “Return the jing to nourish the brain.”12 When qi is led to the head, it stays at the upper dan tian (center of forehead), which is the residence of your shen. Qi and shen are mutually related. When your shen is weak, your qi is weak, and your body will degenerate rapidly. Shen is the headquarters of qi. Likewise, qi supports the shen, energizing it and keeping it sharp, clear, and strong. If the qi in your body is weak, your shen will also be weak.

1.7.2 Qigong Training Theory (氣功訓練理論)

In qigong training it is important to understand the principle behind everything you are doing. The principle is the root of your practice, and it is this root that brings forth the results you want. The root gives life, while the branches and flowers (results) give only temporary beauty. If you keep the root, you can regrow. If you have just branches and flowers, they will die in a short time.

Every qigong form or practice has its special purpose and theory. If you do not know the purpose and theory, you have lost the root (meaning) of the practice. Therefore, as a qigong practitioner, you must continue to ponder and practice until you understand the root of every set or form.

Before you start training, you must first understand that all of the training originates in your mind. You must have a clear idea of what you are doing, and your mind must be calm, centered, and balanced. This also implies that your feeling, sensing, and judgment must be objective and accurate. This requires emotional balance and a clear mind, and requires a lot of hard work. But once you have reached this level, you will have built the root of your physical training, and your mind (yi) will be able to lead your qi throughout your physical body.

As mentioned previously, qigong training includes five important elements: regulating the body, regulating the breath, regulating the mind (yi), regulating the qi, and regulating the spirit (shen). These are the foundation of successful qigong practice. Without this foundation, your understanding of qigong and your practice will remain superficial.

Regulating the Body (Tiao Shen, 調身)

Regulating the body is called “tiao shen ” in Chinese. This means to adjust your body until it is in the most comfortable and relaxed state. This implies that your body must be centered and balanced. If it is not, you will be tense and uneasy, and this will affect the judgment of your yi and the circulation of your qi. In Chinese medical society it is said: “[When] shape [body’s posture] is not correct, then the qi will not be smooth. [When] the qi is not smooth, the yi [mind] will not be peaceful. [When] the yi is not peaceful, then the qi is disordered.”13 You should understand that the relaxation of your body originates with your yi. Therefore, before you can relax your body, you must first relax or regulate your mind (yi). This is called “shen xin ping heng,” which means, “body and heart (mind) balanced.”14 The body and the mind are mutually related. A relaxed and balanced body helps your yi to relax and concentrate. When your yi is at peace and can judge things accurately, your body will be centered, balanced, and relaxed.

Relaxation

Relaxation is one of the major keys to success in qigong. You should remember that only when you are relaxed will all your qi channels be open. In order to be relaxed, your yi must first be relaxed and calm. When this yi coordinates with your breathing, your body will be able to relax.

In qigong practice there are three levels of relaxation. The first level is the external physical relaxation, or postural relaxation. This is a very superficial level, and almost anyone can reach it. It consists of adopting a comfortable stance and avoiding unnecessary strain in how you stand and move. The second level is the relaxation of the muscles and tendons. To do this your yi must be directed deep into the muscles and tendons. This relaxation will help open your qi channels, and will allow the qi to sink and accumulate in the lower dan tian .

The final stage is the relaxation that reaches the internal organs and the bone marrow. Remember, only if you can relax deep into your body will your mind be able to lead the qi there. Only at this stage will the qi be able to reach everywhere. Then you will feel transparent—as if your whole physical body has

disappeared. If you can reach this level of relaxation, you will be able to communicate with your organs and use qigong to adjust or regulate the qi disorders that are giving you problems. You will also be able to protect your organs more effectively, and therefore slow their degeneration.

Rooting

In all qigong practice it is very important to be rooted. Being rooted means to be stable and in firm contact with the ground. If you want to push a car, you have to be rooted so the force you exert into the car will be balanced by a force into the ground. If you are not rooted, when you push the car, you will only push yourself away and not move the car. Your root is made up of your body’s root, center, and balance.

