|
WU QIN XI (5 ANIMALS PLAY) QIGONG SEMINAR WITH VISITING DELEGATES FROM CHINESE HEALTH QIGONG ASSOCIATION
- 22ND SEPTEMBER 2009.
Well, what a day this was! Vicky and Lee, together with Faye Yip took the delegates to Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Centre and were
taken on a VIP tour of the grounds and museum, courtesy of the management. It’s not every day that
the Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee visits !! After this, they arrived at the Mandarin Restaurant in North Cheam where we had arranged lunch
with the Worshipful, The Madam Mayor of London Borough of Sutton, Councillor Margaret Court. The list of delegates who came:- Madam Xiao Min, Head of the delegation, Vice President of the All China Sports federation and
Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee. Mr Lu Shiming: Team Leader, Vice President of the Chinese Health
Qigong Association, CHQA Ms He Xin: Translator from the Committee of International Exchange of the CHQA Mr Cui Hengwu:
Coach and Committee Member of the CHQA Ms Liu Yuping: Coach and Professor with the Beijing Sports University, Committee member of the
CHQA and researcher of the Health Qigong-Baduanjin Compiling Group. Ms Zhang Yunya: Coach, Associate Professor
with the Shanghai University of Sport, Committee Member of the CHQA and Researcher of Health Qigong-Wuqinxi Compiling Group The trip was arranged to promote
the introduction of Health Qigong to the UK by Master Faye Yip, President & Tary Yip, Vice President of the British Health
Qigong Association, Founders & Chief Instructors of the Deyin Taijiquan Institute.
The delegates are to visit 5 centres in the UK and we were asked to host the London Event. In the evening, at Cheam
Priory Day Centre, we were treated to a wonderful display of Ba Duan Jin and Wu Qin Xi by the two lady professors and
then we were taught the 5 Animals Play QIgong form. A truly exceptional opportunity for all to enjoy. We are so grateful to Madam Xiao Min for her generosity of gifts
and to have made the event truly memorable.
|
|
| The Worshipful Lord Mayor with Madam Xiao Min |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH QIGONG.
As an important component of Chinese culture with a long history, Health Qigong is a traditional Chinese national
sports event whose main form is the combination of the postures of the body, control of breath, and regulation of mentality.
Qigong is time-honoured. Archaeological findings show the coloured portraits of practicing Qigong on the coloured
gallipots in the period of Majiayao Culture (about 5,000 years ago), which were excavated in Qinghai Province of China. In
the ancient Chinese classic Shangshu written in the Han Dynasty (206 B.C- 220 A.D.), there were literal records on Qigong.
In the cultural relics from the old tomb Ma Wang Dui in the Western Han Dynasty (206-24 B.C.), excavated in Changsha, Hunan
Province, there were many descriptions on Qigong.
For thousands of years, Qigong has been immensely popular with
people, especially those in middle or elderly ages, playing an active role in helping them dispel diseases, promote health,
and prolong their lives. At the beginning
of the new century, Chinese Health Qigong Association developed Four Health Qigong Exercises on the base of excellent traditional
Qigong, including Health Qigong· Yi Jin Jing (tendon-changing classic), Health Qigong· Wu Qin Xi (frolics of five animals), Health Qigong· Liu Zi Jue (the art of expiration in producing six different
sounds), Health Qigong· Ba Duan Jin (eight excellent movements), to fit the people’s needs
of promoting their health and bodybuilding, and to develop traditional Chinese national culture further.
During the process
of developing Four Health Qigong Exercises, we followed methods of scientific research strictly, and took Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Modern Medicine, Psychology, Athletic Science and other related subjects as a guide, and performed certain primary
experiments. Four Health Qigong Exercises, the precious result of the experts in various fields, in which their wisdom and
labour are agglomerated, have selected the essences from the related Qigong in various schools, inherited and developed traditional
Chinese national culture. They are popular in the experiments for their characteristics of abundant contents, elegant postures,
remarkable effects, and the movements that are easy to learn.
Health Qigong ·
Yi Jin Jing Yi Jin Jing is
a method of health-building exercise that comes down from ancient China, and its purpose is to strengthen the muscles and
tendons. By the textual research, Yi Jin Jing germinated from regimens in the Qin(221 B.C.- A.D.) and Han ( B.C.-
220 A.D.)Dynasties. Legend goes that the monk Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen in China, advanced Yi Jin Jing. And
then the monks in Shaolin Temple developed it and used it for health promotion. In the Tang (618-907) and Song (-1279)Dynasties,
Yi Jin Jing developed greatly. It began to spread out of the temple from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1664). Yi Jin
Jing has been greatly influencing the traditional Chinese national sports. Health
Qigong· Yi Jin
Jing embodies the essence of traditional Yi Jin Jing 12 forms. It has been developed,
simplified and standardized on the modern theory and methods of health science, so as to be a smooth and coherent set of movements.
