’ Gre w 2Pr.agor> RiGarg ll Year O'6 Grandmaster Lu Zijian's Dragon Gate By Chen Zhiming, Stephen Jackowic2 and Symon Stanley he lineages associated withthe Fre Dragon. In Arlee wll examine te background of the Fire Dagon methods, their ineages ard teachers, __ Of Daoist “e, |mmortals Fee eee ‘rigin ow legendary figures, Han Zhonsli and Lareligions. However the road eo becoming an immoral in Dacism is based as much on culcivating one’s gi as em moral behavior La Dongin oriinally planned ro be 2 Confucian bureaucrat But after a chance meeting with Flan Zhonsl who was to become his teacher he Sauvm a dream the impermanence of che life he was serving for Realizing the fleeting nature of fame, fortune and power, he asked Han Zhongli to teach him and dedicated himself co cultivating the Dao, Eventually he achieved the tite of Fire Dragon Master, All Fire Dragon practices attribute their origin eo La Dongbin and his ‘master Han Zhonali, and devout Daoists believe that Master Lo «ould ly inthe form of a dragon, Lineages Inthe West we often do not fully appreciate the Chinese concept of lineage. Ie cuts deeper than the mere eeacherfstadent relationship and ‘enters on ust and honoy as she teacher entrust the studene with the perpetuation ofthe tradicional methods, The stadene must rove bis eamestness in committing to a permanent relationship with the teacher This usually means.a symbolic adoption into the teacher's family. Taking a ineage is a major responsiblity not to be treated light. Like family you can never leave or dissolve the connections ince formed, For a lineage seudene to lose contact wih his teacher ‘would be like che black sheep ofthe family who docen’t Keepin touch Wich relatives, In Daoist cteles of incerna culeivaton, the taking of a lineage: includes transmission of qi from the teacher eo che student. This ‘tansmission essential tothe perpetuation ofthe line slike the plancing of seed, growing overtime within the student, guiding him {fo develop in accord with the tradition ‘The Dragon Gate lineage of Daoism /Longmen Pail 28 founded by. Lu Dongbin ncladed a series of specific practices as well asa unigue i. This fineage was influential in the Laer developmen of monastic Davism However the Dragon Gate lineage prided itself not on ‘monasticism bu on existing within society and serving the Dao ‘rough good works among everyday people. A. major par of the Dragon Gate method isthe cultivation of Fre Dragon Qi to porfy the body physically, mentally and spiritually Modern Masters ‘The lineages have perpetuated themselves despite politcal and social upheaval. One ofthe most slilled of Fire Dagon teachers ofthe (hard labor enetinal cap in distant Xiangtang snedern ped is Lu Zan. Lu Zijian was bom in 1893 toa amily of province: He ail bears suipeous aswel tradicional Chinese healers, Ac age seven he sted with che ists omen and neck fam worn thas weld have generation Chief Dies of Wang Lonsmen Ba Grandmaster Hsu illed mordinagracan Insta be wae gee te Bansam. At age twenty he wene to Emei Mouncain co seedy with Golden Lion Award, the highest recognition ofa nother ith generation Longmen Pai Grandmastey Li Benaing. He maser bythe ovement ae that tine, Inooes iecame a one-star general and combat caine under Chiang Grandmaser Lu recognized Zhang Yuan as she, evencualy becoming Chiana/s personal bodyguard is ineage stccesoy th generation inthe Gransimaster Li survived many del several to the death Dress free ae eae ee ‘Mose notable was a fighe against samara fighters hired by a (Chee endive eet a aoa Japanese shipping carel anda boxing match agaist an eeu ie asec tenet “Anerican challenger named Jains. fn gy Be vas Suill pracies empey-hand forms, aprured by the Communists and sen tos Lag fieadeae nfo Gm inte painting every day = ‘Apr 2003 KUNGFU QIGONG 5354 KUNGFU GIGONG Apel 2003 Fire Dragon Qi Gong and its basic internal principles “Though ehis practise i difficule ta eeach in an tile che five organizing prinsples ofthe Fhe Dragon eon be umdorerns snd mare generally applied. lin aid wich dhe martial fs that fie dragon paws burns your fppanent up and eausesincemal damage with Sees. When you reach che uleimate stage, the poser af your internal gi can protect you from cli weather erengtheon yur body and Imcrease your longevicy "Wind and Fire Wind ape Fire epresone the energies of yin and yang. As you breathe fn through the none he Sound itmakes slike wind. Lscening 0 this sound trough che eae sends ea your Kidneys. As the wind eters yout Body it fuels he fie char scares in yeu lower danion [approx three inches hse your navel) Asche Pree and ue ey a age your iymove as if cher fie growing inside ‘Your body cles on the movement of flames, As you exhale, you exhale ire nthe manner of 12 dragon, Thies representational of the ‘expansion of energy eccurins during practice. As you continae co do cis breathing the fre ‘expands and your body movements grow the poinc that your earsand eyebrows are raving a5 f they aro fire, This exercise ‘ourshes the Xin and Shen aspects of che _| Body; o che frm and te spirit. Ieharmanizes “becuase eames formand fer rex to sire Connecting the three Dantien In the body there are dies centers of power known as the dee dancin. The upper or shang dantien is located betwen che eyes nt the acupuncture point yncang. The second or Zhons dantin is located atthe center of the sternum se the heare level, remy orzhongmen. The thing xi dance is lecaced aboue ches inches below che pravel at ren 6 oF ia. By using the breath hrough che nose, you wil fil these dantien with Ai and open the channel between therm, Using the ‘manera "hun you wil dine i co the mit ancien. The mantra “ahh” sends qi tothe zhong ancien. Listy, che manera “erm” sends alco the shang dantien. Az you breathe the wind the Fre rises tall of che dantien and fils chem connecting tbe for fall expression of gi Allow vour body to move as f there are firhalls spinning ablaze in each ofthe dantien. One and two make three When you have reached the harmony of frm and spied the thee dantion ate conneceed and all, ‘you ate ready t0 ose this full eqesetn, You have Eansformed ino a fie dragon in its full beauty nd power, Begin todo each posture, and allow each poste co express the fitewind connection pd che movement of gi ee chee ancien Forexampls in che posture “Needle pieres the Boctom of the sa fmaggine your raised hand has Carnes of fie emanacins from i inc the eavens 2 your lower hand extend a fsry nese chat Pierce dhe hoeeom of the se, cumming che ea twacer nto steam an contace. All dhe while your hairand eyes are aflame and extending tothe heavens while your fire si pierces che ea ‘through your legs. This se ehe third principle of cunfyans the windfie breathing andthe nthe three dancen ta fully expres che fire drason ‘hiough specifi pastures and movements, Ir the posture “mmortal lok nto a minor” Imagine you are an immorel he mose beaut and radiane being shining and ablaze with qb and fire. As you ranaform, you fel the fire movin From your dancien outward eo create the move