The secret Taoist health-preserving and body-strengthening technique of China - Wudang Zushi Gong

The Secret Taoist Art of Health Preservation and Strengthening in China - Wudang Ancestral Master's Skill I. Preface The Wudang Ancestral Master's Skill belongs to the secret Taoist art of health preservation and strengthening. It is an internal martial art that combines internal and external cultivation and integrates movement and stillness. This ancient martial art is rarely circulated throughout the country, and its origin cannot be traced in detail. It is said that over a hundred years ago, in the west of Fancheng near Wudang Mountain in Jun County, Hubei Province (now Danjiangkou City), there was a small town called Zhuxiaopu. In the town, there was a pharmacy, and in the pharmacy, there was a servant named Xiong Chu. This man was taciturn but possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, yet the world knew nothing about his background. There were often patients with tuberculosis who came to the store for medical treatment. When doctors couldn't cure them, Xiong Chu would treat them on their behalf. Once they were treated, all of them would recover miraculously. Xiong Chu also passed on a set of practice methods to the patient. After the patient practiced them, not only did his body become stronger and stronger, but over time, his body could withstand external force attacks. Many people were astonished and asked him what kind of martial art this was. He said, "This martial art was passed down from the True Martial Patriarch of Wudang Mountain. I don't know which generation it has been in my hands. Anyway, when my master bestowed the skill upon me, he said it was called the Wudang Patriarch Skill." Xiong Chu later passed on this set of martial arts techniques in its entirety to a boxing master named Sun Hongbin in Sunjiaying near Zhuxiaopu. In 1917, Mr. Zhang Ziye was studying at Lumen Middle School in Xiangyang. Due to tuberculosis, he was unable to continue his studies. To treat his illness, he became a disciple of the renowned martial arts master, Mr. Sun Hongbin, and learned this set of Wudang ancestral skills. After exercising, not only did I recover from my illness, but I also became physically strong. Mr. Zhang Ziye has been persistently practicing and has rarely suffered from serious illnesses. His entire abdominal muscles and inner abdominal wall are solid and can withstand external blows. Even when several strong young men hit his abdomen with heavy punches and kicks, he remained unharmed. Mr. Zhang Ziye passed away in 1988 at the age of 89. This set of exercises was compiled by Mr. Yang Guoyou, the chairman of the Anlu Wushu Association, in 1987 when Mr. Zhang Ziye was awarded the title of National Healthy Senior Citizen by the State Sports Commission, in order to do a good job in the exploration and organization of wushu Qigong, based on Mr. Zhang Ziye's account. More than ten years have passed, but no author has written about this skill in any martial arts journal. So I sorted it out and took photos of the technique to present to the various readers of "Chinese Martial Arts". This exercise method was once strongly guided by Mr. Yang Guoyou. My good friend Zhu Chaobin demonstrated the movements together. I would like to express my gratitude to both of them here! 2. Efficacy <e:1> (1) Through the practice of this exercise, one can prevent and treat diseases, strengthen the body, and prevent many chronic diseases. <s:1> (2) Anti-aging and longevity: Most people who have practiced the Wudang Ancestral Master Gong can enjoy a long life. Mr. Sun Hongbin himself lived to be 92 years old, and Mr. Zhang Ziye lived to be 89. After the completion of the practice, the waist and abdomen can withstand a relatively large external impact, and the practice will never disappear after the practice is completed. Chapter 3: Key Points of Practicing <s:1> (1) Proceed step by step. The Wudang Zushi Gong consists of twenty-one handles (a term in qigong that refers to movements and postures, also known as shi Zi or Shi Zi). After practicing each handle for two days, a new one is added. Emphasize starting from the easy to the difficult. Pai chui (that is, hitting with fists in a row) also starts from light to heavy and from bottom to top. Heavier at the bottom and lighter at the top, from less to more. When massaging, apply more weight to the abdomen and less to the ribs. Before performing the "pai Chi", first use your fingers to detect the depth of the kung fu and the area it reaches. You can only perform the "pai Chi" below the kung fu, not above it. If the sound of the "pai Chi" is solid and