Methods of Zhineng Qigong

THE METHODS
OF
ZHINENG QIGONG SCIENCE
Dr Pang Ming
translated by
Wei Qi Feng and Patricia Fraser
Originally published 1992.
Revised August 1994.
This edition translated from August 1994 edition.
ISBN 978-0-473-24231-2
April 2013
Printed by PrintStop, Wellington, New Zealand

CONTENTS
Preface
Dr Pang Ming and Zhineng Qigong
Introduction to Zhineng Qigong
Index of Translation
One: Methodological Summary of Zhineng Qigong Science
Two: Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down
Three: Body Mind Form
Four: Five Hunyuan Form
Five: Zhineng Static Methods and Simple Methods
The Translators
Harmonious Big Family
Diagrams
Energy Points
Glossary
PREFACE
English language material about Zhineng Qigong began to appear from the late 1990s,
including a small number of books. These provide information on the methods of
Zhineng Qigong. Some also focus on Zhineng Qigong theory, while others describe
practitioners’ amazing recovery from illness. They include limited translation of Dr
Pang’s writings, but these are mostly interspersed with the authors’ own texts.
Our aim is purely to translate Dr Pang as authentically as possible. We feel confident
that many other people share the desire to read his own writings as he chose to publish
them. We decided to begin with the Methods book that Dr Pang put together for his two-
year Teacher Training Class that began in 1992.
In our translation we have tried to retain a feeling for the way in which Dr Pang spoke
and wrote, whilst writing in plain English as much as possible. For that reason we have
retained his use of some traditional terms. We have also retained Chinese words where
there is no equivalent term in English, with an explanation either in the Glossary at the
end of this book or contained in the text itself.
A small amount of material has been left out of this translation. Some of the material
for the Methods book came from lectures given by Dr Pang, either prior to or specifically
for the first two-year classes of 1992 and 1993, and we have left out a small amount of
repetition. We also left out most extracts from the ancient Classics that were given by Dr
Pang as support for his viewpoint, as they would be of little benefit or interest to most
English-language readers. They are simply another version of what Dr Pang said himself
and when their meaning is translated into English it reads as repetition.
We have also removed or altered some out-of-date material, as Dr Pang made a few
minor modifications to aspects of some methods after the book was published. These
changes and additions will be found in square brackets. Also in square brackets are some
explanations of things widely known by Chinese but not necessarily outside of China.
Standard brackets are as found in the original text or where we provide both a Chinese
term and its English meaning.
Wei Qi Feng Patricia Fraser