Before you can develop your root, you must first relax and let your body “settle.” As you relax, the tension in the various parts of your body will dissolve, and you will find a comfortable way to stand. You will stop fighting the ground to keep your body up and will learn to rely on your body’s structure to support itself. This lets the muscles relax even more. Since your body isn’t struggling to stand, your yi won’t be pushing upward, and your body, mind, and qi will all be able to sink. If you let dirty water sit quietly, the impurities will gradually settle down to the bottom, leaving the water above it clear. In the same way, if you relax your body enough to let it settle, your qi will sink to your lower dan tian and the bubbling well s (yongquan, K-1, 湧泉) at the center of the soles of the feet, and your mind will become clear. Then you can begin to develop your root.

To root your body you must imitate a tree and grow an invisible root under your feet. This will give you a firm root to keep you stable in your training. Your root must be wide as well as deep. Naturally, your yi must grow first because it is the yi that leads the qi. Your yi must be able to lead the qi to your feet and be able to communicate with the ground. Only when your yi can communicate with the ground will your qi be able to grow beyond your feet and enter the ground to build the root. The bubbling well cavity is the gate that enables your qi to communicate with the ground.

Bubbling well, (yongquan, K-1, 湧泉).

After you have gained your root, you must learn how to keep your center. A stable center will make your qi develop evenly and uniformly. If you lose this center, your qi will not be led evenly. In order to keep your body centered, you must first center your yi and then match your body to it. Only under these conditions will the qigong forms you practice have their root. Your mental and physical center is the key that enables you to lead your qi beyond your body.

Balance is the product of rooting and centering. Balance includes balancing the qi and the physical body. It does not matter which aspect of balance you are dealing with. First, you must balance your yi and only then can you balance your qi and your physical body. If your yi is balanced, it can help you to make

accurate judgments, and therefore to correct the path of the qi flow.
Rooting includes rooting not just the body, but also the form or movement.

The root of any form or movement is found in its purpose or principle. For example, in certain qigong exercises you want to lead the qi to your palms. In order to do this, you must imagine you are pushing an object forward while keeping your muscles relaxed. In this exercise, your elbows must be down to build the sense of root for the push. If you raise the elbows, you lose the sense of “intention ” of the movement because the push would be ineffective if you were pushing something for real. Since the intention or purpose of the movement is its reason for being, you now have a purposeless movement, and you have no reason to lead qi in any particular way. Therefore, in this case, the elbow is the root of the movement.

Regulating the Breath (Tiao Xi, 調息)

Regulating the breath means to regulate your breathing until it is calm, smooth, and peaceful. Only when you have reached this point will you be able to make the breathing deep, slender, long, and soft, which is required for successful qigong practice.

Breathing is affected by your emotions. For example, when you are angry, you exhale longer and more strongly than you inhale. When you are sad, you inhale longer and more strongly than you exhale. When your mind is peaceful and calm, your inhalation and exhalation are relatively equal. In order to keep your breathing calm, peaceful, and steady, your mind and emotions must first be calm and neutral. Therefore, in order to regulate your breathing, you must first regulate your mind.

The other side of the coin is that you can use your breathing to control your yi. When your breathing is uniform, it is as if you were hypnotizing your yi, which helps to calm it. You can see that yi and breathing are interdependent and that they cooperate with each other. Deep and calm breathing relaxes you and keeps your mind clear. It fills your lungs with plenty of air so your brain and entire body have an adequate supply of oxygen. In addition, deep and complete breathing enables the diaphragm to move up and down, which massages and stimulates the internal organs. For this reason, deep breathing exercises are also called “internal organ exercises.”