crisp, increase the intensity; if it is empty like the sound of a drum, perform it lightly. This gradual and step-by-step approach enables practitioners to unconsciously increase the intensity of their exercise, enhance their body's ability to withstand blows, and thus their skills deepen day by day. Youdaoplaceholder7 (2) overall exercise. The scope of training for Wudang Zushi Gong is comprehensive. From top to bottom, from left to right, and from inside out, all the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, bones, internal organs and the nervous system of the body are exercised. Youdaoplaceholder4 (3) The technique is special. When practicing martial arts, one neither focuses the mind on the dantian nor sinks the qi there. Instead, one emphasizes that the qi does not sink but sinks itself, and the mind does not concentrate but remains concentrated. In this way, the purpose of regulating the mind, breath, spirit and spirit is achieved naturally. Many people only focus on the contraction of the abdominal muscles and internal organs to make the qi sink. In fact, it involves the sinking of the mind, qi and blood, and strength. It has a greater effect and a wider range than regulating the mind, and there will be no deviation. Youdaoplaceholder4 (4) Cultivate both inner and outer qualities. On the basis of overall exercise, internal cultivation and external training are carried out to enhance the body's resistance and repair capabilities, achieving dual cultivation both internally and externally. Youdaoplaceholder7 (5) Each hand should be more forceful and inflexibly to increase the amount of exercise and the effect. Such as the Tiger Claw Posture, Golden Thread Movement, Carrying a sword in the Clouds, Piercing the Top of the Sky, carrying a spear in the Clouds, and the Thousand-jin Fall, all adopt this method. 4. Names of the Exercises <e:1> The complete set of exercises consists of twenty-one handles and one cap. The names of the <s:1> exercises are listed below: <e:1> (1) Hat - Golden Thread Manipulation. Before practicing each move, perform a golden thread movement once, and thus it is called a hat. Youdaoplaceholder7 (2) The handle refers to the posture and movement of each exercise. 1. Piercing the Shoulder, 2. Locking the Throat, 3. Waist Point, 4. Locking the rib, 5. Carrying the Sword in Yunli, 6. Keeping the Hand Pulse level and straight, 7. Piercing the Top of Tiantai, 8. Carrying the Spear in Yunli, 9. Keeping the step, 10. 11. Weaving Girl Crossing the River, 12. Tail, 13. Spine, 14. Golden Pendant, 15. Nine-step Squatting, 16. Top Practice, 17. Breath Practice, 18. Holding the Pearl, 19. Immortal Sitting in Meditation, 20. Sitting Silently in the Dantian, 21. Total Practice. For each bunch, first make a hat, then make the bunch seven times. In total, make the hat seven times and the bunch forty-nine times. Each round should be practiced for two days, with a new round added once. Practice in the above order one by one, and complete the additional round within forty-two days. Every time a new hand is added, both the old and the new are practiced together. 5. Illustration of the Exercise Method <e:1> (1) Hat - Golden Thread Manipulation <e:1> 1. Stand naturally, with your head on top, the upper and lower parts of your body in a straight line, your eyes looking straight ahead, your mouth slightly closed, the tip of your tongue touching the upper palate, your chest in, your arms pulled out, your shoulders relaxed and your elbows lowered, and your hands half-clenched into fists hanging at your sides (Figure 1). 2. With both hands forming tiger claws and bending upwards with the palms facing down, two tigers pounce inward and bend their fingers towards each other (Figure 2). Starting from the front of the lower abdomen, straighten the two arms and press them down to the instep of the feet (Figure 3). Turn the fingers of the two claws forward and pull the toes along the legs as if pulling an object. Slowly pull them up to the dantian, then turn them to the left and right and separate them. Repeat the fists and stop at the waist. 3. Transform your fists into claws, bend your fingers together, and stretch your arms straight up to the Yintang point (Figure 4). Shift your palms and pat the outer side of your thighs from left to right and downward, then punch your chest (the upper part of your breasts) with your fists (Figure 5). 