Qigong

Qigong (氣功 - qi4 gong1) (ch'i kung in Wade-Giles) is an ancient part of Chinese medicine, based on Chinese religion and philosophy. Qigong is based on the traditional Chinese medical belief that the body has an energy field, known as Qi. Qigong is the art of managing Qi in one's body to achieve good health.

Qigong has a very long history in China. The written records are as old as 5,000 years, and the relics date back at least 7,000 years. Numerous books have been written about Qigong during the five thousand year long history of China. The development of Chinese Qigong can be divided into three periods:

In ancient China, people came to believe that through certain body movements and mental concentration, combined with various breathing techniques, they could adjust physical and mental functions.These movements were often based on the imitation of various animals as part of shamanic practices. This set of teachings was passed down according to lineage or apprenticeship. This accumulated body of traditional knowledge is known as Chinese traditional Qigong.
In later centuries, these practices merged with religious belifs. For example, incense burning was originally used to measure time and also to repel insects during Qigong practice, yet then became an important part of the religious ritual. Over time, new forms of Qigong were created and passed down through Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian, Medical, Martial Arts.
In the 1970s some medical researchers began studying Qigong using the scientific method, with peer-reviewed, controlled studies of various techniques.

Today millions of people in China and around the world regularly practice Qigong.

Medical Qigong treatment has been officially recognized as a standard medical technique in Chinese hospitals since 1989. It has been included in the curriculum of major universities in China.

There are thousands of different forms, methods or styles of Qigong. For example "Yan Xin Qigong" [1], a refined method of Qigong, has become one of the widely accepted methods; users of this technique claim that it is effective.

Yan Xin, founder of Yan Xin Qigong, believes that in order for Qigong to be accepted by the modern world it must pass the test of scientific study. Without peer-reviewed, controlled studies, Qigong will be dismissed as "superstition". In the mid- 1980s he and others began systematic study of Qigong in someresearch institutions in China. More than 20 papers have been published.

After years of heated debate, the Chinese government finally decided to officially manage Qigong through government regulations in 1996 and has also listed Qigong as part of the National Health Plan.

Table of contents

1 Beliefs
2 See also
3 External links

Beliefs

In Qigong, human mind and nature are inseparable. According to this philosophy, the goal is to access high energy, matter, and information of life through the principle of accumulating De. Accumulating "De" could be described as a process in which one harmonizes with the universe by positive and virtuous thinking and behavior.

The level of an individual's Qigong accomplishment is fundamentally dependent upon the level of one's De. Therefore in Qigong, the practitioner's focus on virtue is an extremely important technical requirement, especially in the advanced level of Qigong. Without such continuous cultivation of De, one will not be able to achieve a highly relaxed and tranquil mind/body state which is the fundamental requirement of Qigong practice. Therefore, one must develop new thinking and approaches based on the characteristics and nature of Qi in order to advance the De, the science of human being and universe as One.