Tse Qigong Centre UK

PO Box 59
Altrincham WA15 8FS
0845 838 2285
+44 161 929 4485
tse@qimagazine.com

If there is anything you want to discuss, if there is anything you want to share with
others, any news or any announcements you would like to make, send them to us:
Qi Magazine, PO Box 116, Manchester M20 3YN.

Its Official!
Wild Goose in Top Ten
Chinese National Athletics Chairman
Wu Shao Zin announced the issuing of
certificates for healthy types of Qigong
Exercise. On the 5 th of October 1998, at the
Wushu Management Centre, the Chairman of
the Chinese National Athletic Association
Wu Shao Zin issued certificates for the
following Qigong exercises (listed
alphabetically);
Chinese Intelligence Gong
Dayan Qigong
Empty Spirit Gong
Enlightening Gong
Guo Lin New Qigong
Happy and Lucky Gong
Heart Gong
Ma Li Tang Six Words Method
Pan Mountain Yin Yang Gong
Yan Xin Qigong
Yuan Ji Gong
These were issued in accordance with
findings of the Chinese National Publicity
Dept and the Chinese National Athletics
Dept for Controlling and managing Qigong
information and spirit in society.
The National Athletics Committee
for The Management of Healthy Qigong
Exercises held a meeting to discuss the rules
of selection. They also conducted research in

The Certificate presented to Dayan Qigong and

Grandmaster Yang Meijun

Qi Magazine 4

Beijing, Tinjin and Hebei. After a number of

months of very careful research and
examination they found that the above styles
of Qigong were both safe and promoted
health. The selection was based on the
following rules
1.
The history of the style is clear.
2.
The exercises are safe and
complete.
3.
The exercises are scientific.
4.
The exercises have been practised
by a great many people over a long period
and so there is a great deal of experience.
5.
The exercises have also been
examined and researched by different city
departments and have been proved to be of
benefit to society.
The exercises chosen will continued
to be examined every year to manage and

The official letter from China

maintain these styles.

After the issuing ceremony, Chairman
Wu gave a speech to all the committee and
explained the promotion of healthy Qigong.
Everyone agreed that healthy Qigong
contained the culture of China and was good
for peoples health and heart. The skills,
however, should follow the rules and
principles set down by the leading experts
appointed by the Chinese Government to
promote the exercise and serve the people.
Also taking part in the ceremony
were some group leaders and National
Committee members, including Feng Li Da,
Deputy Committee Manager Tao Zin Lai,
Qiu Yu Cai and committee member Song Tien
Bin. The whole ceremony was given by the
Wushu Athletics Management, Deputy
Chairman Wang Gou Qi.

Grandmaster
Ip Chun
Visting in June
In June 1999 Grandmaster Ip Chun
will be visiting the UK to teach a series of
seminars on Wing Chun Kung Fu. At the age
of 74, he is a living testament to the benefits
of Wing Chun for both health and martial arts
skill. He still travels the world and can Chi
Sau with people fifty years younger than
him. His level of skill is quite amazing and
also his technical knowledge is very deep and
profound. He can take various aspects of
Wing Chun and explain them in great depth,
but in very simple terms so that even
beginners can benefit.
An opportunity to study with the
eldest son of the Great Grandmaster Ip Man
- dont miss it! This year, he will be teaching
in London on the 26th and 27th June. For
more information contact the Tse Qigong
Centre: PO Box 116, Manchester, M20
3YN. Tel.0161 929 4485, Fax 0161 929
4489, email tse@qimagazine.com

Searching
for Sam?
Following our
cover story in last issue,
many of you may want to
contact Master Sam Chin.
You can do so via email
on iliqchuan.aol.com and
at his website
http://www.iliqchuan.org.

More Power
to your Elbow
Dear Michael
I have recently read your Ip Chun
Wing Chun book. I found it very interesting
and informative. I always enjoy finding out
more about the history and philosophy of
Wing Chun.
I trained with Grandmaster Victor
Kan for five years but had to stop recently
due to family commitments. However, I still
practise Siu Lim Tao regularly.
Sifu Kan emphasised focusing power
into the elbow and forearm during the first
section of the form (five minutes each arm). I
consider this to be an isometric exercise while
concentrating on the correct forearm
positioning. This was not detailed in your

book. I would be interested in your views on

this aspect of the form.
Also, I was hoping that the Qigong
chapter would cover energy flow
visualisations. Do you have any further
information that might help me in this area? I
have William Cheungs book How to
Develop Chi Power. Do you believe this to
be a good way of preparing and practising Siu
Lim Tao?
Many thanks
S.(Essex)
Dear S.
Thank you for your letter and your
kind words.
Focusing power into the elbow comes
about naturally while you are doing the form.
If you move extremely slowly, (it has been
known for people to take twenty minutes to
perform just one Tan Sau), you will find that it
is very difficult to move your arm so slowly
into the correct position. As such, you have to
concentrate on what you are doing to achieve
the result you are aiming for.
As for the book you mentioned, I am
afraid, I am not familiar with Sifu Cheungs
book or teachings on this subject. Different
teachers have their own ways of teaching
based on their own knowledge and experience
and it would not be fair for me to comment.
M.T.

The Whole Picture

Dear Editor
The letter from C. Japan was
interesting but the said person relied too
much on secondary information (his friend,
so he was told, etc.) when he should have
gone straight to the source. C. also needs to
do some individual research from all available
sources instead of just one source.
The article was very good, but there
are many of those who know much of the
whole story about Falun Gong but never
feel they should tell others. Much of what is
written on Falun Gong has some truth but to
mix Falun Gong and Buddhism is indeed
awkward.
In the light of disclosure, about a year
or so much of the biography of the founder
has been found to be incorrect.
Supposedly in Beijing, Falun Gong material
was banned due to the cult-like devotion of
its members to its founder, said to be an oilproduction worker, and how he came to
practise with so many teachers when he was
working at his vocation. Again, such
disclosure was never reported in any Qigong
magazine/article about the problems
associated with Falun Gong.
Much of the confusion about Qigong
comes about when people suspend

judgement and then expect the master to

direct their lives for them and when things go
wrong, it is the master who is to blame. This
is indeed sorrowful! Only when we face up
to our own mindful self and its poison will
we then be able to find our path.
Your magazine is a welcome breath of
fresh air to behold. Keep up the good work.
Please do a short excerpt on the 10
best Qigong methods as explained by the
Beijing Ministry of Health last year. I heard
about it through various sources but have not
been able to get the whole story. It seems
that some felt slighted because their method
was not mentioned and hence they did not let
the public at large know.
I do not know in what context this
was disclosed but could you disclose what
criteria were looked at and why and perhaps
what Qigong method was best for what type
of disease.
Thank you very much.
S. (Chicago)
Dear S.
Thank you for your letter. The list you
mentioned is detailed on these very pages. In
the near future, we are planning to do a
series featuring all the methods that have
been chosen. Hopefully, with more
information we will all be in a better position
to make informed and educated judgements.
M.T.

Fighting Women
Dear Michael,
I was interested to see the debate
continuing in issue 40 as to whether historical
women in China practised martial arts. I
wonder whether J of North Yorkshire or
Darryl Moy had read Deng Ming Daos book
Chronicles of Tao. This is presented as a
factual account of Kwan Sai Hungs Daoist
training in pre-revolution China. It includes a
description of a class for presumably quite
advanced female students run by his mother.
And there are many incidents involving
women fighters in the book. The author
points out that it was quite usual, for
example, for communities of nuns in remote
areas to study self-defence. It seems this
was also true for a large proportion of the
aristocratic class. When Sai Hung eventually
comes to the West he reflects on the attitudes
he finds so different from a China where men
and women participated in the martial art on
equal terms.
To my way of thinking this would
accord perfectly with the Daoist view that
the correct way for humanity is to be found
in the study of nature. Where, although male
and female creatures have different roles,
their ability to defend themselves and use
Qi Magazine 5

strategy in hunting and survival are

comparable and perfectly natural.
Clearly there would have been
repressive families where this freedom was
forbidden, but undoubtedly for many this
was not the case.
Your sincerely,
H. (Isle of Wight)

Another Headache!
Dear Editor,
In last issue Dr Shulan Tangs article
referes to four types of migraine yet only
two were referenced and the last one
mentioned, i.e. number 3 Damp phlegm
type also refers to blood stasis. I think you
have confused this article at the printers. As
a practitioner of TCM my understanding is
that the four types are: Liver Yang rising,
Blood Deficiency, Blood Stasis and Damp
Phlegm. Please could you verify the article.
G. (Email)
Dear G,
You are quite right, an error has
occurred somewhere along the line and a
crucial paragraph was omitted. We thank
you for being kind enough to point this out to
us and our readers.
The paragraphs should have read as
follows:
(contd...)
3. Damp - Phlegm Type
Damp Phlegm clogs the head. Symptoms:
Migraine, heavy head, blurring of vision,
tight chest, nausea and vomiting. Also
there may be a white greasy coating on
the tongue and a slippery pulse.
Often seen in ME patients.
Prescription: Ban Xia Tian Ma Bai Zhu
Tang
Ban Xia, Tian Ma, Fu Ling, Chen Pi, Bai
Zhu, Gao Cao
4. Blood Stasis
Blood stasis restricting blood flow in the
body and head
Symptoms: migraine pain in a fixed place
or needle like prickling pain.
This may occur if the patient has a history
of external injury. Also
associated with a purple tongue, thread
and hesitant pulse, often seen in
head injury victims and may include a
stubborn headache.
Treatment: Disperse blood stasis and
dredge collateral.
Prescription: Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Chi Shao,
Tao Ren, Hong Hua, Niu Xi, Chai Hu,
Jie Geng, Zhi Ke, Sheng Di Huang,
Gan Cao.
Acupuncture is also an effective treatment
Qi Magazine 6

for migraine, most cases are relieved

during or immediately after acupuncture.
The selection of acupuncture points will
depend on the different type of migraine.
For mild migraine or severe migraine
stabilised, there are herbal patent
medicines which help to prevent the
attack with the additional bonus of
improving general health. Essential balm
(Feng You Jing) a special Chinese herbal
oil with cool properties can be used
externally to relieve the attack.
Many apologies to Dr. Shulan Tang
and all our readers for any confusion caused.
Whenever we discover a mistake we
will glady print a correction and we
appreciate all our readers advice and
comments.
We will publish the entire corrected
article on our Website, which can be found at
http:\\www.qimgazine.com.
Darryl Moy - Deputy Editor Qi Magazine

results. I see my teacher Yang Meijun who is

also proof of this. It is working for health and
human potential. Today she is over 100 years
old and is still healthy and strong. That is
what students and I are looking for.
Recently there has been a government
report issued in China about Qigong. They
chose eleven styles which are considered safe
and healthy for the majority of people to
practise. (See earlier item in PO Box). Dayan
Qigong was one of these eleven chosen.
We must all ask ourselves why we
practise Qigong. What are we looking for?
Then we will have our answer. Whether a
Qigong style is good or bad is judged by the
people, not judged by me.
M.T.