Deep and complete breathing does not mean that you inhale and exhale to the maximum. This would cause the lungs and the surrounding muscles to tense up, which in turn would keep the air from circulating freely and hinder the absorption of oxygen. Without enough oxygen, your mind becomes scattered, and the rest of your body tenses up. In correct breathing, you inhale and exhale

to about 70 or 80 percent of capacity, so your lungs stay relaxed.
You can conduct an easy experiment. Inhale deeply so your lungs are

completely full, and time how long you can hold your breath. Then try inhaling to only about 70 percent of your capacity and see how long you can hold your breath. You will find that with the latter method you can last much longer than with the first one. This is simply because the lungs and the surrounding muscles are relaxed. When they are relaxed, the rest of your body and your mind can also relax, which significantly decreases your need for oxygen. Therefore, when you regulate your breathing, the first priority is to keep your lungs relaxed and calm.

When training, your mind must first be calm so your breathing can be regulated. When the breathing is regulated, your mind is able to reach a higher level of calmness. This calmness can again help you to regulate the breathing, until your mind is deep. After you have trained for a long time, your breathing will be full and slender and your mind will be very clear. It is said: “Xin xi xiang yi,” which means, “Heart [mind] and breathing [are] mutually dependent.”15 When you reach this meditative state, your heartbeat slows down and your mind is very clear: you have entered the sphere of real meditation.

An ancient Daoist named Li, Qing-an (李清庵) said: “Regulating breathing means to regulate the real breathing until [you] stop.”16 This indicates that

correct regulating means not regulating. In other words, although you start by consciously regulating your breath, you must get to the point where the regulating happens naturally and you no longer have to think about it. When you breathe, if you concentrate your mind on your breathing, then it is not true regulating because the qi in your lungs will become stagnant. When you reach the level of true regulating, you don’t have to pay attention to it and you can use your mind efficiently to lead the qi. Remember where the yi is, there is the qi. If the yi stops in one spot, the qi will be stagnant. It is the yi that leads the qi and makes it move. Therefore, when you are in a state of correct breath regulation, your mind is free. There is no sound, stagnation, urgency, or hesitation, and you can finally be calm and peaceful.

You can see that when the breath is regulated correctly, the qi will also be regulated. They are mutually related and cannot be separated. This idea is explained frequently in Daoist literature. The Daoist Guang Cheng Zi said: “One exhale, the earth qi rises; one inhale, the heaven qi descends; real man’s [meaning one who has attained the real Dao] repeated breathing at the navel, then my real qi is naturally connected.”17 This means that when you breathe, you should move your abdomen as if you were breathing from your navel. The earth qi is the negative (yin) energy from your kidneys, and the sky qi is the positive

(yang) energy that comes from the food you eat and the air you breathe. When you breathe from the navel, these two qi will connect and combine. Some people think they know what qi is, but they really don’t. Once you connect the two qi, you will know what the “real” qi is, and you may become a “real” man, which means to attain the Dao.

The Daoist book Sing [of the] Dao [with] Real Words (Chang Dao Zhen Yan) says: “One exhale one inhale to communicate qi function; one movement, one calmness is the same as [i.e., is the source of ] creation and variation.”18 The first part of this statement again implies that the functioning of qi is connected with the breathing. The second part of this sentence means that all creation and variation come from the interaction of movement (yang) and calmness (yin). Yellow Yard Classic (Huang Ting Jing) says: “Breathe original qi to seek immortality.”19 In China, the traditional Daoists wore yellow robes, and they meditated in a “yard” or hall. This sentence means that in order to reach the goal of immortality, you must seek to find and understand the original qi that comes from the lower dan tian through correct breathing.

Moreover, the Daoist Wu Zhen Ren said: “Use the postbirth breathing to look for the real person’s [i.e., the immortal’s] breathing place.”20 In this sentence it is

clear that in order to locate the immortal breathing place (the lower dan tian), you must rely on and know how to regulate your postbirth, or natural, breathing. Through regulating your postbirth breathing, you will gradually be able to locate the residence of the qi (the lower dan tian), and eventually you will be able to use your lower dan tian to breathe like the immortal Daoists. Finally, in the Daoist song The Great Daoist Song of the Spirit’s Origin (Ling Yuan Da Dao Ge), it is said: “The originals [original jing, qi, and shen] are internally transported peacefully, so that you can become real [immortal]; [if you] depend [only] on external breathing [you] will not reach the end [goal].”21 From this song, you can see that internal breathing (breathing at the lower dan tian) is the key to training your three treasures and finally reaching immortality. However, you must first know how to regulate your external breathing correctly.

