Traditional Chinese Medicine (中醫 zhōng yī) is based on the concept of qì 氣 as a vital energy present in the human being, and understands health and disease as states concerning the correct circulation of this energy through the organism. Within his holistic approach, it encompasses a number of practices from acupuncture (針灸 zhēn jiǔ), moxibustion (艾灸 ài jiǔ) and herbal medicine (草藥 cǎo yào) to qì gōng 氣功, a type of physical exercise that aims to regulate the flow of energy and which is an essential component of Chinese Martial Arts.
Although some have intended to see in the biānshí 砭石 (polished and sharp needle-like stones) the proof that acupuncture was already practiced in Neolithic times, the primitive methods of puncture with stones lacked a theoretical corpus that described the circulation of internal energy (qì 氣) through channels and meridians (jīng luò 經络) and puncture at specific points (shùxué 俞穴), a theoretical corpus that would not develop until much later.
Read more...
In 1973 a collection of manuscripts written mostly on silk dealing with a wide variety of subjects was unearthed in Mǎwángduī 馬王堆. Among them, in addition to a series of medical texts, the Dǎoyǐntú 導引圖 stands out, a silk scroll with drawings that resemble the exercises that we know today as Qìgōng 氣功.
Read more...
The Eight Pieces of Brocade (Bāduànjǐn 八段錦) is one of the most widespread and practiced series of Qìgōng 氣功 exercises worldwide. In this article we want to provide relevant information to understand these exercises and know the fundamentals of their practice.
Read more...
The concept of dāntián 丹田 (“elixir field”) is key to understanding qìgōng 氣功. This term remains full of mystery even in our day. In order to understand what the dāntián is, we must go back to its origins in Taoist internal alchemy (內丹術 nèidān shù).
Read more...
Wǔ Qín Xì 五禽戏 (Five Animals’ Game) is a series of Qì Gōng 氣功 exercises, designed to strengthen the body and preserve health, whose creation is usually attributed to Huá Tuó 華佗, a Chinese physician who lived during the Hàn 漢 dynasty.
Read more...
The Sup Bot Law Hon Yik Gun Kuen 十八羅漢易筋 拳 is a form of Qi Gong 氣功 belonging to the Luohan system of Choy Li Fut. It is believed that the exercises contained in this form were taught by Bodhidharma to the monks of Shaolin temple to counteract the numbness of the body caused by long hours sitting in meditation.
Read more...
Dit Da Jow 跌打 酒 (Mandarin Diē Dǎ Jiǔ) is the Cantonese name for a type of liniment commonly used in Chinese Martial Arts to treat bruises and sore muscles. Dit Da Jow could be translated as “fall and hit wine”, since the traditional one is prepared with rice wine.
Read more...
Huá Tuó 華佗 (145-208) was a famous Chinese physician who lived during the time of the Eastern Hàn dynasty 東漢 and the Three Kingdoms (三國 Sān Guó) Period. Specialist in medicinal plants, acupuncture, pediatrics and gynecology, he is one of those historical characters turned legend.
Read more...
The Theory of the Five Phases (Wǔ Xíng 五行) or Five Processes, sometimes called of the Five Elements, appeared during the Zhou 周 Dynasty, possibly as a way of representing seasonal changes that affected agricultural production, and underwent some important changes throughout history.
Read more...
The Yīn-Yáng 陰陽 Theory emerged in Chinese thought from the observation of nature. This theory postulates the existence of two complementary principles that are present in all that exists. These principles were called yīn, “dark”, and yáng, “luminous”.
Read more...