Response
Dear Michael,
I was interested to read the letters
responding to my initial letter concerning
Falun Gong published in issue 40. M. from
Nottingham mentions a controversy
surrounding this sect, and rejection by the
Chinese Qigong Institute for not being a
correct Qigong method amidst concern
about the exercises and the founder. I
wonder if we, your readership, could prevail
upon you, Michael, to investigate this matter
further. No one wishes Qi magazine to
become a forum for internecine bickering, of
course, but as editor of our magazine and
guardian of correct Qi practice, I feel it is
appropriate for you to delineate the
parameters of what constitutes qigong
proper, and what constitutes practices that
fall outside this definition; in short, to keep
us on the right track and point out - as indeed
you have done in the past - any paths we
would do better to avoid.
Best wishes as ever,
C. (Japan via email)
Dear C,
Thanks for your second email and for
your support for the magazine and me. I
believe many people would like to hear your
reply to all the different letters.
I understand what you mean, but I
am sorry that I cannot judge Falun Qigong
by myself. It is not fair to them. It is not fair
because I do not know this kind of Qigong.
Although I know a few kinds of Qigong, I
concentrate on Dayan Qigong particularly.
This is what I practise and I will spend the
rest of my life to do that because it has good

New Wing Chun Book

Why Wing Chun Works is a new book by
Alan Gibson. Alan is the head of the Wing
Chun Federation and a student of
Grandmaster Ip Chun. His book goes into
details of the principles that make Wing
Chun a practical method of self defence.
Alan can be contacted at The Wing Chun
Federation, 19 Devonshire Road, Polygon,
Southamptonshire, SO15 2GH. Tel. 01703
572084.

Correct Contact
In last issue the contact number for
authorised Taiji Qigong and Balancing Gong
Nadia Smith de Neckludoff appeared
incorrectly. She can be contacted on 01600
890 737.

Qi Magazine On-line
The Qi Magazine website will have some
exciting new features in the very near
future. Those of you on-line,keep your
eyes on http://www.qimagazine.com.

In Chen Style Taijiquan there are circles and spirals everywhere. The
circle and the spiral are almost like a principle of movement. Within the
forms your body constantly traces numerous circles and spirals
simultaneously. They are so numerous that sometimes it can be difficult
to see them and if you dont know where they are it is quite easy to miss
the principle of the moves.

The Circle and Taijiquan

difficult. It can take a number of years to

develop a good deep stance, but it is better to
have a correct posture than a deep stance.
Beginners should also gradually build up the
length of time that they hold the Zhan
Zhuang posture. To start with
most people have difficulty
holding the stance for
more than a few
minutes, but after a few
years of diligent
practice it is possible
to meditate for an
hour or more. To
attain a good
standard of Taijiquan takes years
of practice and
co nditi oning.
Trying to make

the peng or ward off posture. Because of

the length of time that you hold this posture
during meditation it is one of the physical
shapes that becomes most refined. The more
you do the meditation the more you learn
how minute variations of posture and
position can affect Qi flow.
The basic arm shape of Zhan Zhuang
(the angles that are formed at wrist and elbow
in particular) should also inform your Chan
Si Gong practice. Chan Si Gong exercises
isolate many of the movements of the form
by reducing them down, often to single circles
or spirals, reveals the base structures and
principles of movement in Taijiquan. The
correct and regular practice of Chan Si Gong
exercise is one of the most efficient methods
of improving the more complex movements
of the Taiji forms.
Chan Si Gong exercises help us to
see the underlying
simplicity of the
movements
of
Taijiquan. Through
Chan Si Gong we can
learn effective coordination, between
the movements of
the arms, body,
Dantien and breath.
Most importantly
though Chan Si
Gong teaches the
circle. It is through
the circle, the
movement of Qi and
the interplay of Yin
and Yang (initially in
the form of opening and closing) that
Taijiquan attains its philosophical depth.
The circle can be seen as representing
the undifferentiated whole the state referred
to as Wuji. From Wuji, Taiji is born, and
everything else flows from Taiji. Intellectually
it is easy to see how the principles of Taijiquan
can lead us to the heart of the Tao, but it is the
correct practice of the movements that
perhaps may allow us direct experience

Chan Si
Gong exercises
help us to see
simplicity of
Taijiquan
yourself develop more quickly than your
body is ready for is likely to be counterproductive.
One of the things that you learn from
Zhan Zhuang posture is what your body is
capable of, but another equally important
lesson can be learnt from the shape that your
arms form in front of your body. This circle
is one of the fundamental shapes of Taijiquan.
For example, if you simply rotate your palms
so that they face out you should recognise

by Glenn Gossling
Qi Magazine 7

Chen Taijiquan

han Zhuang and Chan Si Gong (Silk

Reeling Exercises) are the foundations
of good Taiji practice. For the beginner
they are usually the first place where the
movements of Qi are experienced and for
the more senior students they continue to
be an important resource for the
clarification of principle. Both are
also powerful exercises in their
own right.
Zhan Zhuang is the
standing meditation of
Taijiquan. It is common
to most styles of Taiji
and in the west it is
often referred to as
holding the tree.
Zhan Zhuang is
usually performed
standing up-right,
with the feet
shoulder width
apart,
knees
slightly bent and
the arms held in
front of the body,
at about shoulder
height, forming a
circle.
The
variations on this
stance mostly
depend on how
high you hold
your arms and
how deep your
stance is. The lower
your arms and the
higher your stance the easier it is.
The lowest your arms should be is
forming a circle with the hands just in front
of the Dantien. The highest is at shoulder
height. The highest stance is with the legs
only slightly bent and the lowest is with the
legs bent to almost 90 degrees. This deep
stance is like a horse stance but with the feet
closer together either shoulder width or
one and a half times shoulder width.
Beginners
should
work
progressively from the easy to the more

In the first part of this article (published in the previous issue of this
magazine), interpretation of cancer in Chinese medicine was
discussed. In part two, we shall discuss some treatment plans.

CANCER & TCM

cancer function of the body. General

prescription can be: Sang Leng, Er Zhu, Dan
Shen, Ling Zhi, Yan Hu Suo, Tian Hua Fen,
Dang Gui Wei, Yi Yi Ren, Mu Dan Pi, Bai
Shao Yao, Ju He, Bai Hua, She She Cao.
Damp-heat: tumour in breast, sore
with hot feeling, swollen, redness on the
surface of the breast, fullness of stomach,
poor appetite, thrush, red tongue with thickyellow coating, rolling and rapid pulse. The
treatment principle is to eliminate dampness,
to clear away toxin heat and to promote

Herbal
prescriptions can
be used during &
after treatments.
inherent anti-cancer function of the body.
General prescriptions can be: Che Qian Zi,
Jin Qian Cao, Chuan Lian Zi, Ju He, Xia Ku
Cao, Bai Hua She She Cao, Ban Zhi Lian, Fu
Ling, Shan Zha, Mu Tong, Ling Zhi, Gua
Luo Pi.
Kidney and Liver Yin deficiency:
breast tumour, pain with burning sensation,
or accompanied with menopause hot flushes,
night sweat, dizziness, blurred vision,
backache, tiredness, fissured red tongue with
little or no fur. The treatment principle is to
tonify the kidney and liver Yin and to promote
the inherent function of anti-cancer. The
general prescription can be: Tian Hua Fen,
Sheng Di Huang, Xuan Shen, Chi Shao Yao,
Xia Ku Cao, Bai Hua She She Cao, Ban Zhi
Lian, Lian Zi, Yi Yi Ren, Chuan Lian Zi, Mu
Li, Li Zhi He.
Qi and Blood deficiency: breast
tumour, general tiredness, pale complexion,
headache, cold limbs, pale tongue with white
coating, thready and weak pulse. The
treatment principle is to enrich the Qi and
blood and to promote the inherent anticancer function. The general prescription can
be: Ren Shen, Huang Qi, Ling Zhi, Dan

Shen, Dang Gui, Zhi Gan Cao, Fu Ling, Yi Yi

Ren, Ju He, Bai Zhu, Xiang Fu, Chen Pi.
The herbs used in the above
prescriptions, can be categorised as:
Anti-Cancer herbs: Bai Hua, She She Cao,
Ban Zhi Lian, Tian Hua Fen.
Immune support herbs: Ling Zhi, Ren Shen,
Huang Qi.
Removing blood stasis herbs: Dan Shen,
Dang Gui, San Leng, Er Zhu.
Soothing liver Qi herbs: Chuan Lian Zi,
Chai Hu, Ju He, Li Zhi He.
Eliminating dampness herbs: Yi Yi Ren, Fu
Ling.
Herbal prescriptions, as discussed
above, can be used during and after
conventional
radiotherapy
and
chemotherapy treatments. Detailed clinical
study in China shows clearly that the
efficiency of the radio- and chemotherapy can
be greatly improved with supplemental herbal
treatment.
Due to the better understanding of
tumour, a great number of herbal patent
formulae are now available from China and
other countries for the treatment of cancer.
Dong Ling Cao Pian and Chuan Huan Ye are
among them.
Dong Ling Cao Pian, a formula
containing mainly Dong Ling Cao, is used
to clear away toxin heat and to reduce lumps.
Favourable cases have been observed in my
clinic. Four patients in a family suffering from
breast cancer took it for over three months,
5 tablets, 3 times daily. They all showed
positive results as their doctor put it, they
have a good advantage compared with other
patients with similar conditions.
Chuan Huang Ye, containing mainly
Dan Shen, Dang Shen, He Shou Wu, Gou
Qi Zi, Tu Zhong, Chuan Xiong, Huang Qi,
Dang Gui, is to tonify the Qi and blood,
nourish the liver and kidney, promote blood
circulation and to remove blood stasis for
Qi and blood deficiency, weakness of liver
and kidney, unlocking the blockage of the
channels of energy. It helps with poor
immune system, insufficient white-blood cells
due to radio- and chemotherapy.
by Dr. Shulan Tang
For further information, please contact Shulan
Clinic, 50 Sandy Lane, Chorlton, Manchester,
M21 8TN, Tel 0161 881 8576,
Fax 0161 881 0888.
Qi Magazine 9

Traditional Chinese Medicine

he very principle of Chinese medicine

in the treatment of cancers is to support
the normal, healthy energy (Qi) of the
body and strengthen the resistance against
disease. In practice, it is realised by preventing
the formation and the development of
tumours, strengthening the bodys immunity
to subdue the tumour, tonifying the spleen
and kidney to enhance the normal functions
of endocrine and humour, to protect the bone
marrow and to promote hemopoietic
function, and thus maximise the effects of all
conventional therapeutic
measures in western medicine.
At an early stage of the
cancer, it is possible to have it
controlled to a great extent for
a long period of time with
proper treatment in Chinese
medicine. It is also not
impossible to have it treated
successfully in some cases. At a
later stage of the cancer, the
herbs can help to relieve the
pain and to maintain and
improve general health.
Abundant experiences have been gained in
the treatment of many common types of
cancers, in particular liver cancer, stomach
cancer, breast cancer, etc, in the Chinese
medicine community. I shall mainly present
here some ideas about the treatment of breast
cancer in Chinese medicine.
Breast cancer can be differentiated as
the following types:
Liver Qi stagnation: tumour in
breast, sometimes accompanied with lumps
which come and go, breast pain and
tenderness, emotional depression, premenstruation tension, red tongue with thinwhite coating, taut pulse. The treatment
principle is to soothe the liver Qi and to
promote the inherent function of anti-cancer.
General prescription can have the following
form: Chai Hu, Bai Shao, Dang Gui, Dan
Shen, Yi Yi Ren, Fu Ling, Yan Hu Suo, Ling
Zhi, Tian Hua Fen, Bai Hua She She Cao, Ju
He, Chuan Lian Zi.
Blood Stasis: Breast tumour, hard
lumps, breast pain, dismenorrhea, dark red
tongue with purple patches or spots on it,
hesitating pulse. The treatment principle is
to promote blood circulation to remove the
blood stasis and to promote inherent anti-

part 2

uite simply, I couldnt begin to

understand what was happening to
my body. On a good day I was
energetic and healthy attending to the
housework, perhaps gardening for a
couple of hours or following a hobby. My
newly retired husband and myself
enjoyed swimming, walking and exploring
new places.
Then a bad day would come when
I felt aches and pains all over my body. It
was difficult to tell whether these pains

with me physically. One exceptionally bad

day I rang the osteopath I know quite well
for a consultation. I was in so much pain
he found it difficult to manipulate my
aching limbs, as I could not tell him exactly
where the pain was. It seemed everywhere,
bones, joints, limbs and muscles. We
arranged a second appointment, which
again was unsuccessful. That was when he
told me he suspected I had M.E and advised
me to see a homeopathic doctor.