DR PANG MING AND ZHINENG QIGONG
The origins of qigong go back some thousands of years and many styles and forms have
emerged through time. What they have in common is that practitioners quieten their
mind and turn it inward, whether doing a moving or a static practice. Some qigong
focuses more on physical health, some more on spiritual development; some has specific
aims and some brings more widespread benefits.
In the 1980s an important new qigong was developed. It was called Zhineng Qigong,
meaning Qigong for Wisdom and Abilities, but most people were attracted to it for its
health benefits. In 1997 the China State Sports General Administration published a book
on 21 different styles of qigong, which rated Zhineng Qigong as the most effective. Then
in 1998 the same organisation evaluated eleven qigong styles and again rated Zhineng
Qigong the most effective qigong for improving health. Its efficacy drew an estimated 10
million people to practice it.
It is not by chance that Zhineng Qigong is so effective. Zhineng Qigong is the first
qigong practice based on a fully developed theory, the work of an extraordinary man.
Dr Pang Ming drew on an immense range and depth of knowledge to provide a new
understanding of the universe and of human beings, one based both on ancient insights
and wisdom, and also on modern scientific knowledge.
Dr Pang’s life
Pang Ming was born in 1940 in a remote and poor north China village. He was part of
a big extended family that included practitioners of Daoist and folk qigong. There was
early recognition that he was not an ordinary child. When he was only three years old a
qigong Master recognised the child’s special qualities and used his powers to confer on
him some paranormal abilities. This enabled Pang to understand and learn very quickly
and deeply, which was important for his studies and later work.
Beginning in childhood, Dr Pang learnt from traditional qigong and martial arts
Masters and rapidly absorbed the essentials of their teachings. For instance, when he
learned taiji he ‘opened his lower back’ in three months, whereas most students took
at least eight years to achieve this. He studied under nineteen Masters, some of whom
sought him out to pass on their knowledge.
Teacher Pang’s studies led him into Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), taught by
two great Chinese Masters. He was able to use his paranormal abilities to quickly learn
and treat using TCM. By the late 1970s he was one of the best-known TCM doctors
in Beijing and was treating senior government officials. In 1978 he was an important
participant in the first session organised by the Ministry of Health to bring together
TCM and modern medicine, which had a big influence in the medical field in China. He
wrote several medical books during the 1970s.
D R PA N G M I N G A N D Z H I N E N G Q IG O N G 7
In 1973 Dr Pang had begun working alongside a qigong Master, teaching qigong
and giving lectures. By the mid 1970s he had come to the conclusion that the medical
approach was too limited and that the goal must be not just to heal illness, but to change
people so illness did not recur. During the late 1970s he burned the medical books he
had written and gave up medicine to research and spread qigong. In 1980 he brought
together an important group of qigong Masters to discuss qigong in China.
At this time Dr Pang created a modern qigong, based on Daoist and Buddhist practices
and thinking, medical knowledge and modern science, folk qigong and martial arts
teachings. In 1980 he created and began to teach He Xiang Zhuang (Flying Crane Form).
Then in 1981 he started to teach Xing Shen Zhuang (Body Mind Form) as the second level
of practice, with He Xiang Zhuang as the first (later replaced by Peng Qi Guan Ding Fa, Lift
Qi Up Pour Qi Down). He named his new qigong style Zhineng Qigong.
He taught throughout northern China, but in a revolutionary new way: he invented the
use of the qi field for teaching. Using this, he broke with the traditional way of a Master
teaching a few disciples and gave lectures to large numbers of people at a time. Many other
teachers copied him at a time when numerous modern qigong styles were developed.
In 1988 Dr Pang set up the Shijiazhuang Zhineng Qigong Centre. As more and more
people flooded in, another centre was set up in Qinhuangdao in 1991, followed in 1992 by
the Hebei Huaxia Zhineng Qigong Research Department and in 1995 by the huge Hebei
Fengrun Huaxia Zhineng Qigong Healing Centre.
During this time Dr Pang established a two-year course to provide a higher level of
teacher training. This had profound significance for Zhineng Qigong because its students
have since worked all over China and throughout the world. The first two classes ran
1992–1994 and 1993–1995. With these classes Dr Pang gave a 2–3 hour lecture most
days, which was recorded and used for teacher training in later years.
In the early 1990s Teacher Pang published his book on Hunyuan Entirety Theory and
he gave many lectures on this subject to the initial two-year classes. He also published
another four books for the two-year class, which built a solid theoretical foundation. His
earlier lectures had focussed on the relationship between body, mind and qi; on how to
use the mind for healing, to adjust qi, and so on; on how to be a good person, control
one’s emotions and so on. The two-year class was taught more fully developed theory at
a deeper level. Eight two-year classes were run, ending in 2001.
To build connections between Zhineng Qigong and modern scientific knowledge,
Dr Pang set up a series of workshops for scientific experts and doctors. Experts in many