4. Then, place both hands as claws below the dantian, with the claws facing each other and the palms facing down (Figure 6); Straighten both hands and raise them to the Yintang point. Then, turn the PAWS into palms and rotate them downward, then flip the palms into fists with the fists facing up. Quickly throw them in front of the dantian, and the two fists will touch each other. At the same time, lean the upper body forward, contract the abdominal muscles and let the qi sink (Figure 7). Key points of the technique: Lean your upper body slightly, draw in and lower your abdominal muscles, rotate your fists inward and throw them rapidly to the dantian. All movements should be coordinated and performed simultaneously. Chapter (2) Holding the arms Chapter 1. Crossing the shoulders: Stand naturally with your palms touching your chest (Figure 8). Make a fist with the left hand and strike it straight to the left. Make a fist with the right hand and bend the elbow to the right as if drawing a bow, at shoulder level (Figure 9). The movements on the right are the same. <s:1> 2. Choke; Stand naturally, shake your right foot, step on your left foot and take a step to the left. Place the right hand as a claw on the left shoulder side, the left claw at the left back of the right waist, with the palm facing backward (Figure 10). Turn your upper body 180 degrees to the right with your toes as the axis, and then place your left shoulder on the right side. The left and right rotations are the same, and they form lunges with each other. 3. Waist Point: Stand naturally. Place your right hand with your palm raised in the upper right corner and your left hand with your palm bent in the lower right corner and press rapidly. At the same time, lean your upper body forward, contract your abdominal muscles, and the lower abdominal diaphragm and qi and blood will sink along with the vigorous press of your left hand (Figure 11). With the left hand raised and the right hand bent, quickly press down to the lower left in the same direction as the left, but in the opposite direction. 4. Locking the Ribs: The movement is the same as that of the waist point, except that the palm is changed into a fist. When moving to the left, the heart of the left fist faces down and the eye of the right fist faces up (Figure 12). The way to move to the right is the same, but the fist movements are opposite. 5. Carrying a Sword in the Clouds: Shake your right foot, take a step to the left with your left foot, and form a tiger's claw with the palms facing down and about seven centimeters apart. Move from the right waist to the upper right of the navel, and then quickly and forcefully press down to the left with both PAWS (Figure 13). After crossing the navel with both PAWS, move them to the left and back at 180 degrees, shoulder-height, to form a left step. The movement to the right is the same as that to the left. <s:1> 6. Flat and straight hand pulse: Stand naturally, take a step forward with your left foot, and at the same time form tiger claws with both hands, bend your fingers together, and push your palms forward forcefully (Figure 14); Pull your PAWS to the sides of your chest with force, and at the same time, pull your left leg back and bring it closer to your right leg. The movement on the right is the same as that on the left. Key points: Push and pull with both hands simultaneously with both legs, and make sure your hands and feet are in harmony. The opening and closing, relaxation and expansion of the chest and abdomen can exercise them. Chapter 7: Tiantai Guan Ding: Stand with your toes close together in an inverted eight shape, bend your legs, and bring your knees close together. Cross your hands above your head (Figure 15), and bend your upper body to the left and right as much as possible but do not lean forward or backward. It serves to practice martial arts and strengthen the waist. 8. Carrying a gun in the clouds: The hands, legs and feet are the same as those on the rooftop, but the waist is twisted to the left, right and back to look behind (Figure 16). <s:1> 9. Step forward: Take a step to the left with the left foot, bend the left leg to form a left lunge, and cross the hands above the top of the head (Figure 17); Bend your body to the left, but do not lean forward or backward. The movement on the right is the same as that on the left. <s:1> 10. Ascending step: The movement is the same as the flat step, but when moving left and right, the toes are raised. When the upper body bends to the left, the toes of the left foot are raised; when the upper body bends to the right, the toes of the right foot are raised. <s:1> 11. The Weaver Girl Crossing the River: Her horse stance is slightly wider than her shoulders. Her left hand wraps around her head three times (clockwise), and her right hand wraps around her right chest three times inward (counterclockwise)(Figure 18). After completing three