Chinese Medical Qigong

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Praise for the hardback edition:
“This is the first English translation of this ancient art of Chinese medicine. It
is a must-read for Traditional Chinese Medical practitioners as it allows the
traditional principles of Qigong to be related to current scientific evidence. The
book was generally an excellent read, being a great introduction to the practice
of Qigong for both experienced and non-experienced TCM practitioners…as
a sole English reference book in the practice of Qigong it makes an excellent
reference text for any TCM practitioner… Personally, I found this book an
excellent read as a practitioner of a more Western approach of acupuncture. It
presented itself very well at demonstrating the approach of Qigong to many
typically ‘Western’ diagnoses, which I found useful as a mainly non-TCM
practitioner. Overall, Chinese Medical Qigong is an excellent reference text in the
TCM practice of Qigong a vital read for any practitioner.”
—JAACP (The Journal of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists)
“This is a landmark work in the field of Medical Qigong… The book provides
a great overview of Qigong theory, research, and practice for anyone who is
interested in Qigong therapy.”
—qigonghealing.co.uk
“Chinese Medical Qigong is the definitive work on this ancient medical system for
the English-speaking world. It is an important addition to our understanding of
the contribution of Chinese culture, tradition, and science to the art of healing.”
—Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words and The Power of Premonitions
“This is a long-needed and must-read book about the history, science, and
practice of Chinese Medical Qigong. Clearly written, comprehensive, and
visionary in scope.”
—Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Medicine,
Neurology, Psychiatry, and Surgery, The University of Arizona,
and author of The Energy Healing Experiments
“Chinese Medical Qigong is one of the most comprehensive English texts to be
published on this subject to date. An important reference for anyone interested
in Medical Qigong.”
—Adam Perlman, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P., Endowed Professor of Complementary
and Alternative Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
“This volume is an unparalleled presentation of current theory, research and
practice in Medical Qigong in China today. It will appeal to anyone interested
in use of Qigong to promote health and wellness.”
—Donald D. Davis, Ph.D., Old Dominion University,
VA, and Tidewater Tai Chi Center
“This is an important book, one that has the potential to bring Qigong into the
clinical and research limelight in the U.S. so that this wonderful and ancient
healing practice can be better understood scientifically. The history, concepts,
and practical applications of Qigong are presented thoroughly and systematically.
The book illuminates not only Qigong, but also sheds light on all of Traditional
Chinese Medicine and deserves a wide readership among clinicians, researchers,
acupuncturists, and all others working the field of integrative medicine.”
—Elizabeth R. Mackenzie, Ph.D., Lecturer, History and Sociology of
Science, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
“There are very few texts on the instruction of Qigong that address both the art
and science of this form of movement meditation and therapy. Chinese Medical
Qigong does both in a clearly documented and organized manner and does
it well. The first English translation of the ‘only official textbook of Medical
Qigong utilized in TCM universities in China’ does not suffer from translation
but, rather, guides the reader through such diverse topics as Qigong history,
theory, forms, research, and clinical application… It is likely to become the
‘go-to’ textbook in any medical program that includes Qi-based therapies or
self-care.”
—Bonnie Povolny, LAc., The American Acupuncturist
“The content of this book is extensive and all-inclusive. It consists of fundamental
theories, practical methods and skills, clinical applications of Qigong therapy,
classical Qigong literature, and many other more. This textbook will be a useful
tool for medical students and health care professionals who are interested in
complementary and alternative therapies. It will also be an important resource
book for anyone who practices mind-body exercise (i.e. Tai Chi and Qigong).”
—Violet Li, St. Louis Examiner
“This is a monumental work, put together by a host of editors from many
Chinese medicine colleges in China as well as some prominent Qigong teachers
from the U.S. such as Kenneth Cohen and Roger Jahnke… Medical Qigong is
just becoming more well-known in the West and this book is a welcome and
valuable addition to this exciting field.”
—The Empty Vessel
“What the wealth of material in this book should do is destroy a common idea
that a weekend course in Qigong is enough to qualify someone in its mastery…
A worthwhile addition to any practitioner’s collection.”
—The European Journal of Oriental Medicine
 Chinese
Medical
Qigong
Editor in Chief: Tianjun Liu, O.M.D.
Associate Editor in Chief:
Xiao Mei Qiang, L.Ac., MSTOM

London and PhiladelpHia

English language edition first published in 2010
This edition published in 2013
by Singing Dragon
an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
116 Pentonville Road
London N1 9JB, UK
and
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.singingdragon.com

