History of Qigong

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History of Qigong

(a.k.a. Chi Kung)

by Xu Xiangcai

 

Qigong, as an art of healing and health preservation,

is thought to have originated as early as four

thousand years ago in the Tang Yao times as a form of

dancing. Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals or Lu's History

(Lu Shi Chun Qiu) records: In the beginning of the Tao

Tang Tribes, the sun was often shut off by heavy

clouds and it rained all the time; turbulent waters

overflowed the rivers' banks. People lived a gloomy

and dull life and suffered from rigidity of their

joints. As a remedy dancing was recommended. From the

experience of their long-term struggle with nature,

the ancients gradually realized that body movements,

exclamations, and various ways of breathing could help

readjust certain bodily functions. For example,

imitating animal movements such as climbing, looking

about, and leaping was found to promote a vital flow

of Qi. Pronouncing " Hi " was found to either decrease

or increase strength, " Ha " could disperse heat, and

" Xu " could alleviate pain. In this way, Qigong was

brought into being.

 

During the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States

Periods (770-221 B.C.), various schools of thought

arose -- such schools rationalized and raised to the

level of theory their knowledge of nature, society,

and life based on the experiences of their

predecessors. Through this process, Qigong found its

way to systematization and became an independent

theoretical construct popular with philosophers and

scholars. The theories of Qigong continued to develop

and coalesce into powerful new concepts such as the

three treasures of the human body (life essence, Qi,

and mental faculties). Qigong methods also started to

develop during this time. " Exhale and inhale to expel

the stale and take in the fresh " , " a bear twists its

neck " , or " a bird stretches its wings " , are a few

examples of such methods.

 

The Qin (221-207 B.C.) and Han (206 B. C.-A.D. 220)

dynasties saw a rapid development of medical skills,

which in turn enhanced Qigong theory and practice. The

Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine, the

earliest medical classic extant in China, described

Daoyin, Guidance of Qi, and AnQiao as important

curative measures that could also preserve life. It

also offered the following advice, which besides

offering a general life philosophy, describes the

state of mind necessary for successful Qigong

practice:

 

" Be indifferent to fame or gain, be alone in repose,

and take the various parts of the body as an organic

whole. "

 

There is an account of Daoyin found in Plain Questions

On Acupuncture (Su Wen Yi Pian Ci Pa Lun) that says,

" Patients with lingering kidney disease may face south

from 3 to 5 A.M., concentrate the mind, hold back the

breath, crane the neck and swallow Qi as if swallowing

a hard object seven times. After that, there would be

a great amount of fluid welling up from under the

tongue. " In 1973, a silk book, Fasting and Taking Qi

(Que Gu Shi Qi Pian) and a silk painting Daoyin Chart

(Dao Yin Tu) of the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C. -

A.D. 24) were unearthed from the Han Dynasty Tomb

Mawangdui No. 3 in Changsha, Hunan Province. The book

records the Daoyin method for guiding Qi and the chart

covers 44 colored paintings presenting human figures

imitating the movements of a wolf, monkey, ape, bear,

crane, hawk, and vulture. Thus, they reveal that the

Chinese began to teach Qigong pictorially as early as

the beginning of the Western Han dynasty. The two

outstanding medical scholars, Zhang Zhongjing and Hua

Tuo, in the closing years of the Eastern Han dynasty

(A.D. 25-220), both aided in the development of

Qigong. In his great work, Synopsis of the

Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber (Jin Kui Yao Luo),

Zhang Zhongiing stated that " As soon as heaviness and

sluggishness of the extremities is felt, start Daoyin,

breathing exercises, acupuncture, moxibustion, and

massage with application of ointment to prevent

obstruction of the nine orifices. " The famous exercise

Frolics of Five Animals (Wu Qin Xi) was devised during

this time by Hua Tuo and became widely practiced and

it is still popular today.

 

During the Wei dynasty (A.D. 220-265), the Jin dynasty

(A.D. 265-420), and the Northern and Southern

dynasties (A.D. 420-589), Qigong developed as a way of

preserving health and as a method for treating disease

through the emission of Qi by doctors. Zhang Zhan of

the Jin dynasty listed in his work Yang Sheng

Essentials of Health Preservation (Yao Ji) ten

essential practices, of which thrift of mentality,

preservation of Qi, conservation of constitution, and

Daoyin were all related to Qigong. Tao Hongjing of the

Northern and Southern dynasties recorded in his book,

Health Preservation and Longevity (Yang Sheng Yan Ming

Lu), many ancient Qigong methods and theories. In The

History of the Jin Dynasty (Jin Shu), there is an

account of doctor Xing Ling who became famous for

using outgoing Qi to cure a patient who had suffered

more than ten years from flaccidity arthralgia

syndrome. As a result of this success, many more

people became interested in medical Qigong.