rounds, the hands form tiger claws facing each other like crab claws, and the body turns 180 degrees to the left and back to form a left lunge. Turn your upper body to the right and return to its original position. The right side has the same movement as the previous one, but in the opposite direction. Step 12, Tail: Take a big step forward to the left with your left foot. Make a fist with your right hand and strike it in an arc from the side of your right hip towards the inner side of your left foot. Make a fist with your left hand and place it behind your left hip (Figure 19). The movement on the right is the same as that on the left, but the posture is the opposite. <s:1> 13. Spine: Stand naturally, with the right foot one step forward compared to the left foot. Make fists with both hands, connecting the left front and right back, with the fist eyes facing forward and the fists raised. Bend both wrists upwards to form a fist center facing upwards. Stretch out both hands straight and press down with both fists all the way to the tip of the right foot (Figure 20). The left side moves the same, but the left foot is placed in front of the right toe, which is different. Chapter 14: The Thousand Gold Pendant: The movement is the same as that of the spine trunk, but it is practiced from the front of the right foot to the middle of the left palm, that is, half of the area. The right side is the same as the left. 15. Nine-step squat: Take a big step forward to the left with the left foot to form a lunge: Raise both hands as claws above the head and stretch the waist: Bend both claws forward to the left along with the body and lunge down to the sides of the left toe, doing the same on the right and left. Chapter 16: Toppling work: Place a wooden board at an Angle at the base of the wall and put a cloth pad on it. On the wooden board above the head, lean and straighten the whole body, place both hands on the back, lick the upper palate with the tongue, and press hard onto the top of the head. When your mouth is full of saliva, swallow it slowly and hold for 1 to 2 minutes before standing up. Make the hat once and then put it on again, for a total of seven times. The duration should be adjusted according to each person's physical strength, gradually increasing without forcing (people with high blood pressure should not do this). <s:1> 17. Breathing Exercise: Make a fist with your left hand and place it on the ground. Lie on your side with your whole body straight so that your center of gravity is on the left fist. Place your right hand on the right side and raise it up (Figure 21). Lean your head and upper body down close to the ground, and keep your lips close to your left fist. It's not easy for beginners to do this. The right foot can be placed in front of the leg, and the head and upper body can be tilted down appropriately. Don't force it. Switch to the right fist for practice. (Note: This movement is actually a one-handed supine support.) <s:1> 18. Holding the pearl: Take a half-step to the left front with the left foot to form a virtual step, and raise both hands with sword fingers facing each other at the same height as the Yintang point (Figure 22). Retreat the left foot into a horse stance with the knee bent, and press and support with both hands. Start light and gradually increase the weight. The right side is the same, except that the right foot retreats forward into a horse stance. 19. Meditation for immortals: Two wooden stakes are planted in front and cross a stick, about four fingers high and two feet wide. A stool is placed at the back, and the person sits on the stool with both feet stretched under the horizontal stick. Place both hands on the lower abdomen, raise the upper body and tilt the head back about two inches above the ground. <S:1> 20. Sitting in silence on the dantian: Sitting in silence on the Dantian, the equipment is the same as above, except that when leaning back, clap your palms behind your back, and when sitting up, clap your palms in front. <s:1> 21. General Practice: Stand naturally, clench both fists, with the left fist at the bottom and the right fist at the top, both fists facing upwards. Extend both fists straight down while bending the upper body backward, and alternate between the two fists up and down. <s:1> Completion of work: Revert to parallel steps (Figure 24), all work is completed. Youdaoplaceholder4 (Note: This exercise diagram omits those that are easy to explain in words and easy for readers to understand and practice. It is not a case of using diagrams to annotate every movement.) For details, please refer to the third issue of "Chinese Martial Arts".