Copyright © Tianjun Liu 2010 and 2013

English translation copyright © Tianjun Liu 2010 and 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 84819 096 2

eISBN 978 0 85701 017 9

Printed and bound in Great Britain

 Contents

Editor’s Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
General Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
I. Essential Concepts of CMQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
II. The Academic System of CMQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
III. Subjects Related to CMQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
IV. The Study of CMQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Part I Fundamental Theories 29

Chapter 1 The Origins of Qigong and the
Major Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1. The Origin of Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
I. Historical Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
II. Medical Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
III. Archaeological Discoveries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
2. Traditional Major Qigong Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
I. Medical Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
II. Daoist Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
III. Buddhist Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
IV. Confucian Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
V. Martial Arts Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Chapter 2 Classical Theories . . . . . . . 45

1. Theories of Medical Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
I. Theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
II. Zang-Fu (Visceral Manifestation) and Meridian Theory . . . . . . . . 50
III. The Theory of Essence-Qi-Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
 2. Theories of Other Qigong Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
I. Daoist Qigong Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
II. Buddhist Qigong Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
III. Confucian Qigong Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
IV. Martial Arts Qigong Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Chapter 3 Modern Scientific Research

on Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
1. Summary of Modern Research on Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
I. Development of Modern Research on Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
II. Trends and Controversy in Qigong Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
2. Physiological Effects of Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
I. Effects of Qigong on the Respiratory System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
II. Effect of Qigong on the Cardiovascular System . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
III. Effects of Qigong on Neuroelectrophysiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
3. Psychological Effects of Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
I. Operational Mechanism of Adjusting Mind in Qigong Practice . . . . 103
II. Psychological Elements of External Qi Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Part II Practical Methods and Skills 111

Chapter 4 Basic Operations of Qigong
Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
1. Adjustment of Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
I. External Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
II. Internal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
2. Adjustment of Breath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
I. Adjustment of Breathing Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
II. Adjustment of Breathing Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
3. Adjustment of Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
I. Operation of Mind Adjustment (Yi Nian Tiao Kong, 意念调控) . . . . 136
II. Adjustment of the Mental Realm (Jing Jie Tiao Kong, 境界调控) . . . 141
4. Integrating Three Adjustments into One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
I. Consolidating Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
II. Extending Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
III. Characteristics of the State Integrating Three Adjustments into One . 148
Chapter 5 General Introduction
to Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
1. Classification of Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
I. Classification of Qigong by Academic Schools or Traditions . . . . . . 149
II. Classification by Dynamic/Static Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
III. Classification by the Three Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
IV. Classification by Practice Style or Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . 153
2. Guidelines and Precautions for Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
I. Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
II. Precautions Before and After Practicing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
3. Possible Reactions to Qigong Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
I. Normal Reactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
II. Adverse Reactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
4. Qigong Deviations and Corrections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
I. The Causes of Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
II. Symptoms of Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
III. Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
IV. Treatment Methods for Correction of Deviations . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Chapter 6 Selected Qigong Forms . . . . . 174

1. Five-Animal Frolics (五禽戏) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
2. The Six Syllable Formula (六字诀) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
3. Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic (易筋经) . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
4. Eight Pieces of Brocade (八段锦) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
5. Five Elements Palm (五行掌) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
6. Health Preserving Qigong (保健功) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
 7. Post Standing Qigong (站桩功) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
8. Relaxation Qigong (放松功) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
9. Internal Nourishing Qigong (内养功) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
10. Roborant Qigong (强壮功) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
11. New Qigong Therapy (新气功疗法) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
I. Practice Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
II. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

Part III Clinical Applications 261

Chapter 7 General Introduction to
Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
1. Characteristics and Indications of Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . 262
I. Characteristics of Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
II. Indications and Contraindications of Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . 265
2. Principles of Administering Treatment by Syndrome Differentiation
in Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
I. Recognizing TCM Syndromes and Administering Qigong by
Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
II. Administering Qigong Suitably to Individual, Time, and Location . . 279
3. Standard Procedures and Clinical Routine of Qigong Therapy . . . 285
I. Qigong Prescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
II. Qigong Treatment Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
III. The Treatment Process of Qigong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292

Chapter 8 Examples of Clinical

Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
1. Hypertension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 299
 III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
2. Coronary Artery Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 307
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
3. Peptic Ulcers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 312
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
4. Chronic Liver Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 323
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
5. Diabetes Mellitus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 330
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
6. Obesity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 337
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
7. Menopause Syndrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 346
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
8. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 352
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
 9. Insomnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 359
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
10. Tumor and Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 364
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
11. Lower Back Pain and Leg Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 372
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
12. Cervical Spondylosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
II. Administer Qigong Forms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 379
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
13. Myopia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
I. Main Qigong Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
II. Administer Qigong Froms by Syndrome Differentiation . . . . . . . . 389
III. Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Appendix: Ancient Qigong Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391