One persons account of

Qigong practice and M.E.
M.E can be a crippling condition, there are ways to
overcome it and Qigong is a very effective one.
were in my bones or aching muscles. I
simply hurt all over and with this pain
came an overwhelming tiredness. Even
preparing a simple meal seemed like
desperately hard work. On days like this
the only answer was to rest, sometimes in
the garden listening to the radio or
reading, which was very pleasant, but
when this began to happen much more
frequently, what a waste of time it
seemed.
So a pattern of living formed. On
a good day I got as much done as possible
and on a bad day tried to rest and relax.
This was not the answer, however. Things
got worse. I could walk to the shops on a
good day, only to find that I was dragging
myself home after only half an hour. The
good day had turned into a bad day with
no warning.
This was when I consulted my
doctor, but as I looked so well, ate well
and slept well he could find nothing wrong

This doctor explained something

about M.E (short for Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis) which is the name for
Post Viral Fatigue. M.E. often follows a
bad viral infection. I recalled that many
months previously I had what seemed like
a bad attack of the Flu and whatever I
had taken to clear it hadnt worked. In
the end it ran its course and lasted more
than a month. I was given homeopathic
tablets and advised about painkillers which
would not have adverse effects on the
tablets. Then my life slowly started to
improve.
Several months later, feeling
somewhat better, I saw an advert for
Qigong classes taught locally. I did not
know anything at all about Qigong. It was
explained to me how gentle Qigong
exercises were. This greatly appealed to
me for I could still ache and feel tired at
times and, as yet, did not have a great
deal of energy.

There were fifteen people in the

class and gradually, I began to get the hang
of the slow, controlled movements and
the breathing control of Qigong. The Taiji
Qigong exercises had movements which
required placing the hands in certain
positions. Remembering the many
acupuncture points and where the hands
needed to be was tricky at first.
About three months after
beginning the class I no longer needed pain
killers. At last I had some energy and the
bad days had gone altogether.
That was over a year ago and now
Qigong is still in my daily routine, I would
hate to miss it and try to do my eighteen
exercises in the garden whenever possible,
followed by a period of meditation. It has
worked wonders, done regularly, believe
me. Try it and see!
by Patricia Lowe
Qi Magazine 11

The Softer Side of

Hard Qigong
Until recently Qigong was virtually unknown in the West
and it was very hard to find a teacher. Traditionally, in
China, Qigong was just as hard to find. There were very
high level masters, but they kept themselves quiet and
practised in secret. Now things have changed a great deal.

n China everyone can study some form of Qigong and everyone

knows the names of the top masters. Here in the West there are
now many teachers also teaching openly and so more and more
people know about Qigong. In the last few years the Shaolin
Monks from the Songshan Mountain, Henan Province China
have been venturing out, travelling the world giving breath-taking
demonstrations of their legendary skills. Their martial arts skill dazzled
everyone, but there was another thing they demonstrated that amazed
their audiences, something that many people had never seen before
and that was Hard Qigong.
Monks broke spears with their throats, iron bars with their
heads and bricks balanced on top of their heads were smashed to
pieces with sledge hammers as well as many other displays of super
human strength.
So what is Hard Qigong and is it only for martial artists? The
gentle, relaxed movements of Soft Qigong seem miles apart from the
sudden explosive displays of Hard Qigong. It is often thought that
Soft Qigong is for health and Hard Qigong is for martial arts and
fighting.
Traditionally, Qigong whether it was Soft or Hard, went
hand in hand with martial arts, like brother and sister. Today Soft
Qigong has developed and is now quite separate from martial arts,
but if you look very closely you can still see the shadow of its traditional
background. Many of the popular standing Qigong exercises (Zhan
Zhuang) have come from Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Bagua etc. It was
once asked, Does everything have to come down to Martial Arts?
No, it doesnt, but it helps to understand the cultural background and
the context in which these exercises are involved.
You could say traditionally Martial Arts and Qigong were the
parents, one was the father and the other was the mother. Soft Qigong
is the daughter and Hard Qigong is the brother. Soft Qigong has
developed purely for health and for personal development, to train
the Jing, Qi and Shen, (Jing is the bodys sexual energy, when you
develop it becomes Qi, and then when you develop your Qi it becomes

Qi Magazine 13

Shen or spirit). This is more like the mother. The brother, Hard
Qigong is more like the father.
However, whether you are talking about Soft Qigong or
Hard Qigong, Qigong is Qigong and the most important thing is
your health. To develop either skill you first have to be healthy. There
are some people who come to Soft Qigong because they want to heal
people, and there are others who want to learn Hard Qigong because
they want to emulate
Shaolin monks.
Whatever you want,
the first thing
you need to do is make
yourself healthy
first.
How does
Hard Qigong
make you healthy?
Hard Qigong
training is quite
different to Soft
Qigong. The first
stage is to develop
the Jing and the Qi.
This is done
through very special
breathing exercises.
Qi is taken directly
into the body through
the mouth and
swallowed down to
the Dantien, where you literally eat
the air. This we call Tun Qi and this
is the most important part of Hard
Qigong. The reason for eating the
air is to allow us to take in a lot of Qi.
Other exercises will use this Qi to
develop the bones, muscles and skin.
In order to develop the bones,
muscles and skin, the body needs to be healthy. All the acupuncture
point and channels must be clear and free of any blockages and the
basic level of Qi must be strong. This is the first stage of practice.
Then the Qi can be directed to different areas of your body. So you
see, the internal body develops the external body.
Hard Qigong, like Soft Qigong, has many exercises to develop
your body and there are various levels you must go through before
you can break bricks and spears. It is a gradual training process that

first makes you very healthy and then makes you strong and fit. It
leaves you feeling healthy, strong and invigorated with a lot of energy.
Many people who have trained are amazed at how it lifts up their
spirits and makes them feel so good. Almost as a side effect you can
at the end perform the same amazing displays as the Shaolin monks.
This, however, should not be your main purpose for training, the
same as a demonstration of Qi transmission by a Soft Qigong master
is not the reason he spends his time training.
You may be surprised to learn that another very important
part of Hard Qigong training is relaxation and meditation. After you
have gone through your exercises you must relax the body and
meditate. This allows the body to cool down and recover and also
lets your Qi settle.
The more you train Hard Qigong the more your body
changes, from healthy you become strong and from strong you
become light. In the end, the training comes full circle and hard
becomes soft. Internal and
external are balanced and you
can develop your inner
potential.
Soft Qigong and Hard
Qigong are two sides to the
same coin. If you understand
both, then you will really
appreciate what Qigong is and
see the whole picture.
Displays are just that,
displays, they are not the
reason you train and in fact
they use the energy you have
spent your time developing. You train to be healthy and then when
you are healthy, you can develop yourself in whatever way
you wish

Another very
important part of
Hard Qigong
training is relaxation
and meditation.

Qi Magazine 14

by Darryl Moy
If you are interested in experiencing some of the benefits of Hard Qigong,
there will be an introductory seminar teaching the Heavenly River Monastary
Hard Qigong Level I exercises on March 6/7. For details see Whats On
page in this issue of Qi Magazine.

Dayan Gong 2nd 64

Fig 90

Fig 91

part 7

Fig 92

26 Crossing Arms

i. Raise your hands up to your sides.

Fig 90.
ii. Cross your arms over in front of you.
The left arm over the right arm, and
touch the Qihu points with your
Laogong points. Fig 91.
This is the start of a new movement which
opens the Qihu points and prepares you for the
next movement.

27 Sink Down
i. Open your hands out to your sides.
Fig 92.
ii. Bring your hands down, in front of you.
Fig 93. This time sink the Qi to the
Dantien, rather than the Yongquan
points, and let the Qi settle down. Fig
94.

28 Slap the Back of the Legs

i. Bring your hands back so that your

Laogong points face the Huantiao
points. Fig 95.
This makes the Qi go to your legs and opens
the Gall Bladder Channels.

Fig 93

Fig 94

Fig 95
Qi Magazine 15

Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan

Fig 96

Fig 97

Fig 98

Fig 100

Fig 101

Fig 102

ii. Lift your right arm, swinging it in a

circle forwards and behind you.
Fig 96.
iii. As your arm nears your right hip, lift
up your right leg. Fig 97.
iv. Slap the back of your right knee with
your right palm, let the knee bend and
allow the lower leg to hang down in a
relaxed manner. This closes your hand
behind your knee. This movement
Qi Magazine 16

stimulates the Weizhong, Weiyang and

Heyang points. Fig 98.
v. Kick out your right leg. Then place
your foot back on the ground by your
left foot and return your right palm
to its starting position facing the
Huantiao point. Fig100.
vi. Repeat the same movement for your
left leg. Fig 102- 104.

Fig 99

Fig 103

Fig 104

This movement helps us to clear the

channels in the legs, the Kidney and Gall
Bladder Channels and you may find you
have some sensations of Qi flowing down
your legs. This movement also helps to
prevent Sleeping Leg and arthritis.

Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan
Three Swings

i. Turn to your left and step forwards.

Fig 105.
ii. Turn your waist to the left and bend
your right leg, keeping the left leg
straight. Make sure you keep both
feet on the ground and look at the
ground on the left. Fig 106.
iii. Then, turn your waist to the right,
allowing your left leg to bend and
straighten your right leg. Let the toes
of your right foot point up. Fig 107
iv. Repeat the above movements a
further three times on each side.
These movements will strengthen your
stance, legs and hips. They will also open the
Stomach, Kidneys and Gall Bladder
Channels as well as opening the Yongquan
points on the soles of your feet.

Fig 105

Fig 106

Fig 108

Fig 109

Fig 107

Pull Back the Body and

Cover the Face

i. Step back with your right foot.

Fig 108.
ii. Bend down and lower your hands to
the ground. Fig 109

Weizhong

Fig 110

Weiyang

Heyang
Fig 112

Fig 111
iii. Move your hands forwards, collecting
the Qi from the ground.
iv. Lean back and bring both hands up to
your face, palms facing you. Fig 110.

v. Slowly run your hands down from

your face to the Jiexi point on your
left ankle, as if you are washing from
your face down, over your body to
your ankle. Fig 111 112.
This movement helps to collect Qi from
the Earth, bringing it to the face and then
washing down through the body to release
the negative Qi.

Qi Magazine 17

There are two basic differences between Chinese and Western diets. First of
all, Western diet focuses almost exclusively on diet for weight loss. Chinese
diet is designed not only to help you lose weight but also to treat many other
ailments, including hypertension, diabetes, common cold, gastritis, diarrhoea,
constipation, cough, hepatitis, psoriasis, common acne, eczema, and so on.