 

Qigong was widely put into clinical application in the

Sui (A.D. 581-618) the Tang (A.D. 618-907) dynasties.

The books General Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms

of Diseases (Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun), Prescriptions

Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies (Bei Ji Qian Jin

YaoFang) and The Medical Secrets of Official (Wai Tai

Mi Yao) contain a wealth of Qigong therapies for

treating specific pathologies. The General Treatise on

the Cause and Symptoms of Diseases, records than 260

Qigong therapies, while Prescriptions Worth a Thousand

Gold for Emergencies, the Brahman Method of Indian

Massage and Laozi Massage are introduced in complete

form along with other Qigong Daoyin massage methods

for health preservation. Master Huan Zhen's Knacks in

Taking Qi (Huan Zhen Xian Sheng Fu Nei Zhi Qi Jue) of

the Tang dynasty describes the Pithy Formulae of Qi

Distribution, which introduces the essential

principles and techniques for emitting outgoing Qi.

 

During the period of the Song (A.D 960-1279), Jin

(A.D. 1115-1234), and Yuan (A.D 1271-1368) dynasties,

an upsurge of Daoist exercises for cultivating

spiritual energy Qigong began to merge with these

exercises giving rise to more sophisticated forms of

therapeutic Qigong. Within the book The Complete

Record of Holy Benevolence (Sheng Ji Zong Lu) is a

wealth of Qigong information. Many Qigong descriptions

can also be found in the works of the four eminent

physicians in the Jin and Yuan dynasties. Li Dongyuan

wrote in his book, Secret Record of the Chamber of

Orchids (Lan Shi Mi Cang), " Falling ill, the patient

should sit still at ease to replenish Qi. " Liu Wansu

mentioned, in his Etiology Based on Plain Questions

(Su Wen Xuan Ji Bing Yuan Shi), the application of the

Six Character Formulae in the treatment of diseases.

Zhu Zhenheng stated in his book, Danxi's Experiential

Therapy (Dan Xi Xin Fa), that " Patients with syncope,

flaccidity, or cold or heat syndrome due to stagnation

of Qi should be treated with Daoyin exercises. "

 

During the period of the Ming (A.D. 1368-1644) and

Qing (A.D.1644-1911) dynasties, doctors characterized

the development of Qigong by deeper mastery and wider

application. This enriched the medical books with

Qigong literature and data. Abundant Qigong

information was included in several influential books:

A Retrospective Collection of Medical Classics (Yi

Jing Su Hui Ji) by Wang Lu, Wanmizhai's Ten Categories

of Medical Works (Wan Mi Zhai Yi Shu Shi Zhong) by Wan

Quan, and The General Medicine of the Past and Present

(Gu Jin Yi Tong Da Quan) compiled by Xu Chunpu. The

great physician Li Shizhen stated definitively in his

book, A Study on the Eight Extra Channels (Qi Jing Ba

Mai Kao), that " The internal conditions and the

channels can only be perceived by those who can see

things by inward vision. " This famous thesis indicated

the relationship between Qigong and the channels and

collaterals.

 

Qigong has gained higher priority and more rapid

development since the founding of the People's

Republic of China. In 1955, a Qigong hospital was

established in Tangshan. During this time two

important books introduced exercises such as internal

cultivation, keep-fit, and many others, thus, giving

an impetus to the development of Qigong research

throughout the whole country. These books are The

Practice of Qigong Therapy (Liao Fa Shi Jian) written

by Liu Guizhen and Qigong and Keep-fit Qigong (Qi Gong

Ji Bao Jian Qi Gong) written by Hu Yaozhen.

 

Since 1978, medical workers and Qigong masters all

over China have made vigorous efforts to popularize

Qigong for health preservation and disease prevention.

Some scientists and technicians have not only studied

Qigong in terms of physiology, biochemistry, and

modern medicine, but they have also conducted

multi-disciplinary research efforts to analyze the

physical effect of outgoing Qi. A study on the nature

and essence of Qigong has thus been initiated, and

Qigong, as a new branch of science, has entered a

period of vigorous development. Qigong research

societies, hospitals and departments have been

established to research, teach and use Qigong. Qigong

practice and study have become commonplace throughout

China.

 

This article is excerpted from Practical TCM: Qigong

for Treating Common Ailments/The Essential Guide to

Self Healing, © 2000, by Xu Zangcai.

 

About The Author

 

Xu Xiangcai is President of the Great Wall

International College of TCM, Associate President of

Shandong University of National Culture, Standing

Deputy Director of the All-China Society of English

About TCM, and Professor at Shandong College of TCM.

He is the Chief Editor of all 21 volumes of " The

English-Chinese Encyclopedia of Practical Traditional

" . Xu Xiangcai resides in Jinan City, China.