A Brief Chronology of the Dynasties in the History of China . . . . . . . . . . . . 393

The Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395

Editorial and Translation Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
 Editor’s Foreword

Since the English hardback edition of Chinese Medical Qigong was published in
London in 2010, three years have passed in a flash. When the hardback edition
was published, the idea of publishing the book in paperback had already been
conceived. The hardback edition is a full text translation of the original Chinese
textbook. It is useful because it reports reliably on the whole panorama of the
subject of Chinese Medical Qigong. But there are also possible shortcomings
to it, for such a translation, with so much space and attention devoted to the
academic aspects, may not be suitable for Western general readers.
The length of this paperback edition is about two-thirds that of the
hardback. The chapters on classical Qigong literature and Qigong history in
China have been reduced, taking into account that they are not central to the
demands of Western general readers. And the number of Qigong forms and
the diseases for which treatment by Qigong is appropriate are fewer than in
the hardback. However, in addition to cutting some material, the content has
been revised, and new content has been added for the paperback. In the three
years since the hardback was published in English, a new Chinese edition of the
Chinese Medical Qigong textbook has been issued, and the recent research results
on Qigong published in it have been included in the paperback, thus keeping
up with the pace of the times. The following are several important differences
between the contents of the paperback and hardback editions.
The definition of Qigong in the paperback has been revised a little: two
words have been added, and the word order adjusted. The definition in the
hardback is: Qigong is the skill of body-mind exercise that integrates body, breath and
mind adjustments into one. In the paperback the definition is: Qigong is the skill
of body-mind exercise that integrates three adjustments of body, breath and mind into
one. The changes allow the definition to express more clearly the relationship
between the operational contents (body, breath, and mind adjustments) of
Qigong and its operational aim (integrate the three adjustments into one), and it
is easier to understand. Actually, the definition of Qigong is the cornerstone of

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12 E d i to r ’ s F o r e wo r d

Qigong academic theory—one can say that a single word is worth a thousand
pieces of gold, so any effort that can make the definition more accurate is
worth doing. Moreover, such a revision shows that the definition of Qigong is
not immutable and frozen, and as our understanding of the essence of Qigong
deepens, its definition will also be deepened, although the correct and most
scientific understanding is not easy to reach. As well as the revised Qigong
definition, in this edition some other definitions of basic concepts, such as
“keep the mind on” and “mental visualization,” have also been revised, as the
reader will discover.
The most substantial additions and revisions in the paperback are the
chapters on current scientific research into Qigong, and these reflect the
continuing progress in the field of research. It should be said that modern
scientific research into Qigong is still in its infancy. The characteristics of such
a stage are that the research works are sometimes hot and sometimes cold,
sometimes back and sometimes forth, with multi-disciplinary and miscellaneous
research directions, and most especially, there are no clear and effective research
methods. Currently, the overall situation in this field is that the research results
are many, but their reliability is not good enough. Some new research has been
added to the paperback, some older research findings with poor reliability have
been deleted.
One new piece of research is into EEG topographic during Qigong exercise.
The research reveals that, in the process of Qigong exercise, the main thinking
form of subjects changes from the abstract and image thinking of daily life to
perceptual thinking in the Qigong state. It is well-known that in comparing
Qigong exercise with physical exercise, the most important distinction between
them is that the former exercises towards the internal, whereas the latter
towards the external, as in the expression “internal cultivation supports essence,
Qi and spirit, while external cultivation supports sinew, bone and skin.” To
realize internal cultivation, the subject must rely on internal exercise skills, and
changing the thinking form is the key skill.
It should be pointed out that “perceptual thinking” is a new term. The word
“perceptual” is borrowed from “perceptual psychology,” but here it is used in
another sense, which has two aspects. First, the original meaning of “perceptual
psychology” is to research integrative sensory processes which react to external
stimuli, but the meaning of “perceptual thinking” is to research the processes of
creating internal sensation without external stimuli. So the word “perceptual”
in different terms indicates different sensory processes. Because to create
internal sensation is a conscious, active and purposive process carried out by the
consciousness, it is a form of thinking: perceptual thinking. Second, perceptual
thinking is not only a psychological activity, but also a psychosomatic activity.
One experiment has shown that with the same thinking theme (i.e. subjects
 E d i to r ' s F o r e wo r d 13