fields came together, generally for a two-week period with 50–100 people. As a result
some scientists began to research Zhineng Qigong from a modern scientific perspective.
In 1997 and 1998 Dr Pang gave a series of lectures on building a harmonious world
culture. The spread of Zhineng Qigong internationally can help bring this about.
INTRODUCTION TO ZHINENG QIGONG
Zhineng Qigong is a life science based on systematic theory and methods. It outlines the
laws of the universe, including those of human life. It explains the relationship between
human life activity and the natural world, society, etc.
Zhineng Qigong is an open style practice. This means that from the beginning, one
opens one’s mind and qi to the external world and exchanges qi with it. This contrasts
with the closed style of most traditional qigong, where the practitioner focuses inside
the body for much of their practice.
Zhineng Qigong practitioners actively use consciousness to mobilise qi in order to
transform their body, qi and mind as well as the world around them. Zhi means wisdom
and neng means capability. So Zhineng Qigong is a way of adjusting mind, qi and body
to increase wisdom and ability.
Zhineng Qigong is not only a technique: it has systematic theories and methods.
Hunyuan Entirety Theory is the main underlying theory. This states that everything in
the universe is a manifestation of hunyuan qi, whether visible or invisible. Different
types and levels of qi can affect each other and also transform into one another.
All hunyuan qi in the universe is connected as an entirety. Original hunyuan qi is
the basis of everything in the universe. The qi of our human consciousness (yiyuanti
hunyuan qi) is the highest level of qi in the universe. Between original hunyuan qi and
yiyuanti hunyuan qi are many different levels of hunyuan qi. Yiyuanti [see glossary] can
have an effect on these different levels and thereby improve human life.
The founder of Zhineng Qigong, Dr Pang, also described hunyuan qi as having three
layers. The first layer is matter, that which is physically visible. The second layer is all
invisible existence in the universe excepting information. It includes different types of
energy, such as heat, light, electricity and magnetism, but it goes far beyond the Western
scientific concept of energy. The third layer is that of information. It can be described as
the ‘being’ and characteristics of every thing, i.e. that which distinguishes any one thing
from all others.
These three layers manifest in human life as xing, qi and shen, i.e. the physical body,
qi and consciousness. The qi of the first layer is our physical body. The qi of the second
layer is our invisible qi inside and around the body, also known as our life force. The
third layer is the qi of yiyuanti, on which our consciousness and mind activity are based.
It sets humans apart from all other forms of existence.
The theory of the three layers of qi is important but is too complex to discuss in more
detail here, although aspects of it are mentioned by Dr Pang in this book.
Zhineng Qigong methods are made up of three stages and six levels, which are
explained in Chapter One of this book. Many elements of the theories underlying
them are contained in descriptions of how to practice well and explanations about why
particular movements, postures and mind activities make up each method.
D R PA N G M I N G A N D Z H I N E N G Q IG O N G 9
In the 1990s a Science Research Department was established at the Zhineng Qigong
Huaxia Centre to research the laws of the universe and of human life addressed by Dr
Pang. Many scientists, a range of experts, and qigong practitioners cooperated to carry
out this research. They looked at how the human mind can have an effect on different
levels of hunyuan qi and bring about changes to plants, animals and the human body, as
well as to inanimate objects. The most important research involved participants sending
information that directed universe qi so as to create different levels of energy such as
heat, electricity, magnetism, light, etc.
Hunyuan Entirety Theory is based on paranormal abilities, but it can only be written
about in everyday language. As the level of its practitioners improves, Zhineng Qigong
research will go deeper and deeper and will bring a revolution for modern science
and the life sciences. The goal of Zhineng Qigong is to build a new model of thinking
and living for human beings, that creates freedom, peace and happiness. The laws that
this research will uncover, such as how the mind works with the body, and qi with the
environment, will enable people to achieve a new sort of freedom. By understanding and
working with these inner laws of life and consciousness, human life will naturally evolve
in accord with them.
Zhineng Qigong is an open system that can be used in many ways. For example
it can be used to strengthen the body and its functions, to do healing and also more
generally in the field of health care, to develop mental faculties and abilities, to develop
paranormal abilities. It can be used to improve animal and crop productivity. It also can
raise achievement in sports, in the arts, in the different sciences – indeed, everything
connected to human life.
Zhineng Qigong practitioners should not just practice the methods. They should
use the qi field and consciousness field to merge with others, and contribute their life
towards building a harmonious world and the evolution of humanity. This is the higher
Dao level practice of Zhineng Qigong.
THE METHODS OF ZHINENG QIGONG SCIENCE
Chapter One:
Methodological Summary of Zhineng Qigong Science 12
Chapter Two: Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down 22