Energies &
Flavours of Foods
n Chinese diet, for example, it is considered bad for
someone with constipation to drink tea. It is good for
someone with a cough to eat apple with honey. When I
have a headache, I want to know which foods I should eat
to cure my headache and which I should avoid to prevent
my headache from becoming worse. When I have diarrhoea or
am suffering from diabetes, I want to know which foods I should
eat to treat my symptoms and which to avoid to prevent my
problems from becoming worse. When I am overweight, I want
to know which foods I should eat to
reduce my weight and which not to eat
to avoid gaining more weight.
To lose weight, no doubt, is part
of Chinese diet, but there are many other
considerations as important as weight
loss in the minds of Chinese dieticians.
Recently, I read a diet book written by a
well-known Western physician, and to
my great amazement, I found no
information on dietary treatment of
such symptoms as sore throat,
haemorrhoids, hiccuping, vomiting,
fever, toothache, psoriasis, stomachache and other ailments all important
treatments when using the Chinese diet.
The second difference between Chinese and Western
diets: In Western diet, foods are considered for their protein,
calorie, carbohydrate, vitamin, and other nutrient content, but
in Chinese diet, foods are considered for their flavours, energies,

Qi Magazine 18

movements, and common and organic actions. It works like

this: If I feel cold in my body and limbs, naturally I like to eat
something that will warm me; if I feel hot, something to cool
me. If I have a weak stomach, naturally I like to eat something
that will make my stomach stronger: if I feel my kidneys are
weakening, something that will make my kidneys stronger.
Ginger will warm me because it has a warm energy. Mung beans
will cool me because they have a cool energy. Sugar can make
my stomach-ache stronger because it tastes sweet and acts on
the stomach. Yam will make my
kidneys stronger because it acts on
the kidneys in a special way.
To be sure, we can find
nutritional information on foods in
Western diet. For example, we
know that red pepper contains
vitamins A and C but it does not
tell us that it can warm us. We know
that Mung beans contain some
protein and carbohydrates but not
that Mung beans can cool us. We
know that black pepper contains
some protein but not that it can
make our stomachs stronger. Thus,
it is easy to see how Chinese diet
differs from Western diet. The essential aspects of Chinese diet
in regard to foods are:- the five flavours of foods, the five energies
of foods, the movements of foods and the common and organic
actions of foods.

The Five Flavours of Foods

The five flavours of foods include pungent (acrid), sweet, sour
bitter and salty.
Pungent foods include: green onion, chive, clove, parsley and
coriander
Sweet foods include: sugar, cherry, chestnut and banana
Sour foods include: lemon, pear, plum and mango
Bitter foods include: hops, lettuce, radish leaf and vinegar.
(I list vinegar as bitter because the Chinese call vinegar bitter
wine.)
Salty foods include: salt, kelp and seaweed.
The flavours of foods are important in Chinese diet
because different flavours have their respective important effects
upon the internal organs. Foods that have a pungent flavour can
act on the lungs and large intestine; foods with a sweet flavour
on the stomach and spleen; with a sour flavour on the liver and
gall bladder; with a bitter flavour on the heart and small intestine;
foods that have a salty flavour can act on the kidneys and bladder.
Lets take the sweet flavour as an example, that acts on
the stomach and spleen. It is common knowledge among
Chinese and Western dieticians, that eating sweet foods will put
on weight, but Chinese and Western dieticians give different
explanations. According to Western dieticians, eating sweet
foods puts on weight because sweet foods contain a large
number of calories; according to Chinese dieticians, eating
sweet foods will put on weight because sweet foods can act
on the stomach and spleen, which are in charge of digestive
functions. In other words, in Chinese diet, sweet foods
are considered capable of improving the digestive
functions, which is why they are good for people
with a weak digestive system. In talking to a
Western audience about Chinese diet, one
question frequently comes up: How do we
determine the flavours of such foods as beef,
pork and celery that have no distinct tastes?
In Chinese diet, beef has a sweet flavour, pork
has a sweet and salty flavour and celery a
sweet flavour. Some foods have one flavour
but others may have two or three.
Undoubtedly, the flavours of many
foods are very difficult to determine
precisely, but the Chinese have done
it through many centuries of
experience.
The process may look like
this: At the beginning some foods
with obvious flavours are found to
act on some internal organs and
perform specific actions in the
human body. The basic relationships
between flavours and internal
organs and the actions are studied
and analysed by a process in science
called the inductive method. As time
goes on, other foods whose flavours
are more difficult to determine may
be found capable of acting upon
some internal organs and performing

some specific actions. The flavours of such foods are determined

on the basis of their organic effects and specific actions. This
process in science is called the deductive method.
In general, the common actions of foods in regard to
their flavours are as follows:Pungent foods (ginger, green onion and peppermint) can
induce perspiration and promote energy circulation.
Sweet foods (honey, sugar and watermelon) can slow
down the acute symptoms and neutralise the toxic effects of
other foods.
Sour foods (lemon and plum) can obstruct the movements
and are useful, therefore, in checking diarrhoea and excessive
perspiration.
Bitter foods, such as animals gall bladder and hops, can
reduce body heat, dry body
fluids and induce
diarrhoea

Even though you may eat

cold red pepper from the
refrigerator, you still
consume a hot food. After
it enters your body it
begins to feel hot.
Qi Magazine 19

(which is why many Chinese herbs recommended to reduce

fever and induce diarrhoea have a bitter taste).
Salty foods (kelp and seaweed) can soften hardness, which
explains their usefulness in treating tuberculosis of the lymph
nodes and other symptoms involving the hardening of the
muscles or glands.
In addition, some foods have a light flavour or little taste.
These foods normally have two flavour classifications.
Cucumber, for example, has sweet and light flavours. Foods
with a light flavour promote urination and may be used as
diuretics. Jobs tears is one of the outstanding examples.
The Five Energies of Foods
The energies of foods refer to their capacity to generate
sensations either hot or cold in the human body. As an
example, eating foods with a hot energy will make us experience
hot sensations and foods with a cold energy, cold sensations. In
daily life, each of us knows that eating ice makes us feel cold and
drinking hot water makes us feel warm. This is because ice has a
cold energy and hot water, a hot energy. But ice or water produce
only temporary effects. To produce long-lasting effects, herbs
are used as substitutes for foods that provide only temporary

relief. In other words, to produce cold or hot sensations, herbs

are more effective than foods and foods are more effective
than ice or hot water.
The five energies of foods are cold, hot, warm, cool and
neutral. But the adjectives cold, hot, warm, cool, neutral do
not refer to the present state of foods. For an example, tea has
a cold energy so even though you may drink hot tea, you are
actually drinking a cold beverage. Shortly after the tea enters
your body, its heat (a temporary phenomenon) will be lost and
as it begins to generate cold energy, your body begins to cool
off. Another example, red pepper has a hot energy. Even though
you may eat cold red pepper from the refrigerator, you still
consume a hot food. Shortly after it enters your body, its
temporary coldness is lost and your body begins to feel hot.

Qi Magazine 20

When I discuss the energies of foods, therefore, I refer

to what the foods do in our bodies whether they generate hot
or cold, warm or cool or neutral sensations. Hot is opposed to
cold, warm is opposed to cool, neutral is somewhere between
warm and cold. Cold and cool foods differ from each other as
do warm and hot foods. Bamboo shoots have a cold energy,
black pepper a hot energy. Cucumber has a cool energy, chicken
a warm and corn a neutral energy.
The Movements Of Foods
Foods have a tendency to move in different directions in
the body. Some foods move outward, some inward. Some foods
have a tendency to move upwards, some downwards. To see
how this works, think of the human body as divided into four
regions: inside (internal
region); outside (skin and
body surface); upper (above
the waist); lower (below the
waist).
To move outwards
means to move from inside
towards outside, so foods
with outward movements
can induce perspiration
and reduce fever. To move
inwards means to move
from outside towards
inside, so foods with
inward movements can
ease bowel movements and
abdominal swelling.
To move upwards
means to move from the
lower region toward the upper region, so foods with upward
movements can relieve diarrhoea, prolapse of anus, prolapse
of uterus and failing of stomach. To move downwards means
to move from the upper region towards the lower region, so
foods with downward movements can relieve vomiting,
hiccuping and asthma.
In general, leaves and flowers have a tendency to move
upwards. Roots and seeds and fruits have a tendency to move
downwards. But this is just a general principle. There are many
exceptions. Movements of foods change after they are prepared
in a certain way. Foods prepared with wine develop a tendency
to move upwards. That is the reason in treating falling
symptoms like prolapse of uterus and anus, herbs are very often
processed along with the wine. Foods prepared with ginger juice
develop a tendency to move outward. When foods are prepared
with vinegar, they have a tendency to become obstructive. Foods
processed with salt (as in frying) develop a tendency to move
downwards
by Dr Henry C Lu
Article taken from the book Chinese System of Food Cures and reprinted by
kind permission of the author and publishers, Sterling.
Dr Henry Lu has written several books about the use of food and herbal cures
for helping to heal the body naturally and aid longevity, several of which are
available from Qi Magazine. He teaches and has a school in Vancouver and
offers correspondence courses for those unable to attend his classes. He can be
contacted at: 1508 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1W8.

Vitamin C & A Quick Bite!

Your Blood
IS THE WAY YOU EAT RUINING YOUR HEALTH?

You may be walking around with it for years and not realise you
have it. You will not have any major symptoms and you will not realise the
damage that is being caused in your body. So what is this unseen problem
that many people are afflicted with that can cause such major health
problems as atherosclerosis, renal disease, heart attacks and strokes?
The problem is high blood pressure hypertension and it is not
as innocuous as many are led to believe. It is often referred to as the
silent killer because of its links with cardiovascular disease.
So what exactly is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force created by the heart as it pushes blood
into the arteries and through the circulatory system. Muscular control
alters the amount of blood flow. Expansion of the blood vessels increases
blood flow and decreases blood pressure. Constriction has the opposite
effect. If the arteries remain constricted, this may create high blood
pressure.
When the heart has to work harder to push blood around the
body due to a narrowing or hardening of the arteries, this can cause high
blood pressure. If you suspect or suffer from hypertension you should
contact a qualified practitioner or your GP.
Vitamin Cs Role in Reducing Hypertension
Several clinical trials are now finding a reduction in blood
pressure with supplementation of vitamin C. At least 1000mg of vitamin
C must be used and many authors suggest up to 6000mg per day, taken in
divided doses.
The diet of many people today consists of fast, processed foods,
along with a limited amount of fresh fruit and vegetables. They probably
dont get the recommended amount of vitamin C required to prevent
degenerative diseases, such as hypertension.
Some research has shown low vitamin C intake to be associated
with hypertension. In one study, blood pressure and serum of healthy
Japanese men were examined for vitamin C levels. Men with high vitamin
C intakes had a lower blood pressure than men with lower intakes of
vitamin C.
Vitamin C is thought to help with lowering blood pressure by
acting as a powerful antioxidant, helping to prevent free radicals from
damaging blood vessel walls.
Another way in which vitamin C may help maintain normal blood
pressure is by promoting the excretion of lead, and some other heavy
metals. Chronic exposure to lead from environmental toxins may increase
blood pressure.
Excessive levels of cadmium may also be related to high blood
pressure. In one study, untreated hypertentives were found to have three
to four times the level of blood cadmium of people with normal blood
pressure. High cadmium is associated with low zinc. Hair mineral analysis
tests from Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory can test for heavy metal
toxicity. Research from the lab indicates the higher the intake of vitamin
C, the lower the levels of heavy metal accumulation.
There are many forms of vitamin C supplement available. It is
imperative that you purchase them from a reputable supplier and in a
form that is best suited to your needs.
Although vitamin C does indeed play a major role in helping
control high blood pressure, it should perhaps not be considered in isolation.
Many other essential nutrients, such as magnesium, calcium, vitamin E,
omega-3 essential fatty acids and amino acid taurine, all play a major
role in cardiovascular health.
by Helen Kimber
For information and advice, Helen can
be contacted at Nutri on 01663 746559.