Hence it is of more remarkable characteristics in health promotion. When practicing Health Qigong·
Yi Jin Jing, what should be emphasized
is the movements of turning, bending and extending, pulling and drawing of the muscles, bones and joints, especially those
of turning, bending and extending of the spine. These actions, characterized by elegant, natural and smooth movements, being
in good taste, and coupling hardness with softness, benefit regulating and controlling the function of the spine. The flexible
postures, the point kept in the mind, and the frequency of breathing fit the needs of people of any ages and in different
health conditions. The result of the scientific
study shows that Health Qigong· Yi Jin Jing can improve the functions of the cardiovascular, respiratory
and digestive systems, raise the balancing ability, and better the flexibility and force of the muscles, improve the mood,
lessen the anxiety and depression. Also, it plays an active role in healing some common diseases in the middle-aged and elderly
people.
Wu Qin Xi Wu Qin Xi(Frolics of Five Animals)
was developed by Hua Tuo, the most famous doctor in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). It imitates the actions of animals based
on the habits of the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird, and combines Tu Na (the art of expiration and inspiration)
and Dao Yin (The movements of the limbs in Qigong) with the theories of Viscera, Channels and Collaterals, Qi
and Blood in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Health Qigong·Wu
Qin Xi embodies the essence of the traditional Wu Qin Xi, and combines the designed actions with the Aesthetics of the body
and Modern Athletic Science. It presents the scientific concept and the character of the modern time sufficiently, and accords
with the traditional principles of regulating the body, breath and mind in Qigong. As a result, it fits the needs of people
to promote their health. The movements
of Health Qigong· Wu
Qin Xi are not restricted in the imitation of the behaviours of the animals, but try to present the spirit of the “five
animals”. It simulates the power of the tiger, the ease and comfort of the deer, the steadiness and
calmness of the bear, the dexterity of the monkey and the agility of the bird. The movements are gentle and unfold, harmonious
and symmetrical, and its extent of physical exercise is suitable for most people. The result of the scientific study shows that Health Qigong· Wu Qin Xi exerts an active
influence on the people’s physiological functions, physical nature and state of mind. Moreover, after a period of practice,
the functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory system are enhanced; agility of the joints improved; and the vigour and
grip power strengthened; psychological condition and self-confidence are built up.
Liu Zi Jue Liu Zi Jue (the
art of expiration in producing six different sounds) is a traditional exercise of health promotion. It is practiced through
the art of expiration. Liu Zi Jue is of a long history and has been spread widely. There existed the records of Liu
Zi Jue in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589). During the process of its spread, the masters of medicine and
regimen in various generations replenished and improved it in different aspects. Based on the traditional Liu Zi Jue, by the related modern scientific
theories and methods, the order of the six characters, the pronunciation and the degree of lip-rounding have been regulated
and standardized to make it more scientific and reasonable. The six characters in the Health Qigong· Liu Zi Jue form a whole entity, and each of them is
independent as well, and may be practiced separately. In respiration, pronunciation practice is being taken up with simple
actions of Qigong. The respiration and actions can supplement and complement each other. Scientific studies show that in general, the survival quality of the exercisers has been remarkably
improved compared with that before they practice Liu Zi Jue. There is a trend of improvement in physical and psychological
states, and in the human relations. Their family members live in harmony. Furthermore, the investigation about the healing
of sick people shows that Health Qigong· Liu Zi Jue is helpful to middle-aged and elderly people
who suffer from certain chronic diseases.
Ba Duan Jin Ba Duan Jin (eight excellent movements) emerged before the Song dynasty (960-1279), and gradually developed
to a perfect degree during the periods of the Ming(1368-) and Qing dynasties (-1911). Being a traditional health-promoting
exercise jointly developed by the masters of the regimen and practitioners in the past dynasties, Ba Duan Jin, the
treasure of the Chinese regimen culture is popular with the broad mass, for its movements are simple and easy to learn, and
bring about good results in health-building. Health
Qigong· Ba Duan
Jin embodies the essences of different schools, and preserves the formed movements
and style in the main. On the bases of the Modern Athletic Science and physiology, the order of the movements has been changed
and the amount of physical exercise regulated reasonably, so as to make it more suitable, effective and standardized. The characteristics of movements of Health Qigong· Ba Duan Jin are gentle, slow, smooth and coherent, unfold and elegant; and it couples tension with relaxation,
activeness with quietness. Ba Duan Jin leads to good health by harmonious conjugation of mind,
breath and movements.
Statement
by the British Health Qigong Association.
Scientific studies
show that Health Qigong· Ba
Duan Jin can enhance the functions of the respiratory, nervous and cardiovascular systems, build up the
cellular immune function and the ability to resist senility, adjust the psychological state, strengthen the limbs and joints,
and improve the equilibrium of the body.
HEALTH NOTICE.
It is important that anyone
who wishes to practice any of these arts realises that there are physical requirements involved. If you have any medical
issues, you should consult your Doctor before commencing classes. You must tell the instructors of any condition that
may affect your ability to train. The onus is upon you only to train within your realistic ability.
|
