General Theory of Qigong

On November 18, 1958, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, in its announcement on implementing policies related to traditional Chinese medicine, once again clearly pointed out: "Chinese medicine is a summary of the experience of the Chinese people in their fight against diseases over thousands of years." It contains rich experience in struggle and exquisite theoretical knowledge. It is a great treasure trove that must be diligently explored and improved. We must organize forces to study, research and sort it out seriously. In accordance with this instruction and its thorough implementation, all aspects related to traditional Chinese medicine should be diligently explored, sorted out and improved. Just as the instructions stated: "This is a major matter and should not be taken lightly." Qigong therapy is a part of the medical heritage of our motherland and also the most important one, as it encompasses the health care and preventive functions of "preventing diseases before they occur" and the therapeutic effects of "treating existing diseases". Especially, our ancestors attached the greatest importance to health care and prevention methods. The meaning of the saying "The best workers prevent diseases before they occur" can illustrate the concentration of this view, while treating "existing diseases" falls into the "lower ranks". Qigong therapy has both of these effects, so from ancient times to the present, many classic medical books and the writings of famous scholars throughout history have recorded a rich variety of qigong practice methods. They all attach great importance to these methods and list them as the primary part of their works. For instance, in the first volume of the Inner Classic, "The Ancient Theory of the True Nature", "The Great Theory of the Four Qi Regulating the Spirit", "The Theory of Qi Connecting Heaven", and "The True Discourse of the Golden Cabinet" are listed at the beginning, which fully demonstrates the degree of emphasis placed on them. It also praises the efficacy of Qigong, saying: "The mind is at ease and not afraid, the body is tired but not weary, the qi follows smoothly, each desires as they please, and all get what they want." This means that if one masters Qigong well, their mental capacity will be sound and their muscles and bones will be strong. Whether it is mental or physical labor, they can handle it happily and complete the tasks. At the same time, it places the greatest emphasis on the harmony between practice and nature, adaptation to the environment, and the study of feeding methods. Therefore, it advocates "enjoying the food, allowing it to be consumed freely, and taking pleasure in the customs." Judging from these documents, the history of Qigong is both long and rich, and its excavation and organization are no simple tasks. When it comes to the work of excavation, it is not comprehensive enough to only focus on the classics of the Taoist school. We also need to expand the area of excavation and make simultaneous efforts towards the classics of Taoism and Buddhism. The Qigong practices of these three schools each have their own strengths and weaknesses and their own purposes. Here is a brief review and an introduction to their main Outlines as follows: First, the medical classics and the works of various schools all account for significant sections on Qigong, but unfortunately, most of them are scattered and fragmented, lacking systematicness. The practice rhymes are also not comprehensive, which is its shortcoming. However, ancient physicians were mostly proficient in Qigong and could combine it with "medicine" and "taking bait" for clinical application. Therefore, the recorded literature could incorporate both elements, which is its advantage. Originally, the Qigong of our motherland originated from Taoism. The Qigong methods recorded in medical classics can be affirmed that they are not beyond the scope of Taoist practice. Therefore, it can be classified under the category of Taoism, and there is no need to comment separately on the advantages and disadvantages of its methods and approaches. The literature of medical practitioners has a very special advantage. That is, the ruling class and feudal emperors of successive dynasties used the Confucian doctrines of rites and teachings to restrain the progressive ideas of the people. At the same time, they listed medical practitioners as one of the nine schools, looked down upon medical practitioners and persecuted medicine. Especially for Qigong therapy, it was regarded as "heresy" and dealt a merciless blow. However, throughout history, renowned doctors have remained steadfast and have engaged in a long-term and continuous struggle against the reactionary class. Teachers have passed on their knowledge to their apprentices, and apprentices have passed it on to their grandsons. This tradition has been passed down through generations without interruption, and they have still held their ground and maintained their positions, preserving the academic tradition of master-apprentice transmission and the skills of clinical application, without being bound by the "Neo-Confucianism" in the slightest. Especially during the period when the "Neo-Confucianism" of the Song Dynasty was rampant, this great spirit was even more evident. At that time, open-minded scholar-officials like Su Dongpo instead ventured into the field of medicine, engaging in academic research on health preservation, baiting, and prescriptions. From this, one can see the noble qualities of medical practitioners throughout history. By carefully exploring the works of various schools and understanding their contents, one can find that they are entirely based on Taoist doctrines and have no trace of Confucian flavor. Although there are titles like "Confucian Family Affairs" and elegant terms like "Confucian Medicine", their contents still have nothing to do with Confucianism. This spirit of persisting in academic struggle After more than two thousand years of long-term struggle, traditional Chinese medicine has been able to be passed down to the present day. It is truly worth learning from. Otherwise, even the seeds we are engaged in today's excavation work would not be found. Second, the classic works on Qigong by the Dan Daoist school, as well as the individual opinions of various schools and sects, are indeed worthy of being called "rich and diverse" without a doubt. It has a complete theory of "creating non-action from action" and "cultivating one's destiny before nurturing one's nature", as well as a meticulous set of practice mnemonic rules for "dual cultivation of qi and meridians", "returning the elixir and restraining it internally", "breathing and guiding exercises", and "unobstructed movement and stillness". Whether it is "dynamic Qigong" or "static Qigong", both have systems, theories, sequences, methods, and there is another set of secret teachings for treating deviations in practice. There is also a set of nutritional theories that combine "practicing martial arts" with "taking bait", as well as a method of refining mercury by burning