Does this sound familiar? You cant face breakfast when you get
up in the morning. You are in such a rush to get to work that you drink your
cup of tea or coffee on the move: while you bathe, while you are getting
dressed and while you are gathering your things together. Breakfast is
eaten in the office. Not a cosy bacon sandwich in the peace of the staff
canteen but while you work. Perhaps you take your toast with you in the
morning and eat it while your computer is going through the post? I have
even seen a driver eating a bowl of cornflakes as he drove to work!
My job takes me to a number of offices, and the story is always the
same. Invariably people eat lunch at their desk while they continue
working, and working lunches, which are so common these days, mean
hurriedly gobbled sandwiches and sausage rolls while business discussions
continue. The aftermath is indigestion, and any time gained by not
breaking for lunch is lost in lower productivity in the afternoon. Even
those who take a break from work often eat while reading a book or
playing card games on their computer. Then its back home to eat
convenience food gulped down before you race out for the evening or a
take-away eaten while you drive home or late at night just before
going to bed. If you stay in, the evening meal is usually
eaten in front of the television, especially if you live alone.
Have you ever thought that maybe the reason
you feel so well after a holiday is partly because you
have taken your time over meals, sat at a table,
maybe for several hours in a restaurant, chatting
to family or friends? In other words, having eaten
while you were relaxing. It is a strange
phenomenon that you can always eat a hearty
cooked breakfast when you are away, so what
has happened to the I cant face it in the
mornings? The answer is that you allow yourself
time to eat.
Eating while watching TV is not good for the
digestion. You dont believe me? How often has your
hand stopped on its way to your mouth when watching
something exciting on TV? Digestion starts in the mouth
and you cannot digest your food and concentrate on something else at
the same time. Supermarkets use fast music to move people through the
store more quickly, and fast music or a fast moving plot on TV makes you
eat more quickly. Test yourself and try it and see! In TCM terms, reading
or watching TV while eating leads to a deficiency of the Stomach Qi.
Afterwards you feel tired and weak, and you slump even further into the
sofa, thinking it is your job that is tiring you out.
Eating on the run, or grabbing a quick bite causes stagnation of
Qi in the stomach, and nausea and belching are often the result. Irregular
eating habits, eating late at night and thinking of work while eating also
lead to Stomach Yin deficiency. This might be why you never feel hungry,
get hot in the afternoons, suffer from constipation, feel bloated after
meals, or feel thirsty but do not really want to drink anything. Ultimately,
bad eating habits can lead to more serious conditions such as stomach
ulcers. Since the Stomach along with the Spleen is the source of our
postnatal Qi, a person with stomach problems will feel tired and weak.
So the way forward is to set time aside during the day to eat.
Getting up earlier to eat a leisurely breakfast may not be easy at first. But
once your body begins to respond to better treatment it wont feel so slow
and lethargic in the mornings and you will find it easier to get out of bed.
Eat your lunch in the staff rest room, or better still, outside when practical.
If you have a break from your desk and get some fresh air, even if it is only
to take a walk around the car park, you will be much more relaxed for the
afternoon ahead. Finally, try eating your evening meal before you switch
on the TV, and resist the temptation to open the paper or a book. Sit in
quiet contemplation of the food you are eating. Eating is, after all, a form
of enjoyment, not a mere refuelling exercise! The Chinese have a saying
for every occasion, and one of my favourites is: drink your food and eat
your drinks. Think about it as it is sound advice.
Kate Britton

Qi Magazine 21

Qi Magazine 22

Professor Li Deyin is the

head of the Beijing Physical
Education University. He is
one of the leading figures in
the evolution of Taiji and
Wushu as a modern sport,
suitable for all people to
practise.

Qi Magazine: Could you tell us something about your early training.

Prof Li: Ah, I was forced to learn! In my family, starting from my
Grandfather, we were in the business of teaching martial arts for a
living. My Grandfather, who was one of Sun Lutangs most famous
students, started training martial arts because his mother was widowed
when he was very young, and she was afraid that her son would not
be able to look after himself. Initially he was in it for health and self
defence, but eventually he got into teaching as well.

When I was young, my Grandfather was very strict with himself,

and he was very strict with us. He said It doesnt matter what you
want to do when you grow up, but you have to be two things: You
have to be scholarly, and you have to be martial (Wu). His philosophy
was, You go to school in the morning, and in the evening you train
martial arts. Then I was only seven or eight, so it was very hard. The
training was very hard, and my Grandfather was very strict.
I started training Shaolin, because my Grandfather believed that
training flexibility was best when you are young. My Grandfather
believed Shaolin Quan was the best basic training because it trained
strength and flexibility that would help in the future study of other
martial arts.
When I got to high school, my Grandfather trained me in Xingyi.
Xingyi is more about bringing up the strength and power. When you
are in your teens, it is best to concentrate on building up muscles.
Taiji training was towards the end of my high school studies, and
when I was going to University. This was because Taiji requires a lot
Qi Magazine 23

Qi Magazine 24

of self control, and children dont have the patience to learn Taiji.
Even if they try, they still end up looking around for something else
to do.
When I became a professional teacher, I could not just restrict my
teaching to what I had learnt. I had to adopt a more modern style of
Wushu, like staff and spear. As well as having to teach average
University students, I also have to teach martial artists from all over
China. If I had taught the way I learnt when I was young, it would be
difficult to make martial arts more popular, therefore I use modern
methods. This way I can travel all over the country to teach. Individual
teaching is difficult in this situation, therefore I use different methods
to teach a lot of people at the same time.
Did you study with a lot of teachers?
Yes. My family style in Taiji was Yang style and Sun style. To learn Wu
style and Chen style, I had to find a teacher that specialised in that
style.
What is your personal favourite, what do you personally enjoy doing
the most?
As far as Taiji is concerned I prefer Yang style, because it can be
practised by everyone in all different walks of life, and it embodies all
the ideas of health and
rejuvenation that are so
important in modern
living. For teaching young
people,
I
prefer
Changquan (long fist) or
Shaolin. This is why in
universities I normally
only teach two things:
Changquan and Taijiquan.
Changquan is a modern
version of Shaolin. It is
regulated
and
standardised.
What is the meaning of
Liu He, the six harmonies,
and how do they relate to
the skills you practise?

out the right signals that are

commanded by the Xin (heart).
However Taiji talks about Yi as
concentration.
The second internal harmony is Yi
with Qi co-ordinates. This means that
the signals given by the Yi will cause
the Qi to change in the body.
Externally the Yi will manifest itself in
martial applications. Internally it will
be expressed by leading the Qi in the
internal organs. Qi includes the
breathing and the air that we breathe,
and the internal energy inside the body.
Therefore the changes inside your
body caused by the Yi should make
significant changes in the external body.
The third internal harmony is Qi
leads Li (strength). Therefore we call
Yi, Qi, Li the three internal coordinations.
Taijiquan does not use the three
internal harmonies. Instead they talk

The heart is the

General, that is
why the Xin
(heart) rules the Yi
(intent).

In Chinese martial art the

Six Harmonies mean co-ordination internally and externally. Chinese
martial arts emphasise co-ordination a lot, and the balance between
these six. In normal circumstances, He means balance. For example
He might mean the balance between Yin and Yang. But when we are
talking about body movement, He means co-ordination externally
and internally.
The Six Co-ordinations are made up of three external co-ordinations
and the three internal co-ordinations. The three external coordinations are: hand with the feet, elbow with the knee, and shoulder
with the hip. In other words, the upper body should be co-ordinated
with the lower body. Taiji doesnt make use of the three external coordinations. They just say, Upper and lower follow each other,
which means the same thing. Xingyiquan and Shaolinquan both use
the three external harmonies.
The three internal co-ordinations start with: Xin (heart) with the Yi
(intent). In ancient China they believed that the heart is the General,
that is why they say the Xin (heart) rules the Yi (intent). Yi is like a
newspaper, giving out signals. Therefore the Yi (intent) has to send

about Mind leads the body, and Use

the mind to motivate the Qi, and use
the Qi to motivate the body. Of the
internal martial arts, it is Xingyi that
emphasises the Six Harmonies. There
are a lot of external martial arts that
also emphasise the Six Harmonies, for
example there is a style called Six
Harmonies Fist.
In the past people categorised martial
arts from Wudang mountain as
internal, and martial arts from Shaolin
Temple as external. Now we know
however that Xingyiquan came from
Shaolin. As for Taiji and Bagua coming
from Wudang, these are only legends.
What do you consider to be your
mission?

Qi Magazine 25

In this age the main function of martial arts has shifted. I believe that
80% of the people who study martial arts today do it not because they
want to fight, but because they want to be healthy. For example the
people who attended my Taiji class today, the majority are middle aged
or elderly, so they are doing it for health. I feel we should find a way
to help them benefit from the class, rather than teach them something
that they dont want to learn or has no use for them.
I have been teaching in the Beijing Physical Education University for
38 years. The main sports at the University are those that you might
find in the Olympics. Now we are changing this trend by bringing in
the art of our own people to the University. Also the University has
taken in the idea of longevity and rejuvenation, these are Taoist ideas.

They have found that a lot of the conventional athletes in the

University were very strong and powerful, but normally they dont
live very long. If you are the fastest, highest, strongest, does not
mean you will live longer. You still have to bring in the still side of
nature into your strength.
If you take Cancer, for example, why does it happen? According to
Chinese Medicine it is because of confusion or interference going
into your body. Human beings should have the immune system to
fight against Cancer, but because of the interference they have lost it.
If you always live in a harmonious world, where you dont have

If you always
live in a
harmonious
world, where you
dont have
pressures and
worries, then your
immune system
will be strong.
pressures and worries, then your immune system will be strong
enough to fight against Cancer. But if a person is living in a world of
worries and pressure, then it is easier to get Cancer.
Now every University student must practice some Taijiquan or Wushu,
at least one routine. It is compulsory. In our class there is a time limit,
so students only have four weeks in which to learn some Taiji or
Wushu. For example Beijing University uses the four/five weeks to
teach the 24 step Taiji form, whereas the Peoples University teaches
the 24 Shaolin form. This 24 step Shaolin was compiled by me based
on the traditional Shaolin fist. Other universities have their own
syllabus. But it is only a basic introduction, about 10 hours.
Afterwards, they probably go back to their basketball! Ten hours is
often not even enough to learn the 24 step, but since they are assessed
on it, they really have to concentrate to learn it!
All of this is during the first year at University. But in the second
year, if they are really interested, they can take it on as a special subject.
Everyone is split up. If you are interested in basketball, then that is all
you do. If you are interested in Wushu, then that is all you do. In
Xinghua University, one of the most famous universities, 50 years
ago they already had a compulsory Xingyiquan course that all their
students had to learn.
Now, because I am involved in Education, my main duty is to promote
Taiji as a sport for everyone rather than a minority sport. I feel that
your magazine has a lot of potential in this area because it is not aimed
at a minority of people who are just interested in the martial arts.
To be continued ... ...Interview by Daniel Poon and Sheila Waddington
Translation: Tary Yip

Qi Magazine 27

Wang Li Ping
Daoist Master part II

ne day, after studying, the weather was very bad and it

was raining very hard. Wang Li Pings teacher, Yin Ling
Zi, said, Li Ping, I can stop the rain. Wang Li Ping
looked at his teacher and did not know what to say.
Common sense told him it was impossible, but he knew
his teacher had some amazing skills. With that, his teacher went
outside into the rain and looked around as if surveying the situation.
Then, holding two fingers together on one hand and holding onto
his wrist with the other, he said something and pointed at the sky.
After a while the rain seemed to get weaker and then finally stopped.
Wang Li Ping was very surprised and this made him study harder
and listen to everything his teachers said. He thought they must
almost be immortal.
The more he studied the more
he learnt about the Dragon Gate
System. The system had a very long
history, dating back to the Han
Dynasty, more than one thousand
years ago. There is a saying, All kinds
of Qigong come from Daoism.
In the Han Dynasty there lived
a man named Zhong Li Han, because
it was the Han Dynasty people also
called him, Han Zhong Li. He was
also a Daoist and his Daoist name was
Positive Yang Daoist. He created
Daoist Immortal Skill and he passed it
on to another Daoist called Pure Yang
Daoist who was also called Lu Dong
Bin.
There are eight very famous
immortals in China. Everybody
knows of them. These are two of them
and they are very popular in China,
even children know about them. They
created Golden Dan Big Method and
also the Three Immortal Gong. These
were passed to Wong Zhong Yang who
created another system called the, All
True System. He passed his skill onto
his student, Qiu Chu Ji, also named
Spring True Man. Qiu studied very
hard and then developed all these skills
to form the Dragon Gate System. This
was then passed down from generation to generation.
Qiu Chu Ji was a very famous, popular Daoist in the Yuan
Dynasty, when Genghis Khan conquered the Song Dynasty.