SUMMARY OF LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN 24
THE MOVEMENTS OF LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN 27
Opening
Section One: Start from the front then lift qi from the sides
Section Two: Start from the sides, lift qi up from the front
Section Three: Lift qi up diagonally
Closing
HOW TO PRACTICE LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN WELL 35
Use the consciousness correctly
Do the movements well
Flexibility using Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWO 50
Chapter Three: Body Mind Form 52

SUMMARY OF BODY MIND FORM 55
THE MOVEMENTS OF BODY MIND FORM 60
Preparation
Section One: Crane Head Dragon Head, Qi Surging to the Sky
Section Two: Contract Shoulders and Neck, Tong Bi
Section Three: Erect Palms, Separate Fingers, Open Jingmai (the channels)
Section Four: Qi and Mind Surging, Strengthening Arms and Ribs
Section Five: Bow Body, Arch Back, Open Dumai
Section Six: Turn Waist, Swirl Hips, Draw Qi Back to Dantian
Section Seven: Feet in a Line, Open Hip and Sacroiliac Joints
Section Eight: Knees Down Towards Feet, Three Joints Connected
Section Nine: Push Leg Out, Flex Foot, Draw Taiji
Section Ten: Return Qi to One, Turn Hunyuan
Closing
DETAILED EXPLANATION OF KEY POINTS OF BODY MIND FORM 83
CONTENTS 11
Lead Qi along the Channels 101

BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER THREE 106
Chapter Four: Five Hunyuan Form 108

SUMMARY OF FIVE HUNYUAN FORM 110
THE MOVEMENTS OF FIVE HUNYUAN FORM 120
Section One: Head in the Sky, Feet in the Earth, Merge and Transform Heavenly
and Earth Qi into Hunyuan Palace
Section Two: Open Pores, Points and Three Gates
Section Three: Crane Looks Around, Shen Inward
Section Four: Open the Wings to Fly, Rou Chen Tan Chan
Section Five: Smile Joyfully to Strengthen the Heart; Zhongfeng Mudra on Shangen
Section Six: Arch Lower Back to Strengthen Kidneys’ Willpower; Mingmen Connect
with Ears
Section Seven: Rotate in Hunyuan Palace; Merge Four Organs’ Qi
Section Eight: Spread Arms to Cover Riyue; Turn Eyes to Strengthen the Livers’ Soul
Section Nine: Extend and Contract to Open Lungs’ Qi; Compassionate Heart
Nourishes the Corporeal Soul
Section Ten: Crane Walks to Exercise Gracefully
Section Eleven: Shake Plumes with a Quiet Heart, the Four Limbs Follow
Section Twelve: Move Freely Up and Down, Mind Illuminate from Top of Head
Section Thirteen: Heaven And Earth Qi Return To Hunyuan
Return Inner Organs Pure Qi to Hunyuan Method 154
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER FOUR 161
Chapter Five:
Zhineng Qigong Static Methods & Simple Methods 164
Three Centres Merge Standing Form 166
SITTING AND LYING METHODS 174
INTRODUCTION TO SOME SIMPLE METHODS 178
Press Weilu Seated Posture 178
Roufu (Massage Abdomen) Lying Method 179
Dun Qiang Gong – Wall Squats 180
Ke ku lian gong wan mei shen xin zao fu ren lei
Ke ku lian gong means practice qigong

diligently and with effort
Wan mei shen xin means improve
your body and mind / heart
Zao fu ren lei means bring
benefit to human beings
This embodies the process in Zhineng Qigong

whereby through one’s own efforts one improves
oneself and thus is able to help others.
Chapter One
Methodological Summary
of Zhineng Qigong Science
SUMMARY OF THE METHODS
The author of this book has created Zhineng Qigong out of extensive research and practical
experience of Confucian, Buddhist, Daoist, medical, martial arts and folk qigong practices,
in conjunction with modern medicine, science and philosophy. Zhineng Qigong contains
a series of methods suitable for the general public that are easy and bring rapid benefits.
Zhineng Qigong methods consist of static methods, moving methods and mixed static/
moving methods (spontaneous qigong). These three types of practice may seem very
different from one another but in fact they are concordant: not only are they based on the
same hunyuan qi theory, but also each type of practice moves from an external hunyuan
stage to an internal hunyuan and then a middle hunyuan stage.
Zhineng Dynamic Methods

