2022-9-10 COUNTDOWN
00
D
00
H
00
M
00
S
location: Frist page Training Interpretation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory on Health Qigong · Yi Jin Jing (Ⅳ)
2018-09-13
Interpretation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory on Health Qigong · Yi Jin Jing (Ⅳ)


The Eighth Routine: “Three Plates Falling on the Floor”

This routine contains larger amplitude of lower limb activities and requires upper limb to coordinate accordingly, so as to regulate the internal Qi activity with ascending and descending movements of the body.

It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that, Qi can be divided into four basic modes of motion: ascending, descending, incoming and outgoing. The ascending, descending, incoming and outgoing of Qi are essential for human life. The human body’s congenital Qi, Qi from water and cereals and clear Qi inhaled from the nature must be spread throughout the body by ascending, descending, incoming and outgoing to play their physiological functions. The physiological activities of the human body’s zang and fu organs, channels and collaterals, forms and orifices must be done by depending on the movements of Qi. Su Wen · Liu Wei Zhi Da Lun said, “If incoming and outgoing cease, then the transformation of the shen-spirit dies out; if ascending and descending are no more, then Qi becomes isolated and in danger. Therefore, if there is no incoming and outgoing, then there is nothing that gives birth, grows, becomes strong, grows old, or dies; if there is no ascending and descending, then there is no generation, growth, transformation, collection, or storage.” which shows the importance of Qi activity for human life. This routine appears three ups and three downs and gradually increases the squat strength to harmonize Qi activity of zang and fu organs, ascend and descend accordingly, descend Qi of heart and lung, ascend Qi of liver and kidney, appropriately hinge Qi of spleen and stomach, thus promoting the intersection of heart and kidney, the smoothness of Qi activity of liver and lung, and the steady ascending and descending of spleen and stomach.

This routine regulates internal Qi activity during the process of rise and fall of the movements, exhales turbid Qi and inhales clear Qi from the nature, completes air exchange with the nature, and facilitates the strengthening of physiological activities in the human body.

This routine fully utilizes the strength of the limbs. The palms are just as if bearing heavy loads when squatting and just as if raising a very heavy weight when lifting the body, which has the function of strengthening internal Qi. It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that, the spleen governs the limbs, so the exercise of the limbs can strengthen the spleen function. In addition, the sound “Hai” is pronounced simultaneously when doing squatting position, so as to lower Qi to Dantian through sound guiding Qi.


The Ninth Routine: “Black Dragon Displaying Its Claws”

“Black Dragon” in the name of this routine is one of four direction gods in ancient China, which is located in the east. It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that, the liver is subsumed to wood in the five elements, which fits for the east on the direction and fits for black on the color, thus this routine is mainly designed for the liver.

It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that, the liver governs free coursing and stores blood, is the unyielding viscus and the organ of general that has vigorous nature, aversion to depression and preference for free development and smoothness. This routine is based on the physical characteristics of the liver to facilitate the alternate tightening, relaxing, opening and closing of both flanks through turning-back, right and left claw-displaying and forward-bending movements of the body. From the channels and collaterals of traditional Chinese medicine point of view, the liver meridian is distributed in the flanks, so the exercise of the flanks can have the effect of soothing the liver, regulating the flow of Qi and lighting the emotion.

Viewing from the relationship between the liver and the body, it is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that, the liver is closely connected with the tendons. The right and left claw-displaying of this routine enables the tendons to be fully stretched, which is conducive to the exercise of liver channel and enhance its physiological function. The movement requires the eyesight follows the “claw”, the mind concentrates on the center of the “claw”, thus making spirit concentrate on posture and Qi follow the posture to guide the stretching and circulation of liver Qi.  

In this routine, both fists are clenched and thrust alternately affixed to Zhangmen Acupoint, which can play the effects of stretching spleen earth by dint of liver Qi. Zhangmen Acupoint is the acupoint of liver channel, the influential point of viscera of the eight influential points, the front-mu point of spleen, and the gather place of vital essence of the spleen. As “the five zang organs are endowed with the spleen”, the spleen is the postnatal foundation and source for the production and transformation of essence, Qi, blood and body fluid. Thus, this routine withdraws the fist at Zhangmen after turning the body, right and left claw-displaying, converts the spleen earth by dint of free coursing and free development of liver Qi, and strengthens the physiological functions of source for the production and transformation of Qi and blood of spleen and stomach.