All of these emphasize the importance of breathing. There are eight key words for air breathing that a qigong practitioner should follow during practice. Once you understand them you will be able to substantially shorten the time needed to reach your qigong goals. These eight key words are as follows: 1. calm (jing, 靜); 2. slender (xi, 細); 3. deep (shen, 深); 4. long (chang, 長); 5. continuous (you, 悠); 6. uniform (yun, 勻); 7. slow (huan, 緩); and 8. soft (mian, 綿). These key words are self-explanatory, and with a little thought you should be able to understand them.

Regulating the Mind (Tiao Xin, 調心)
It is said in Daoist society that “[When] large Dao is taught, first stop thought;

when thought is not stopped, [the lessons are] in vain.”22 This means that when you first practice qigong, the most difficult training is to stop your thinking. The final goal for your mind is “the thought of no thought.”23 Your mind does not think of the past, the present, or the future. Your mind is completely separated from influences of the present, such as worry, happiness, and sadness. Then your mind can be calm and steady, and can finally gain peace. Only when you are in the state of “the thought of no thought” will you be relaxed and able to sense calmly and accurately.

Regulating your mind means using your consciousness to stop the activity in your mind in order to set it free from the bondage of ideas, emotion, and conscious thought. When you reach this level, your mind will be calm, peaceful, empty, and light. Then your mind has really reached the goal of relaxation. Only when you reach this stage will you be able to relax deep into your marrow and internal organs. Only then will your mind be clear enough to see (feel) the internal qi circulation and to communicate with your qi and organs. In Daoist society it is called Nei Shi Gongfu , which means the “Gongfu of Internal Vision .”24

When you reach this real relaxation, you may be able to sense the different elements that make up your body: solid matter, liquids, gases, energy, and spirit. You may even be able to see or feel the different colors that are associated with your five organs —green (liver), white (lungs), black (kidneys), yellow (spleen), and red (heart).

Once your mind is relaxed and regulated and you can sense your internal organs, you may decide to study the five elements theory. This is a very profound subject, and it is sometimes interpreted differently by Oriental physicians and qigong practitioners. When understood properly, it can give you a method of analyzing the interrelationships among your organs and help you devise ways to correct imbalances.

For example, the lungs correspond to the element “metal” and the heart to the element “fire.” Metal (the lungs) can be used to adjust the heat of the fire (the heart) because metal can take a large quantity of heat away from fire (and thus cool down the heart). When you feel uneasy or have heartburn (excess fire in the heart), you may use deep breathing to calm the uneasy emotions or cool off the heartburn.

Naturally, it will take a lot of practice to reach this level. In the beginning, you

should not have any ideas or intentions because they will make it harder for your mind to relax and empty itself of thoughts. Once you are in a state of “no thought,” place your attention on your lower dan tian. It is said, “Yi shou dan tian,” which means, “The mind is kept on the dan tian.”25 The lower dan tian is the origin and residence of your qi. Your mind can build up the qi at the dan tian, which is called “start the fire” (qi huo, 起火); then lead the qi anywhere you wish and, finally, lead the qi back to its residence. When your mind is on the lower dan tian, your qi will always have a root. When you keep this root, your qi will be strong and full, and it will go where you want it to. You can see that when you practice qigong, your mind cannot be completely empty and relaxed. You must find the firmness within the relaxation; then you can reach your goal.

In qigong training, it is said: “Use your yi [mind] to lead your qi” (Yi yi yin

26

It is said: “Your yi cannot be on your qi. Once your yi is on your qi, the qi is stagnant.”27 When you want to walk from one spot to another, you must first

mobilize your intention and direct it to the goal; then your body will follow. The mind must always be ahead of the body. If your mind stays on your body, you will not be able to move.

