To Guide Exercise by Applying Yin and Yang Theory

As a simple theory of unity of opposites in ancient China, the Yin (negative) and Yang (positive) theory belongs to the materialism and dialectics categories in ancient China. The original connotations of Yin and Yang theory is simple, which originally referred to towards and opposite to sun and thereby got their names Yang and Yin separately. Then, the concepts are expounded as climatic warmth and coldness, position such as above and below, left and right, inside and outside as well as motion status like restless and tranquil, etc. Chinese philosophizers in ancient time realized that all phenomena in nature held a mutually opposite and functionary relationship. So, they explained the substance situation of the two kinds of mutually opposite and mutual growth and deduction with the concept of Yin and Yang theory and further thought that world is a unity of substance and the world itself was the result of the unity of opposite by Yin and Yang.

The theory of Yin and Yang thinks the opposite matters in nature is mutual interactive in motion instead of being actionless. The interaction between Yin and Yang is called “Yin Yang Jiao Gan” and is also called “Yin Yang Xiang Tui” and “Yin Yang Xiang Gan”. The four kinds of expressions of the opposite and restriction, interdependent and mutually promoting, balance between growth and Deduction as well as mutual transformation from Yin Yang Jiao Gan consists of the contracted motion of Yin and Yang, which reflects the basic law of the change of Yin and Yang motion and is the basic contents of the theory of Yin and Yang.

The three regulations of Health Qigong (body regulation, breath regulation and mind regulation) all contain the knowledge principal of the Yin and Yang theory. For example, concerning the Wei Tuo Presenting the Pestles 2 in Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing, in the relaxing action process after two seated wrists of the two palms prop up outside with strength exerted, a lifting elbow action of mildly sunk combining move a half circle is added for the purpose of let the firm and tightening forced by two palms change into softness gradually rather than make it loosen abruptly. Take another example, the protraction process by applying inner power in the movement of displaying paw-style palms like a white cranes spreading its wings requires firstly to exert less power like pushing window and then exert great power like removing mountains and finally practice like ebb tide. These body regulation movements all applied the motion transformation law of the Yin Tang Growth and Deduction of the Yin and Yang theory. We still take the movement for example, the mutually pulling balance between the pushing forwards by two hands and the leaning afterwards by lumbar spinal cord and the vertical movement of spinal columns through the support upwards by two hands and the movement of crouch by two feet downwards in the third movements all reflect the opposite paradoxical movement of the Yin and Yang theory of the movement of body regulation with interacted going forwards and walking backwards, upwards and downwards.

The Health Qigong breath theory considers inhaling as Yang and exhaling as Yin(for example, the pressing expiration tone of “hey” in three Plates Dropping Movement is Yin and lifting Weight through inhaling is Yang);Preserving Qi can dispel cold while exhale foul smell can clear heat; a person with overabundance of Yang is suitable for the mind concentration of exhaling, prolonging exhaling time or slightly pause after exhaling; to the contrary, a person with overabundance of Yin is suitable for the mind concentration of inhaling, prolonging inhaling time or slightly pause after inhaling.

The idea activity in the theory of mind regulation in the Health Qigong can also be classified into Yin and Yang. Concerning the contents of mind concentration, those ideas of thinking movement and fire are Yang; however, the ideas thinking silence and water are Yin. The person of Yang is suitable for the mind concentration of Yin and the person of Yin, the mind concentration of Yang. Concerning the position of mind concentration, the ideas located above or rising from below are Yang and the ideas located below or decreasing from above is Yin.(for example, in Wei Tuo Presenting the Pestle 3, the mind concentration viewing and infusing tow palms in holding up is Yang and the movement of looking down is Yin.)For those who want to tonify and promote Yang, the mind concentration should be upwards to safeguard Baihui acupoint and ophryon; to the contrary, the mind concentration downward can safeguard perineum and Yongquan acupuncture point. Main and collateral channels can also be classified as Yin channel and Yang Channel. The mind concentration of Yang channel can support Yang and the mind concentration of Yin channel can benefit Yin.

From above cases, we can see the application of the Health Qigong theory and practice of the Yin Yang theory. Thereby, it has an important role for understanding and grasping the essentials of exercising means through the analysis of the exercising means of the Health Qigong in a sense of the Yin and Yang theory.

(By Jian Cui)