The Tenth Routine: “Tiger Springing on Its Prey”

The movement of this routine contains larger activity strength, the limbs, trunk, waist, back and neck are required to have corresponding coordinated movements. This posture imitates the state of tiger springing on its prey, not only imitates its form but also catches its expression. From the perspective of the Channel Theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the movement of bending with contra-arch waist and back has very good stretching exercise effect on Ren Channel of the human body. Ren Channel belongs to one of the eight extra channels. It starts from Baozhong and comes out from perineum, extends the midline of chest and abdomen to throat, passes through the cheek and enters the infraorbital region. Ren Channel is the sea of Yin channels, which commands Qi of Yin channels of the whole body. This routine allows Ren Channel to be stretched and nourished through posture of tiger pouncing, body titled backward, stretching of chest and abdomen, and then further harmonizes channel qi of three Yin channels of hands and feet.

From the perspective of zang and fu organs, this routine contains waist and back arching and chest and abdomen stretching movements, thus having a better massage effect on the five zang and six fu organs and with the features of regulating zang and fu organs functions on the whole. In addition, the movement of “springing on its prey” is required to set on the ground with “tiger claw”, and gradually slump the waist, square the shoulder, raise the head and make the eyes glare to embody the power of the tiger, so as to stimulate the free development of liver Qi and regulate Qi activity through free coursing of liver Qi. This routine contains larger intensity of waist exercise, which can strengthen waist and kidney, improve activity functions of the waist and leg muscles, and strengthen waist and leg.


The Eleventh Routine: “Bowing Down in Salutation”

This routine focuses on forward-bending and backward-stretching movements. In forward-bending, the spinal column from the neck stretches and bends forward like a hook; in backward-stretching, the caudal vertebra stretches upward segment by segment. Therefore, this routine has good exercise effect on the spinal column. It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that, the spinal column is the main running route of Du Channel. Du Channel starts from Baozhong and comes out from perineum, passes through coccygeal and ascents along spinal column, enters into the brain when arrives at Fengchi Acupoint at the back of the neck, passes through the top of the head, forehead, nose along the midline of the head and ends at Yinjiao Acupoint. Du Channel governs Qi of Yang channels of the whole body, has a regulation effect on Qi and blood of Yang channels of the whole body, hence it is also known as the “sea of Yang channels”. This routine has strong pertinence, focusing on exercise of spinal column to achieve the effect of dredging Du Channel. The smoothness of Du Channel of spinal column can mobilize channel Qi of the whole body, full of Yang qi and energy, thus achieving good effect of improving physical fitness.

The movements of waist bending and forward-bending of this routine effectively stretch the bladder meridian of foot Taiyang, which not only facilitates the dredging of channel Qi of the back and the lower limbs, but also has certain prevention and control functions on various kinds of zang-fu and lower limb diseases.

The body-bending movement of this routine has very good compression and massage effects on abdomen and can enhance the spleen and stomach functions and prevent digestive system diseases. This routine reinforces the waist exercise and plays the function of strengthening waist muscles, reinforcing the kidney and consolidating the renal essence. Its “sounding the heavenly drums” movement stimulates neck acupoint behind the head, which has the effects of awaking the brain, improving hearing and eliminating brain fatigue.


The Twelfth Routine: “Swinging the Tail”

This routine stresses on the exercise of waist Mingmen and coccygeal, guides Qi activity of the whole body stretched in the movements of the aforesaid routines back to Dantian. This routine utilizes Mingmen to extrude towards Dantian of lower abdomen by body forward-bending and waist-slumping, thus to guide Qi back to Dantian; as well as regulates Ren and Du channels by head-lifting and swinging the tail towards the right and left; and guides Qi activity of the whole body back to Dantian by looking into the coccygeal and coordination of the head and the tail, and thus playing a role of enriching the primordial Qi and reinforcing the healthful Qi. Qi of the whole body becomes abundant and fluent due to plentiful Qi of Ren and Du channels, thus making the entire body inspired and refreshed after exercise.

Closing Form

The purpose of the closing form is to further regulate Qi activity surged by exercise and guide Qi back to Dantian. The movements of the closing form are leisurely to make Qi go back to Dantian of the lower abdomen through upward closing and downward guiding movement of the upper limbs. After the first and second times of both hands collecting and guiding Qi downward to the abdomen, the mind should be used to continue to guide Qi to descend through Yongquan Acupoint of the centers of feet and downward to the ground, thus to balance Qi activity of the whole body, and the last time of both hands collecting and guiding Qi downward to Dantian of the abdomen, the mind should follow the movements of both hands. Hold mind concentration for a while and make Qi go back to Dantian, so that the whole body can enter serenity and relaxation, clam Qi and keep the spirit serene, the exercise is ended.

(By Zhang Wenchun, Bao Xiaolei)

COMMENT
Posted
HealthQigong
International Health Qigong Federation: All rights Record:京ICP备15050301号 京公网安备 11010102002746号