Longfei-Taijiquan Association of Great Britain

A Brief Guide to Qigong Practice
Longfei News Letters - Volume 2, Issue 3

Part 3 A Personal Understanding, by Dick Watson

The benefits of Qigong practice are generally accrued a little like a savings account, the more you save, the larger the interest and the healthier the account becomes. Hence the advice to train consistently with patience, perserverance and determination. For some individuals Qigong practices can bring a spontaneous (Chambers Dictionary: "Acting by its own impulse or natural law"), Zen-like expansion of consciousness.

These experiences are usually the spur to make Qigong training wonderfully worthwhile. To borrow the familiar phrase "A finger pointing at the moon." For most of us however, it is an incremental process and all or any experiences should be just that and then put aside.

Daoyin Yangsheng Gong

Daoyin Yangsheng Gong is the Qigong system taught and practiced by instructors and members of Longfei Taijiquan Association. Many students are familiar with two, three or four sets of Professor Zhang Guandge's system. Definitions of Qigong and Daoyin have been referred to in an earlier edition. In later issues we will present more articles on this enlightened system of health management.

For those of us fortunate to have trained with Professor Hu Xiao Fei in 1998, can only remain fascinated by his demonstrations. Through the Jersey Daoyin Centre and Mark Atkinson we have direct links with the Beijing University of Physical Education and Professor Zhang and his work.

Finally, to close this brief look at Qigong, I would like to quote from Professor Zhang's book:

"Chinese Daoyin Yangsheng Gong (health guiding and inducing exercise for the promotion of well-being), was initiated in the middle of the 1970s. Professor Zhang inherited knowledge and skills handed down by his ancestors. He bases his exercise system upon treating difficult and complicated ill health he was experiencing at that time. His studies embraced the theory of Daoyin (the skill of guiding and introducing the free flow of Qi inside the body).

"It begins with the study of pathogeny (development of disease) and pathology (the progress of disease in the tissues and organs that depart from normal function), used in conjunction and with the guidance of dialectical and integral treatment of traditional Chinese medicine.

"Using traditional Chinese medical theories, such as Zanfu (Internal Organs), Jingluo (the meridians and collaterals of accupuncture). Yin and Yang (the theory of positive and negative opposing principles in nature). Qixue (vital energy and blood). Wuxing (the five basic elements). These studies are combined with certain modern medical knowledge and harmonised with the exercise methods of Daoyin.

"This equates to a modern method of health care with the characteristics of physical education, combined with the functions of Qigong (Daoyin).

"It is simple, coherent, beautifully shaped, soft and smooth, scientifically based and self systematic.

"It is sympathetic and in harmony with many disciplines in the social and natural sciences such as: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine, Physiology, Anatomy, Psychology and Philosophy.

"It is aesthetically pleasing and also embraces the culture of traditional Chinese Wushu. While comprehensive, it is a relatively new discipline. It is available to persons of all age groups, but it is particularly accesible to the middle aged and the elderly."

Footnote: The above passage was taken from Prof. Zhang Guandge's brief introduction to the works of Daoyin Yangsheng Gong "The Treasure of China." I have changed certain parts of the sentence structure to make it grammatic (I hope!). - Dick Watson.This brief introduction to Qigong will be followed by more detailed methods of practice.

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