In qigong training, the first thing is to know what qi is. If you do not know what qi is, how will you be able to lead it? Once you know what qi is and experience it, then your yi will have something to lead. The next thing in qigong training is knowing how your yi communicates with your qi. That means your yi should be able to sense and feel the qi flow and understand how strong and smooth it is. In taiji qigong society, it is commonly said that your yi must “listen” to your qi and “understand” it. Listen means to pay careful attention to what you sense and feel. The more you pay attention, the better you will be able to understand. Only after you understand the qi situation will your yi be able to set up the strategy. In qigong, your mind or yi must generate the idea (visualize your intention), which is like an order to your qi to complete a certain mission.

The more your yi communicates with your qi, the more efficiently the qi can be led. For this reason, as a qigong beginner you must first learn about yi and qi, and also learn how to help them communicate efficiently. Yi is the key in qigong practice. Without this yi you would not be able to lead your qi, let alone build up

qi).
can be led. When qi is led, it will flow smoothly and without stagnation. When it is pushed, it will flood and enter the wrong paths. Remember, wherever your yi goes first, the qi will naturally follow. For example, if you intend to lift an object, this intention is your yi. This yi will lead the qi to the arms to energize the physical muscles, and then the object can be lifted.

Notice the word “lead.” Qi behaves like water—it cannot be pushed, but it

the strength of the qi or circulate it throughout your entire body.
Remember, when the yi is strong, the qi is strong, and when the yi is weak, the

qi is weak. Therefore, the first step of qigong training is to develop your yi. The first secret of a strong yi is calmness. When you are calm, you can see things clearly and not be disturbed by surrounding distractions. With your mind calm, you will be able to concentrate.

Confucius said: “First you must be calm; then your mind can be steady. Once your mind is steady, then you are at peace. Only when you are at peace are you able to think and finally gain.”28 This procedure is also applied in meditation or qigong exercise: first calm, and then steady, peace, think, and finally gain. When you practice qigong, first you must learn to be emotionally calm. Once calm, you will be able to see what you want and firm your mind (steady). This firm and steady mind is your intention or yi (it is how your yi is generated). Only after you know what you really want will your mind gain peace and be able to relax emotionally and physically. Once you have reached this step, you must then concentrate or think in order to execute your intention. Under this thoughtful and concentrated mind, your qi will follow and you will be able to gain what you wish.

Regulating the Qi (Tiao Qi, 調氣)

Before you can regulate your qi you must first regulate your body, breath, and mind. If you compare your body to a battlefield, then your mind is like the general who generates ideas and controls the situation, and your breathing is the strategy. Your qi is like the soldiers who are led to the most advantageous places on the battlefield. All four elements are necessary, and all four must be coordinated with each other if you are to win the war against sickness and aging.

If you want to arrange your soldiers most effectively for battle, you must know which area of the battlefield is most important, and where you are weakest (where your qi is deficient) and need to send reinforcements. If you have more soldiers than you need in one area (excessive qi), then you can send them where the ranks are thin. As a general, you must also know how many soldiers are available for the battle and how many you will need for protecting yourself and your headquarters. To be successful, not only do you need good strategy (breathing), but you also need to communicate and understand the situation effectively with your troops, or all of your strategy will be in vain. When your yi (the general) knows how to regulate the body (knows the battlefield), how to regulate the breathing (set up the strategy), and how to effectively regulate the qi (direct your soldiers), you will be able to reach the final goal of qigong training.

In order to regulate your qi so that it moves smoothly in the correct paths, you need more than just efficient yi-qi communication. You also need to know how to generate qi. If you do not have enough qi in your body, how can you regulate it? In a battle, if you do not have enough soldiers to set up your strategy, you have already lost.

When you practice qigong, you must first train to make your qi flow naturally and smoothly. There are some qigong exercises in which you intentionally hold your yi, and thus hold your qi, in a specific area. As a beginner, however, you should first learn how to make the qi flow smoothly instead of building a qi dam, which is commonly done in external martial qigong training.