elixirs. Taking all this series of things into account, the theories and methods of "acting and non-acting" and "cultivating one's life and nature" all have a material basis. They are not only esoteric but also very much in line with scientific materialist viewpoints. The "qi meridians and collaterals" it refers to are very detailed physiological anatomy and also the unique theoretical basis of traditional Chinese medicine. If further improved from this, it may become an important factor surpassing the world level. The terms such as "introspection", "tranquility", "movement", and "entering a state of concentration" can be scientifically proven by Pavlov's theory. Although Pavlov's theory is not yet fully sufficient to explain this set of things at present, it has laid a foundation for our further research. For instance, isn't "foreknowledge" quite similar to what scientists call "predictive nerves"? For instance, the "Unobstructed supernatural power" is also quite similar to the "biological current" used by scientists to manipulate "mechanical hands". In conclusion, in the present, in the future, in the era of progressive science, these mysterious theocratic fortresses will surely be breached by the scientific army in the near future. As mentioned above, these are the advantages of the Dan Taoist School in Qigong therapy. It is reasonable and necessary for us to explore it for health preservation and treatment. And what about its disadvantages? The most serious is pessimism and world-weariness, evading reality, being detached from production, and even being exploited by some people under the guise of superstition, promoting the aim of becoming an immortal, while burying its essential superiority instead. Secondly, it is extremely conservative and kept confidential, which has caused unlimited losses to the development of Qigong therapy. Secondly, sectarianism is very strong. They each established their own paths, excluded each other, and were unable to communicate with one another. They worked together to promote the development of Qigong and serve the broad masses of the people. As for the comparison between the Taoist and Buddhist schools in terms of Qigong, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. In my immature opinion, when it comes to exercising the muscles, bones, internal organs and aiming to cure diseases and prolong life, Buddhism is not as good as Taoism. Especially when it comes to the combination of practicing martial arts and taking medicine and bait, Taoism is superior. When it comes to "practicing qi" and "cultivating meridians", the methods of Taoism are meticulous and complete, and do not deviate from the material basis. They establish various practice instructions, which are more practical than the "visualizing chakras" method of Buddhism and more meticulous and rigorous than breathing methods such as "bottle qi". In summary, when it comes to all the methods of "dynamic exercises", the various mnemonic rules of breathing and guiding, as well as the integration of martial arts and medicinal nourishment, Taoism is the best choice. Thirdly, Buddhist qigong and breathing exercises, such as the Bodhidharma Yi Jin Jing of the Shaolin School, the Six Wonderful Methods of the Tiantai School, the Vajra Fist, the Treasure Bottle Qi, and the Nine Levels of Wind of the Tibetan Esoteric School, are all excellent ways to exercise the muscles, bones, and internal organs. However, Buddhism does not attach much importance to this kind of exercise. The so-called method of "cultivating one's life" holds that the physical body is a "stinking body" with no significance, but rather emphasizes the "quiet practice" of "seeing one's nature", always aiming at "attaining Buddhahood". Especially in the "Chan School", this theory is particularly valued. The so-called "Mahayana" teachings stress this statement and viewpoint, with a very profound idealist philosophy and a method of "entering a state of samadhi", emphasizing transcending the three realms. Enter and exit the human world without hindrance. Therefore, when it comes to "static practice", Buddhism is superior to Taoism. Despite this, we should view it from a dialectical perspective. The so-called "Buddhahood" in the Mahayana teachings has been scientifically proven to be absurd. We should adopt a critical attitude towards it. For ordinary practitioners, we can completely ignore it. However, it is in line with materialist dialectics for us to admit the existence of the so-called "department of existence". Therefore, all the methods of the "Hinayana" and "Two Vehicles" in Buddhism, especially the foundation of "static practice", which we apply for treatment and health preservation, are in line with scientific principles. However, the so-called "Four Dhyana and Eight Samadhi" and similar methods, from a purely religious perspective, in terms of the practice of "samadhi", when religious people use them as their means to "transcend birth and death", although they have their own idealist system, that is another matter. If we apply these methods to treatment and health care, to be more polite, they are "too sophisticated", and to be more straightforward, it turns out that there is no need to adopt them. Let's make a count. If we count on our fingers, the "physical bodies" of some senior masters with profound Zen skills mostly do not meet the health standards, which is sufficient to prove that my opinion is well-grounded. Based on the above summary, the advantages of the Buddhist "quiet practice", by applying its basic method of "entering a state of tranquility" for treatment and health preservation, can enable people to concentrate their minds and not be distracted during practice, truly achieving the purpose of rest. From the perspectives of physiology and psychology, the so-called "state of tranquility" is in line with scientific logic. Summarizing the above three opinions, we have a concept of the Qigong therapies of Buddhism, Taoism and medicine. Of course, one has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each. By grasping the principle of "taking the essence and discarding the dross", one can apply it very flexibly. Some diseases should be treated with "dynamic Qigong", some with "static Qigong", and some with a combination of both. Among the dynamic and static Qigong, there are distributions of 30% to 70%, 40% to 60%, and 20% to 80%. In clinical diagnosis and treatment, it should be considered appropriately and applied symptomatically to avoid the problem of "learning from the past but being stuck in it", and to meet the requirements of exploration, organization, inheritance, and improvement. Finally, I solemnly state once again that my opinion is immature. The methods I have written are very superficial and have omitted a lot. However, I will only introduce what I know and can do. For the other brilliant things or methods I am not familiar with, I do not wish to rashly copy scriptures to fill up the space. I will study and research them further and introduce them in the future. Excerpted from: Zhou Qianchuan, "Qigong Medicinal Bait Therapy and Deviation Surgery for Treatment"