thinking about the same topic) the EEG changed when subjects were engaged
in abstract thinking and image thinking, but both EEG and EMG changed in
perceptual thinking.
The research above advanced understanding of the distinctive thinking form
during Qigong exercise, and found a new way to clarify the physiological and
psychological mechanisms of Qigong exercise. It is also very useful to Qigong
practitioners for it can guide Qigong exercise through scientific data. However,
although the research has been introduced in the appropriate chapters in the
paperback, the book is not a scientific paper, for it is difficult to explain any
single piece of research in detail. So if readers are interested in the research, the
relevant research literature needs to be consulted.
The basic operation of Qigong is always the core part of a Qigong textbook,
and the chapter devoted to this has been strengthened in the paperback edition.
In the final analysis, learning Qigong must be done in actual practice; as the
definition of Qigong says, Qigong exercise is a kind of skill training. The
content of the basic operation of Qigong includes the main Qigong exercise
skills and their standardizations. According to recent research, in Qigong
exercise the major skill is to integrate the three adjustments of body, breath
and mind into one. It is also the main distinction between Qigong exercise and
physical exercise. Both Qigong and physical exercise involve the same three
adjustments, but Qigong exercise emphasizes integrating them into one, while
in physical exercise, the three adjustments are always operated distinctly, and
one of them, especially body adjustment, is often emphasized.
Compared with the hardback, the content of the paperback is more focused
on practical application, so it is more appropriate for readers who want to learn
Qigong exercise. In my own experience, I want to tell Qigong lovers that the
basic method of Qigong exercise is to choose a Qigong form that you like,
and to exercise the three adjustments of body, breath and mind in each section
of the form step by step, from practicing them one by one individually to
integrating them into one. When you can stay in one state during your exercise
from beginning to end, you have mastered the form. After you have learned
one Qigong form, if you want, you can learn one or two others. But please
remember, there is no need to learn a lot of Qigong forms, because any Qigong
form is only a means or vehicle to reach the unified state of Qigong. The goal
of learning Qigong exercise is not to master a Qigong form, but to hold the
Qigong state. As for what kind of Qigong form is better for you, it is different
from person to person. Generally speaking, the form that you like may be a
suitable form for you, for there will be some factors consistent between you
and that form, otherwise you wouldn’t like it. Furthermore, if you persevere in
exercising just the form you are fond of for a long time, you can reach success.
14 E d i to r ’ s F o r e wo r d

Finally, I want to give special thanks to two ladies—Xiao Mei and Jessica.
The associate editor in chief of this paperback edition, Xiao Mei, is an excellent
acupuncture doctor. Her bilingual Chinese and English skills and her rich
knowledge of Chinese medicine mean that she has edited this book successfully
and magnificently. Jessica is the head of the publishing house that has published
this book. She has herself reviewed the full text of the paperback and polished
the language as a native English speaker. Therefore, it is an honor to publish this
book with Singing Dragon.
Liu Tianjun
Beijing, 23 January 2013
 General Introduction

Qigong is one of the essential elements of traditional Chinese culture. Qigong

therapy, an important branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has a
history going back thousands of years. Qigong therapy is still used today to
prevent diseases and treat illness, and is drawing increasing attention from
scientists and practitioners of modern medicine. From the early 1990s onward,
the theories and methods of Qigong have been carefully analyzed and organized
and Qigong has developed as a unique discipline. Having been part of TCM
for many years, Qigong eventually became “Qigongology,” or Chinese Medical
Qigong (CMQ ), a new subject based on a very ancient history.

I. Essential Concepts of CMQ

Chinese Medical Qigong is based on a combination of academic TCM and
practical study of Qigong—in other words, the basic concepts of CMQ involve
both Chinese medicine and Qigong.

A. Qigong
1. History of the Term “Qigong”
Qigong, defined as energy (Qi) skill (gong), first appeared in the book Ana of
Pure and Bright School or Jing Ming Zong Jiao Lu (净明宗教录) by the Daoist
priest Xu Xun (许逊)1 during the Jin dynasty (265–420 ad). Ana of Pure and
Bright School—Pine Tree and Sand Record or Jing Ming Zong Jiao Lu—Song Sa Ji
says: “To be a Daoist, practice Qigong to start, cultivate internal Qi, then refine
on elixir.” Thus, from the very beginning, Qigong has been associated with
Daoist cultivation and practice. However, after its initial appearance, the term
“Qigong” was not widely adopted for more than a thousand years. It appeared
in some books at the end of the Qin dynasty and was mentioned in some
health and medical books during the period of the Republic of China (中华

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