Qi Magazine 28

Genghis Khan invited Qiu to see him, and even wrote a letter saying
how much he respected his Daoist skill. You can still see this letter in
a temple in Beijing. You can also see statues of Zhong Li Han and Lu
Dong Bin in the White Cloud Daoist Temple in Beijing, where
people go to pay their respects and worship.
The Daoist Dragon Gate System has one skill called Spiritual
Treasure Intelligence Internal Training Method. Its principle is,
save your life first and second live long. It develops healing skill. It
makes you healthy and live long, like an immortal. The method
concentrates more on meditation and to open up the hidden part of
the brain. It develops the human potential that we do not usually
use, our sixth sense and intuition.
The Dragon Gate System also has Three Gong and Nine
Methods. The Three Gong (Gong
means work or exercise) are,
Meditation Gong, Balancing Gong
and Sleeping Gong. The nine
methods are the Intelligence
method, Illness Diagnosis method,
Healing Method, Spiritual Method,
Holding Heat Method, Holding
Life and Death Method, Immortal
Method, Cutting Spirit Method
and the Image Method.
All these Gong and
methods require a lot of Qi to be
developed. Then you can open the
hidden parts of your brain and use
more of your human potential.
When training you even have to
bring your body close to death to
let the best parts survive, then your
potential can be opened. It also
relates to nature, particularly to
heaven and earth as these give us
life and Qi. This follows the Daoist
saying, Heaven and man become
one. This means man must relate
to nature, to heaven and earth.
All these skills are based on
Daoist principles like Yin and Yang,
the Five Elements and the Bagua.
Thus Wang Li Ping started his hard
journey of Daoism like the ancient
people, to find out the key to nature. Wang Li Ping spent ten years
studying Daoism and Qigong. It was a very difficult thing even for
an adult and especially for a child.

People used to say training as a Buddhist monk is suffering!,

however, the training to become a Daoist monk is very bitter as well.
You can say that nowadays people will not do it. Also they do not
have the opportunity to study with someone who has this traditional
skill.
Wang Li Ping was only twelve years old when he was accepted
as the eighteenth generation heir by his teachers. From that day he
was treated differently, more seriously and more directly. His teachers
wanted him to reach a good level in their Daoist skill and wished that
the quality of their skill was passed down correctly.
The first step was meditation to train the heart. Children are
a litttle wild, they do not easily listen or calm down. So his teacher
wanted him to meditate for four hours! How can a child meditate for
four hours? It is very difficult, even for someone who has practised
meditation for a very long time. However, Wang Li Ping had to take
it and overcome it. This was a test
to see if he could inherit the skill.
They watched as they saw Wang Li
Pings heart change as he became
calmer and more settled.
You have to train the heart
to calm down, then you can follow
the traditional way and reach a
good level of skill. If you fail at
training your heart, future teaching
is useless, you will only waste the
teachers time.
Wangs teachers put him in
a very dark room which was about
ten meters square, with no light at
all. First he had to sit in a half lotus
position and then go on to a full lotus position (the lotus position is
a cross legged sitting position for meditation. A half lotus position
you sit with one leg on the other, which leg on top depends on which
is more comfortable for you. In a full lotus you have both legs crossing
over with both feet on your thighs. When you use this sitting position
you can sit and meditate for a long time, if you can stand it. When you
sit like this your legs will go numb and at first it can be quite painful.
A lot of people find it very hard and too uncomfortable. But the more
you do the easier it becomes until you can do the full lotus quite easily.
In the beginning, Wang Li Ping found it very hard, even the half
lotus. At first he thought it would not be too difficult because he was
young and childrens bodies are usually more supple. So doing the
half lotus or full lotus was not difficult at all, the hard part was sitting
still for four hours.
The majority of children can sit for a while, but sitting for ten
or even fifteen minutes is hard for them and so they will find some
excuse to stop. If you let them do this how can you pass your skill on
to them? Chinese say, The bitter goes and the sweet comes .
Of course as Wang Li Ping was only twelve he could not
stand it. From time to time his teachers had to check on him because
they knew if he could not stand it he would move his legs. They knew
how he felt as they had been in the same situation many years ago. So
his teachers used a rope to tie his legs and arms so that he could not
move out of position. Thus they made him stay still and train his
heart.
Surprisingly, after two months he grew quite used to it and
although it was painful in the beginning, it became easier and easier.
Finally he did not feel any discomfort at all, it felt quite normal. Wang
Li Ping knew that the training was good for him and he found that
after meditation he had more energy, felt more awake, calmer and
healthier. He felt as if his whole body had changed.

When Wang Li Pings teachers saw he could handle the full

lotus sitting position comfortably, they started him on the next stage.
This was sleeping meditation. They put him in a box which was just
big enough for him to lie down in. He could not sit and he could not
turn over. There were no holes for the air to come in, so he had to
survive on the Qi he had developed over the past two months.
When they saw he could do this they put him in a big pot of
water! The pot was just big enough for him to sit in, and his teachers
even locked him inside so he could not get out. In the pot there was
no air and not light. He had to learn how to survive and his body
started to change so that he could survive in those circumstances.
However, Wang Li Ping seemed to learn this very well and
overcame all these difficult circumstances. His body changed and he
became healthier and healthier. After six hard months of this training
Wang Li Ping s teachers dug a hole and buried him in it. Then they
covered it with wooden
logs. He had no air, no
light and it was damp and
cold. Wang Li Ping learnt
how to survive.
After this Wang Li
Pings teachers placed
burning joss sticks all
around him which burnt
off all the oxygen and
replaced them three times
before he could stop.
This was very hard
and a couple of times Wang
Li Ping fainted because he
did not have enough air, but
of course his teachers were around to help.
What a poor boy! But for everything he did he received the
benefits and he developed an amazing body which could survive many
things. He could survive when there was no air, no light and any
weather, cold or hot.
With the third stage he started to learn how to survive with
no food. Without food most people will die, however, when you
practise Qigong you learn to survive with the air. Even without any
food your body will adjust to create its own Qi. This ability is usually
hidden and comes from your parents when you are born.
Fasting is a method in which you learn how to survive without
food and live with natural air, which is Qi. During practice you gather
Qi from the air and do not need food to give you energy. But people
are used to relying on food to live and the whole body becomes very
weak when they go without it. We do not realise how powerful our
bodies are, and that we can survive many days without food.
When you stop eating, all the sick, weak cells will die and only
the good ones survive. These cells actually become stronger than
before. It is like a big company. If it is not making money the boss has
to get rid of some of the staff. Of course he usually gets rid of the lazy
ones and keeps on those who work hard and are more talented.
Nature is like this. The good and strong survive while the weak and
vulnerable will go. This is why the human race has survived for so
many generations.
Wang Li Ping learnt how to survive without food for three
days, five days, ten days, fifteen days, twenty days up to twenty-eight
days. This was also very hard for him and so he had to practise more
to balance his internal body. Then his internal body became stronger
and stronger as his Qi became stronger and his mind became very
powerful.

You have to train

the heart, then you
can reach a good
level of skill.

Translated by Michael Tse

Qi Magazine 29

When people talk about Feng Shui they often only think about
the inside of the house and the furniture. Feng Shui covers
more than this and even the shape of your house and its
position is very important.

House Shapes & Directions

F
Feng Shui

eng Shui is getting more and more

popular. Many people really want the
place where they live to be better and
have more energy. They might even want
it to help their finances, relationships as
well as their health. But, did you know
the shape of your house is very important
for its energy?
Chinese Culture is concerned with
balance and long term development, not
just instant results. Long term
development can grow much stronger and
will be more balanced. Then if some thing
bad happens it will not easily be broken.
A house with the left side longer
than the right will be very good for a man.

have a good career and business and they

can also become famous.
A house that has a lot of space
around it, more than the other houses
around it, will help you make money and
also let you be in charge of other people.
A house that is wide at the front
and narrow at the rear will help you make

He will make more money and have more

children. A house with the right side longer
than the left will be good for a woman.
She will make more money and have a

good career, but she might find having

children more difficult.
A house that is higher than the
other houses around it will help the person

Qi Magazine 30

a lot of money and you will be lucky at

first, but at the end you will lose it all.
A house that has a small entrance,
but is very big inside will make things
difficult at first, but things will be good in
the end.

A house that is missing the West

and East sides will cause health problems,
especially for the lungs, the liver,
circulation and sleeping.
A house that is square will be very
good for family and finances and long
term development.
Thus, when we live in a house, its
shape and position will affect the people
that live in it, but, of course, there are
many other conditions that we should
consider, such as the period of calculation,
which stars are in what positions, the
environment outside the house, even the
persons horoscope and whether they are
in luck or in bad luck must also be
considered.
The shape of the house is very
important as well. If you find that your
house is not quite right, then you need to
do something about it to make it more
balanced
by Michael Tse

Last time we looked at Bong Sau and how we could use it to attack
as well as defend. This issue we look at the Fuk Sau. Although it is a
covering technique, it is very useful for setting up decisive strikes.

Wing Chuns Fuk Sau

uk Sau is a covering and controlling

technique within Wing Chun. If you
have ever seen a cat playing with a
toy, the way it uses its paws to cover and
control the toy is where this technique
takes its name. Fuk Sau means resting
on hand.
Of all Wing Chuns
basic techniques, Fuk Sau is
the least obvious and the
hardest to perform correctly.
Although it is not as technical
as Bong Sau or as practical and
obvious as Tan Sau is,
physically, it is the most
difficult to perform correctly.
This is further emphasised if
you cannot perform it
correctly, as you will be more
open to your opponent
There are two basic
types of Fuk Sau and like
most things in Wing Chun,
these are introduced to us in
the first form, Siu Lim Tao.
The first Fuk Sau is
introduced in the first section
of the form. Here the arm is
slowly pushed forward with
the wrist bent and the elbow
moving into the centre. The
second Fuk Sau is found in the
second section. Here the
wrists and hands are relaxed
and the elbows slightly open.
The first Fuk Sau is the
hardest one to perform. In
the form, the elbow and
forearm must lie on the
centre line and the elbow
must be at least one fists
distance from your chest. The reason for
this is to cover your centre, control it and
not allow your opponent to get into your
centre. To do this we say, Your elbow must
be strong and this strength, also referred
Qi Magazine 36

to as Gong Lik, is built up by repeated

practice of this movement (for more
information about Gong Lik see the book
Wing Chun Traditional Kung Fu for SelfDefence and Health).
Fuk Sau is used to sense what your
opponent is doing, and it is used a great

deal in Chi Sau. The important thing to

remember when using Fuk Sau is to
maintain a light contact and not to push
your arm off centre. If you do so, you
will open yourself to attack.