In order to make qi flow naturally and smoothly, your yi must first be relaxed. Only when your yi is relaxed will your body be relaxed and the qi channels open for the qi to circulate. Then you must coordinate your qi flow with your breathing. Breathing regularly and calmly will make your yi calm and allow your body to relax even more.

Regulating Spirit (Tiao Shen, 調神)

There is one point that is more important than anything else in a battle, and that is fighting spirit. You may have the best general who knows the battlefield well and is also an expert strategist, but if his soldiers do not have a high fighting spirit (morale), he might still lose. Remember, spirit is the center and root of a fight. When you keep this center, one soldier can be equal to ten soldiers. When his spirit is high, a soldier will obey his orders accurately and willingly, and his general will be able to control the situation efficiently. In a battle, in order for a soldier to have this kind of morale, he must know why he is fighting, how to fight, and what he can expect after the fight. Under these conditions, he will know what he is doing and why, and this understanding will raise his spirit, strengthen his will, and increase his patience and endurance.

It is the same with qigong training. In order to reach the final goal of qigong, you must have three fundamental spiritual roots: will, patience, and endurance.

Shen, which is the Chinese term for spirit, originates from the yi (the general). When the shen is strong, the yi is firm. When the yi is firm, the shen will be steady and calm. The shen is the mental part of a soldier. When the shen is high, the qi is strong and easily directed. When the qi is strong, the shen is also strong.

All of these training concepts and procedures are common to all Chinese qigong, and you should also adhere to them when practicing taijiquan. To reach a deep level of understanding and penetrate to the essence of any qigong practice, you should always keep these five training criteria in mind and examine them for deeper levels of meaning. This is the only way to gain the real mental and

physical health benefits from your training. Always remember that taijiquan training is not just the forms. Your feelings and comprehension are the essential roots of the entire training. This yin side of the training has no limit, and the deeper you understand, the more you will see that there is to know.

1.8 Taijiquan and Qigong

The previous discussion can be summarized as follows :

1. Taijiwasoriginallycreatedasamartialartsstyle,andwasusedincombat. Qigong training was necessary for reaching the highest levels of fighting ability.
2. TaijiQigongisonlyonestyleofmartialqigong,andmartialqigongisonly one category of Chinese qigong. Many of the taiji qigong movements were adapted from taijiquan forms.
3. TaijiQigongisdifferentfrommanyothermartialqigongsystemsinthatit emphasizes the soft and builds up qi internally through nei dan practice, although it also practices wai dan through the soft body movements. This is different from many other martial qigong styles that are relatively harder physically and emphasize wai dan practice.
4. Inthelastfiftyyears,taijiqigonghasbeenpracticedmainlyforhealth purposes rather than martial ones.

Next, in order to understand taiji qigong, we should analyze the reasons for training.

1. Tohelptaijiquanbeginnersfeeltheirqi.Beginnersusuallydonothave even the slightest concept of qi. Taiji qigong gradually gives them an understanding of qi through feeling and experience. This kind of knowledge is necessary for any kind of advancement in taijiquan. For this reason, taijiquan beginners are usually taught some of the many simple wai dan forms.
2. Toteachtaijiquanbeginnerstoregulatethebody,breathing,andyi. Once you have grasped the idea of qi, you then start to learn to regulate your body. This includes how to relax the body from the skin to as deep as the internal organs and bone marrow. Through this relaxation you are able to feel and sense your center, balance, and root. You must also learn to regulate your breathing—normal abdominal breathing for relaxation and

reverse abdominal breathing for qi expansion and condensation. Most important of all, you must learn to regulate your mind until it can be calm and concentrated without disturbance. All of these criteria are the critical keys to the correct practice of taijiquan. If you start learning the taijiquan sequence without having already done this basic training, you will be preoccupied with the complicated movements and will only be able to perform them in a superficial way.