In general the elbow in Fuk Sau

is used when you are close to your
opponent, facing him or her
and have contact with both
hands. The elbow out Fuk
Sau is used when there is more
space between you and your
opponent, or you have turned
or you have contact with only
one hand. Of course, there are
many different situations
where either Fuk Sau can be
used depending on what your
opponent is trying to do, but
also just as importantly, what
you are trying to do or make
happen.
Here
are
some
examples of using Fuk Sau for
you to try and maybe they will
give you some ideas and open
up different ways of using this
technique.
The first is a use for the
elbow in Fuk Sau, it can be
applied from a basic Chi Sau
position, or any time you find
yourself facing your opponent
with contact on the outside of
his arm. As he punches
towards, turn 45 degrees,
keeping your Fuk Sau in
contact with his arm (Fig 1).
There is no need to push his
arm, as you have turned out of
harms way. Be careful to keep
you elbow in. As you have turned, he now
tries to force his way in by using a Pak
Sau (Slapping hand) against your Fuk Sau.
As he does so lift your Fuk Sau so he is
slapping your elbow (Fig 2). Notice how

himself, circle your hand round to sweep

his arms out of the way. At the same time
you can counter-attack (Fig 3).
The next example uses the elbow
out Fuk Sau. There is more space
between you and your opponent
and you are at a
slight

push his fist back towards your face.

Maintain the position of each Fuk Sau so
he cannot strike you directly. Thus, the
only way for him to strike you is to push
your arms. As he pushes circle your hands
inside his arms and strike his ribs, stepping
forwards as you do so to increase the
effectiveness of the strike (Fig 6).
by Darryl Moy

Fig 1

Fig 2

Wing Chun

Fig 3

Fig 4

he is slapping along the

line of your arm into your body.
Since your body is behind the Fuk
Sau it is naturally very strong and there is
no need for you to push back (the same
theory as the strong Bong Sau, see last
issue). If your angle is not right he will be
able to slap your arm out of the way.
Since you do not need to use any
energy, you can remain relaxed. If you
like, you can let him try to slap your arm
out of the way a couple of times, each
time he tries he will use a little more
energy. Then when he has committed

Fig 5

angle. In this
situation, it is safe to use
this Fuk Sau (Fig 4).
As your opponent punches
towards you, turn and cover his punch
with an elbow in Fuk Sau. Make sure
you turn enough so you are not in line
with his fist (Fig 5). When your opponent
realises you have turned he will try and

Fig 6

Qi Magazine 37

Visiting Grandmaster

Yang Meijun

It was something that most of us had only dreamed about so

when our teacher, Michael Tse, invited us to join him on trip to
Beijing, China, to meet his Sifu, Master Yang Meijun, we kept
pinching ourselves to make sure we really were awake. Although
the main purpose of the trip was to meet our Sigong, we also had
the opportunity to take in some of the more famous tourist sights
and shopping expeditions and even visit a Wushu school to see
them training.

eptember 21st finally arrived and those going from

Manchester met early at the airport for our connecting
flight to London. Soon we had met up with our fellow
classmates and were en route to Beijing. For most of us,
it was the first time to visit China, a place that had become
a symbol of our own Mecca. Our trip there could certainly be described
as a spiritual journey home. All of us had been practising Wild Goose
Qigong for a number of years and felt overwhelmed that we were
going to meet the 27th generation inheritor of the Dayan Qigong
skill.
Although tired and jet lagged, we met up for our first Chinese
meal in China at a local restaurant that we had scouted out early on
our arrival. It was a good opportunity to be able to taste many different
dishes. Over the next days, Dou Miu (a type of bean sprout shoot)
and creamy Dou Fu (bean curd)
quickly became daily favourites
along with the Beijing Duck and
fish so fresh that it was still
swimming when ordered. Eating
at local restaurants also meant
that the price was lower than the
hotel restaurants and we could
eat and drink our fill very
reasonably as well as feel part of
the community. That first
evening after dinner we visited
Tiananmen Square to see the
night lights. We went back to the
hotel and eventually slept despite
our excitement.
On the third day of our
trip, it was arranged that we would meet Yang Sigong that evening.
We had all been briefed as to how we should behave so as not to
embarrass ourselves or teacher, so we knew not to stand up but kneel
down when in her presence. Being so tiny, it was disrespectful to
make her look upwards at all of us. To say that we were nervous is an

understatement. We had to take several taxis and the journey was

quite long so everyone was tense and scared the closer we got to her
home. When we finally arrived, we were ushered in to her living
room and there she was sitting at the table watching as we came in.
No one had expected to see her just like that and almost like a wave,
everyone dropped to their knees at the side of the room as we waited
for Michael to come in.
Introductions were made and tea was offered to us by her
students. Then she decided to give us a demonstration of how flexible
she was and sitting where she was
she lifted her leg almost straight up
in the air beside her ear. Someone
was asked to push down on her
elbow as she resisted but they were
unable to do so. Her palms were
red and skin soft and shiny. You
could see that her spirit was strong
and she even joked with us as she
said in English, Okay?. And then,
before we even knew what was
happening, she had stood up and
walked to the centre of the room
and began to show us some of her
skill. It is hard to describe the feeling
of meeting her. The usual adjectives
like amazing and incredible seem
inadequate.
It touches feelings deep down inside of you, the ones that you
never put into words and rarely even acknowledge to yourself. You
feel awed and frightened simultaneously. You wonder if she is able to
see what kind of person you are and what she thinks of you. She
Qi Magazine 39

allowed us to take photos

with her and we all felt
highly honoured by this,
but just being in her
presence was something
we would carry with us for
the rest of our lives.
That evening we
were doubly lucky as we
were also able to meet her
eldest son and his wife. Dai
Souk (meaning elder uncle)
looked much like his
mother and had a friendly
open face that was also
shiny and healthy. He was
quick to make us feel
welcome with his smiles
and handshakes. We did
not know how it could get
any better than this, being
in the same room as our
own Sifu, Michael Tse, and
our Sigong, Master Yang,
and her son. However, it
seemed heaven was smiling on
all of us this trip because before
we left, Sigong invited all of us
to attend her birthday party
which was a few days away and
which was to be held at one of
the famous Peking Duck
Restaurants in Central Beijing.
Those few days passed all
too quickly with a visit to the
Great Wall in which all of us
managed to make it up the
difficult path. Looking out over
the mountains with the Wall
marking their contours like a snake, was like having all the paintings
of Chinese mountains you had ever seen come alive. You felt a deep
sense of history and timelessness looking out over a landscape that
had changed little over the decades. Someday I would like to go back

at dawn and see the sun rising over the mountain tops
and feel the souls of those who had been there before me
in another time. During the day it is often difficult to
shake off those peddling silk scarves and t-shirts as they
lay in wait for tourists at strategic points.
During the days before the birthday party, we
visited a Chinese acrobatic show and other sights.
Shopping was also one of the highlights as everyone
began to hone their bargaining skills with patience and
good humour. Purchasing as a group helped and we all
came home with some very nice examples of Chinese
paintings.
Soon it was Yang Sigongs birthday party. Michael
had arranged with our hotel to make a special cake which
was decorated with three geese flying. It said Live a
Long Life from Michael Tse and students. It was quite a
feat to get the cake all the way from the hotel to the
restaurant without damaging it. In the end Michael and
one of the students hopped into a pedi-cab with the cake
in order to not have it crushed by all the crowds and
were whisked away towards Tiananmen Square with the
rest of us in hot pursuit on foot.
We were all ushered upstairs and into the reserved
room for the party. There were several guests already

It seemed unbelievable to be
here at her birthday party. We were
all here joined together with the
common interest of Qigong.

Qi Magazine 40

there, including both of her sons and

many students and also several
government officials. In total there
were over 200 guests and we were
the only foreigners there. We
were shown our seats and left
to chat amongst ourselves. As
we sipped tea, we were the
subject of many curious stares
from others and Michael made
introductions as people came to
say hello. After half an hour or
so, there was a noticeable
increase in the level of
excitement. We all stood as
Master Yang was escorted into the room by two Chinese army
officials. She waved to all of her guests before she sat down. It
seemed within seconds that everyone was surrounding her table.
Michael herded us all together and we went forward to pay our
respects and drink a toast with Yang Sigong. It seemed
unbelievable to be here at her birthday party. We were all here
joined together with the common interest of Qigong. Even
though not one person there could speak English somehow
we communicated just fine.

The flight to Beijing was flourished filled.

We landed at last, safe and sound.
Although, on reflection, the fact is,
Our feet rarely kept on the ground.
The hotel was grand in an Old World way.
A platformed Grand tinkled each eve
The contrasts outside were so strong
A paradox hard to conceive.
The park in the morning opened at six,
Bombarding the emotions and feelings.
The people: the dust: the sharing
Exercise using the railings.
A back walking man, water painting the path.
Long handled brush strokes of symbols.
A woman, with basket, singing her scales
Qigong, taiji; some tree rolls.
Then back to breakfast stimulus filled
Negotiate traffic new skill!
Keep walking slowly moving along.
It all seems to work: with a will.
Along-side the road they are dancing
The Tangos the one they prefer.
Western dress [50s] practising steps;
With joy; dedication; verve!
Visits to palaces; places.
Whistle - stop touring they call it.
Walking the wall the difficult way!
A sense of achievement: completed.
A sprint for taxis go, go ,go;
No matter; deep conversation!
Cant keep them waiting when youre in a team.
Makes for a smooth operation.
A hunt on for swords [though some hiccups]
Successful! The purchases made.
A bartering skill new discovered.
Some experts amongst us good trade!
Such people we met at a party.
Such power; such peace and such love.
To communicate; went beyond language.
That one meeting - would be enough.
Fixed memories; heightened emotions.
Relationships firmly cemented.
A once in-a-lifetime whirl-wind
Explosion of the senses.
By Sylvia Royle

Qi Magazine 41

Dai Souk and one of our Qigong uncles demonstated energy

transmission specially for us. Dai Souk gathered his energy and then
tossed it into to our upraised hands. It felt like something touching
the centre of our palms and then spreading out to our fingers like a
flower opening. Some felt tingling and warmth as well.
Soon after, it was speech time. Yang Sigong spoke and to our
great pride, she asked Michael to give a speech as well. Everyone
wished her long life before we began what was a several course banquet.
Before leaving, we presented her with our cake and it was obvious
that she was pleased with the geese on it as she smiled and ate a large
piece with her chopsticks straightaway. The evening ended all too
soon. As we waved good-bye to Yang Sigong in Tiananmen Square,
we all felt how deeply lucky we had been. I also felt that each of us that

was there had an obligation to

pass on the skill that had so
benefitted us in our own lives.
This
time
also
strengthened the bond between
us and our own teacher as well.
None of us would trade the time
spent in China, not even when
we had to rise at sunrise in order
to be able to have a few hours of
practice in the park with Michael.
He taught us in a different way
than he did in the classroom. It
was more relaxed and close knit,
more like family. And that is the
word that sums up the
tripfamily. We all learned to
enjoy the time together as a family, often meeting in someones hotel
room for a late night chat and sampling of Beijings unusual fruit and
tea we had bought at the market. Some even had a fashion show,
using the hotel hallway as a catwalk to show off their wushu uniforms
and silk jackets purchased at the famous silk market.
I know that I speak not only for myself, but all of us who
went, that we are deeply grateful and indebted to Michael for introducing
us to his teacher and for sharing China with us. It was hard to come
back to England. For me it felt like I was leaving home, rather than
returning home and I do not think that I am the only one who left
their heart in China.
by Jessica Blackwell

Qi Magazine 42

Chinese Yoga

Amazing
Master
Chen
Wei De

Qi Magazine 43

Chinese Yoga
Buddhas Face

Looking Back to the

other Coast

Turning Qian Kun

Right Leg Goes Over

the Neck

A Thousand Stone
On the Back

Lifting Up Lotus

Chinese Yoga

Monkey Gives Fruit

Qi Magazine 44

Long Life Turtle

Three Legged
Cauldron

Climbing the
Mountain & Crossing
the Sea

Blossoming Lotus

The practice of the Chinese martial arts or Quan fa (Fist Arts) is made up
of both internal and external systems. Both of these systems require years of
devotion, practice, and thought in order to reach mastery. One feature,
which is fundamental to both systems, is the development of character.

Developing Character
begin their careers until into their teens, or
later. For those who did not have the benefit
of this background training, the Wu Teh code
is our guideline to deportment, etiquette, and
fealty.
As students today who are interested
in becoming fully developed martial artists,
healthcare practitioners or scholars of the
Way, character is one element of our training,
which must not be neglected.

Those of us lacking the balanced

development of character must first
acknowledge, and then examine with an eye
to modifying, both their positive qualities and
those base aspects of their character.
Evaluation of these qualities is necessary in
order to begin to practise balancing them.
By working hard to reach a balanced
view we then are able to reflect this in our
character. On a basic level this training is
merely focused on identifying the Yin and
Yang elements of character. Later on our
focus would be fine tuning these individual
elements or qualities to balance. On a higher
level one then begins working to balance the
overall character. The spiritual aspect of
martial training follows the same rules as for

physical or energy training. First it is

necessary to recognise your limitations, and
then train at the edge of your limitation to
push back its boundaries. Steady gains in
concentration time, emotion dispersal, and
intention intensity for example, should
result.
It is important to constantly monitor
your growth. Like physical injury, or Qigong
accidents, training the spiritual may also go
astray. It is important to have a teacher, or
family of teachers, who know you as one
does a family member in order to regularly
guide your development. Traditionally one
remained within the haven of ones lineage
where the opportunity to train with ones
teacher, even ones teachers teacher was
possible. This extended family worked
beneficially on many different levels to guide
the adept throughout their lifetime while
providing a constant example for them to
follow.
Spiritual imbalance can result in overemotional states, either of a higher or lower
nature, personality disorders, and even
outright delusions. Our safety and later the
safety of our students must be considered
and for this reason, among others, it is
imperative to maintain close links with your
teachers throughout your career.
In training the internal we seek to
develop sensitivity to others physical power,
balance, and energy circulation. On another
level it is also important to develop sensitivity
to the power of their character. Evaluating
other peoples character, whether they be our
opponents, patients, or students, gives us
insight to their possible actions. While it is
difficult to know others it is even more
challenging to know the self. The internal
work of fine tuning our characters in order
to balance our qualities, understand our
strengths and weakness, and modify our
more base elements is just as important to
train as developing Fajing skills for example.
This work helps us to quiet the mind, take
comfort in our centre, and flow in harmony
with our circumstances. Naturally there are
times when we are tested. Even times when
the physical must predominate in order to
Qi Magazine 45

Internal Matters

hen we initially begin our practice,

our focus is primarily concerned
with learning forms, building
strength and endurance in the body, and
trying to internalise the various theories
presented by our teachers. As time goes by,
and we gain some measure of ability and
understanding, it becomes apparent to us that
the principles we are learning operate on many
different levels. Unusual challenges face us,
which we did not expect from the lessons,
often times resulting in emotional responses
from within us. Many students, having no
paradigm with which to handle these
challenges, may stop coming to class
altogether, others may display inappropriate
responses like rude, arrogant, or aggressive
behaviour. Fortunately by reaching back into
the mists of time we may refer to an ancient
code of etiquette and protocol to guide us.
The Wu Teh code has been the basis
for interaction in martial circles from earliest
times and remains today a canon, which will
guide our development as a whole person in
our studies.
When we train in either an external
or internal system a common key to our
training is the development of the Three
Treasures: Qi (energy, breath), Jing (power,
endurance), and Shen (spiritual intention,
concentration). For the purposes of character
development, our training would focus on
the Shen or spiritual aspect of the three. In
training the spiritual there are many areas to
cover, fundamentally however the application
of intention, the ability to concentrate, and
reaching the higher planes of perception and
enlightenment are dependent upon the
discipline of character in order to progress.
In a traditional setting it was primarily
the duty of the parents and later the extended
family, which was responsible for the training
of character in a child. In martial families a
teacher or set of masters further guided the
childs development, as they grew older. In
modern society the development of the
character is increasingly being left to the
individual to develop. Many modern
practitioners did not have the benefit of
growing up in a martial family and did not

follow the precepts of the code. Overall however, our goal is to find
the tranquillity and consistency to maintain our practice.
The Wu Teh code is a time tested traditional path lined with
milestones as challenging as any physical test. We often see examples
today of modern behaviour which lies in conflict with it. Indeed
many question the place of concepts like fealty, compassion, and
honour in a modern world. And while the code is applied in strictly
martial circles this is perhaps understandable. It is when the principles
are practised in our every day life that the challenge in following them
reveals our characters to us. Many do not want to recognise these
elements in themselves because of their inability to overcome their

baser instincts. However we do have the opportunity to change, by

training, by following our teachers example, researching alternative
methods of reason, and investing in loss.
In the end one practises the Chinese internal arts to live. On
a Jing level one practises to protect and defend. On a Qi level one
practises to tune the body to its prime health condition, and on a
Shen level to enjoy the peace and tranquillity lifes abundance grants.
The balanced training of all three of these treasures depends upon
moderating and disciplining our character in order to achieve the
consistent harmony to do so.
by J. Reynolds Nelson

The Wu Teh Code

Honour your Teacher.
Treat your fellow students as brother/sister.
Students should show respect for one another.
Always maintain humility, be considerate and kind to
those less fortunate.
Approach learning with an empty cup.
Lead by example.
Trust your teacher s judgement as long as they
remain your teacher.
Remember that teachers are human and will make
mistakes.
Always be courteous.
View criticism as opportunity to grow.
Never openly criticise your teacher.
Take pride in your school, your fellows, your self.
Two person training is an opportunity to discipline
your ego.
Intimidation of others in training is low level.
Perseverance and tenacity is a sign of strength, never
give up.
Cleanliness shows you honour yourself by example.
Do not be greedy for information.
Always give a gift to your teacher on special
occasions no matter how small.
If you travel to see your teacher bring them a gift
each time.
If you have a falling out with your teacher bring them
a gift the next time you see them and apologise in a
humble way.
Do not expect your teacher to open the gift in front of
you.
If your teacher or guest comes to your home always
ensure there is food and drink available in
abundance.
Always address and introduce your teacher with their
title as a sign of respect.
Bowing or saluting to your teacher and fellows is a
sign of respect and gratitude.
Never debate the cost of instruction. Always pay on
time.
Qi Magazine 46

Try not to be late to class or leave early without

explanation.
The saying Teacher has no hands, no pockets
means that when with your teacher they should not
carry or move things, when out in public they should
not pay for incidentals or meals.
Senior students are responsible for their juniors
understanding of these ethics.
Senior students accept challenges on behalf of the
teacher, only if they are defeated would the teacher
take up a challenge.
If it is within your power to save those less fortunate
than yourself from abuse of any kind do so.
When going to study with other teachers first ask
permission.
Ensure you pay other teachers honourably or give
them some tribute, a red envelope is a traditional
method of conveyance.
Never wear any symbol of rank to another school.
Always bow when entering someone elses school.
If studying with a guest teacher always open doors
for them, address them with respect, pay for their
meals etc.
When eating with your seniors always allow them to
start first, ensure their tea cup is always full, and
allow them the seat of honour.
If in doubt defer to your teacher, let them guide you
Clean up after your teacher or seniors as a sign of
respect.
Dont be afraid to let your teacher see your inner
character, if you follow this code you will earn their
respect.
Understand that other traditions may have additional
points of etiquette for you to follow, as long as they
generally agree with the above it will honour you to
observe them.
Practise that which your teacher shows you.
Be honest and loyal to your teacher, your fellows,
and your school.

How you should practise and where you should practise

your Qigong is very important. The times you practise
will also affect you body and so this is also important.

Just More Time

SM
A
IN T LL
ES
TIN
E
LE
IPP
TR MER
R
WA

ER

23

23 - 1

21

13

LIV

15

1
9-

11 - 13

13
-

LEE
SP

Qi Magazine 47

Life Training

still remember my first Qigong lesson.

Once you have become more
a walk. Movement will help stimulate
It had taken me several months to your bodys circulation and make you feel familiar with Qigong, you can choose a
work up enough courage to finally go warmer and your mind clearer. The next time to practise in which the function of
along to a class and once there I was so
thing to consider is where is the best place a particular channel in your body will be
shy and scared of making a fool of myself to practise. My teacher has always said enhanced. The Chinese break each day
that I did not think that the hour would that it is better to practise outside into sections of twelve hours, spanning
ever end. Fear is not very conducive to
providing the air is clean, however, the two hours each. A new day begins at
learning and so it made remembering the
weather is not always so cooperative. In 11:00 pm and so the hours run on
movements even more difficult, but I addition, when just beginning, you may accordingly. These same twelve hours
stuck with it and although I began to feel
know only a few movements and so you have a corresponding animal relating to
better and more relaxed within just a few
may feel cold quite quickly. In this case, Chinese horoscopes and also relate to a
weeks, it has taken
particular channel of
many years to begin to The Hours and the Internal Organs
our body. I have only
feel that what I am
listed a few of the
doing is more than just
hours.
a series of connected
The following
lessons.
hours relate to the
I am greatly
corresponding organappreciative of the
see diagram.
Y
ST
R
OM
INA R
patience of my teacher
R
You can also
AC
U
DE
H
AD
L
and also of the senior
choose
to practise
B
79
- 17
students who spent so
15
facing in a particular
LARGE
much time answering
direction, ie., north,
5-7
17 - 19
KIDNEY
questions and repeating
INTESTINE
south, east or west.
19
5
the movements, just
The north direction
2
3
1
PE
one more time when I
connects with the
S
RIC
NG
AR
got stuck. Now I find
kidneys and so facing
LU
D IU
M
myself being asked
in this direction can
many of the same
make the kidney
questions, one of the
energy stronger.
most common of which
South connects with
is, when is the best
the heart, east
time to do Qigong
direction connects
GALL
training. The answer
with the liver and
BLADDER
really depends on the
west
direction
individual. Are they just beginning or are
connects
with
the
lungs.
However,
the best
you could practise inside but it is best to
they more advanced? Beginners may feel
is
to
listen
to
your
body
and
try
to
make
open the window and let in the fresh air.
quite tired with just a few movements, so
things
balanced.
Some
find
early
morning
Qigong is about getting rid of negative or
the best is to take things slowly and fit
sick energy and gathering fresh or good practise the best while others like
your Qigong practice in with your
energy. Fresh air equals good Qi, so if you practising at night. The more Qigong you
lifestyle.
always have the windows closed while practise the more sensitive you will
Some movement is better than no
trying to practise, there is no exchange of become to your bodys needs and you will
movement and so even if you are short
negative energy with positive energy. It is then know what is best for you.
on time, it is good to repeat some exercises like trying to take a bath in dirty water.
by Tse Sihn Kei
or even just do some stretching or taking