3. Toteachtaijiquanbeginnerstousetheiryitoleadtheqiefficiently. Once you have regulated your body, breathing, and mind, you will then be able to use your concentrated mind to lead the qi to circulate smoothly and effectively.
4. Toteachtaijiquanpractitionerstocirculateqiinthetwelveprimaryqi channels and fill up the two main qi vessels. If you are able to use your mind to lead the qi efficiently, you have completed the basic taijiquan training. This is then the time for taijiquan forms or sequence training. In addition, you should continue your taiji qigong training and learn to build up your concentration to a higher level and, consequently, build your qi to a higher level. In addition, you should also learn to increase the qi in the two main vessels—the yin conception vessel (ren mai, 任脈) and the yang governing vessel (du mai, 督脈). Still meditation is normally used for this.
5. Toteachtaijiquanpractitionerstoexpandtheirqitothesurfaceofthe skin and to condense the qi to the bone marrow. When the body’s qi has been built to a higher level, you then start learning to lead the qi to the skin to increase the skin’s sensitivity and into the bones to nourish the marrow.
6. Toteachtaijiquanpractitionerstousetheqitoenergizethemusclesfor maximum jin manifestation. When you are able to lead the qi to the skin and condense it to the marrow efficiently, you can then use this qi to energize the muscles to a high level. This is the secret to internal jin (nei jin, 內勁). Internal jin is the foundation and root of external jin (wai jin, 外勁). If you are interested in knowing more about taijiquan jin, please refer to the author’s book Tai Chi Theory and Martial Power, available from YMAA Publication Center.
7. Toleadadvancedtaijiquanpractitionersintothedomainofspiritual cultivation. The ultimate goal of taiji qigong practice is to lead you into the domain of emptiness, where your whole being is in the no-extremity (wuji, 無極) state. When you have reached this goal, the qi in your body and the qi in nature will unite and become one, and all human desires will gradually disappear.

Although many taijiquan masters have created qigong forms, most of the training forms used today have been adopted from the taijiquan sequence. For example, push, crane spreads its wings, wave hands in clouds, etc. are commonly used for qigong training. In order to understand why taijiquan has become more popular than any other style of qigong, you must first understand the differences between taiji qigong and most other qigong systems:

1. Becausetaijiquanwasoriginallycreatedformartialpurposes,every movement has its defensive or offensive purpose. This means that the intention of the yi must be strong in every movement. This enables the practitioner to lead the qi more strongly and efficiently to the limbs, internal organs, and marrow. Because of this heavy emphasis on yi, the qi flow can be more fluid, and the qi can be increased more than with the usual qigong practices that do not emphasize the yi as strongly.
2. Inordertomanifesttaijiquanjin(i.e.,power)effectivelyandefficiently,the jin must first be stored. Storing jin (in the yi, qi, and posture) is yin, while manifesting jin is yang. Taijiquan emphasizes the yin side and the yang side equally, and can consequently balance yin and yang in the body and avoid unhealthy extremes. This is different from many other qigong practices that emphasize the yang side more than the yin side. Practitioners who emphasize yang training will not get sick easily, but because their bodies become yang, they will age more quickly than is normal.
3. Taijiqigongincludesbothneidanandwaidantrainingandismore complete than those qigong systems that emphasize only one or the other.
4. Taijiqigongbuildsnotonlytheqicirculationintheprimaryqichannels, but also the guardian qi in the skin (yang) and the marrow qi in the bones (yin). In addition, taiji qigong also teaches the practitioner to increase the level of qi storage and circulation in the two major vessels—the conception and governing vessels.
5. Taijiquanissoftanddoesnotusethemusculartensionthatmostother martial qigong styles use to some degree. Taiji qigong emphasizes using the yi to lead qi in a relaxed body and does not use tension to energize the muscles. This makes it easier for the practitioner to reach a calm, peaceful, meditative state. The practitioner is able to release mental stress and physical tension and reach a higher level of relaxation. This is the key to maintaining and improving mental and physical health.