Dynamic methods combine movement with mind activity to optimise wellbeing. There
are six levels to the dynamic methods [comprising three stages].
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down (Peng Qi Guan Ding Fa) is on the first level, at the external
hunyuan stage. In this practice, practitioners send their internal qi outside and draw
external qi inside. This not only improves the normal functions of the body and cures
illness, but also can bring about some development of paranormal abilities.
Body Mind Form (Xing Shen Zhuang) and Lead Qi Along the Channels (Xun Jing Dao
Yin Fa) belong to the second level, body-mind hunyuan, which builds upon the first
level. It further mobilises qi in the skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, channels and
bones, etc. These methods further improve human life functions to be at a higher level
than is usual.
Five Hunyuan Form (Wu Yuan Zhuang) and Inner Organs Qi Becomes One (Zang
Zhen Gui Yuan Fa) comprise the third level, inner organs qi hunyuan. They focus on the
practice of inner organs qi and practise the shen (spirit or soul) activity of the five inner
organs so as to increase one’s ability to control one’s life activity. [Life activity covers
all the different levels, of structures, tissues, cells, the movement of qi in the channels,
breathing, the heartbeat and the inner organs. Through practice it becomes increasingly
possible to control aspects that are ordinarily part of the autonomic nervous system.]
C HA P T E R O N E : M E T HO D O L O G IC A L SUM M A RY 15
The second and third levels together belong to the internal hunyuan stage.
The Middle Channel Hunyuan Method (Zhong Mai Hunyuan Gong), the fourth level,
is mainly a practice of the middle channel and its relationship with the entire body qi,
unifying all body qi to become an entirety.
The Middle Line Hunyuan Method (Zhong Xian Hunyuan Gong), the fifth level,
practises middle channel qi to connect Heaven and Earth qi and to form the middle line.
The Hun Hua Return to One Method (Hun Hua Gui Yuan Gong), is the sixth level, to
merge and transform humans and nature to become one.
The final three levels belong to the middle hunyuan stage.
Zhineng Static Methods

The static methods are not completely motionless, but movements are simple and few
in comparison with the dynamic methods, which have many complicated movements.
Static methods comprise sitting, lying and standing forms. As with the dynamic methods,
the practice progresses through external, internal and middle stages, but the process
is not as clear-cut. The static methods change one’s life state mainly through opening
the gates and palaces, by tapping the teeth, through mudras [see glossary] and through
special mind activities.
Zhineng Static/Dynamic Methods (spontaneous methods)

Static/dynamic methods are a type of special practice from long ago, not generally
recorded in written form. Many practitioners of folk and martial arts qigong knew these
methods. The spontaneous movements of these methods change between smaller and
larger movements. Special theories underlie these methods and almost anyone who truly
understands the theory could achieve a static state in 100 days of practice. If spontaneous
movements have not ceased within 100 days it is difficult for the practitioner to continue
to improve their gongfu level and they will use up a lot of qi. If too much qi is consumed,
the shen cannot be nourished by qi and the mind could become unbalanced. Because of
these problems with the methods, we currently do not teach them.
THE THREE STAGES OF ZHINENG QIGONG PRACTICE
The practice of Zhineng Qigong will raise human life functions from a normal to a
paranormal state. Based on the laws of life activity, we developed three stages of practice
with corresponding methods.
16 T H E M E T HO D S O F Z H I N E N G Q IG O N G S C I E N C E
External Hunyuan Stage

This stage is a beginner’s practice to improve normal functions.
• What is external hunyuan? External hunyuan occurs when our mind (yishi) mingles
and transforms (hun hua) with the hunyuan qi of the natural world so that we draw
in and utilise that hunyuan qi in our body. This hun hua process occurs outside the
body, so is called external hunyuan. It has three aspects to it:
° The mind merges with the void (the mind and original hunyuan qi mingle
together); it merges human information with original hunyuan qi so that the
original hunyuan qi incorporates that human mind information and can be
readily utilised by humans.
° The mind merges with external hunyuan qi that surrounds the body, and
intensifies it. This can enlarge the hunyuan qi field around one, which will bring
more natural hunyuan qi into the body.
° The mind connects with the permeable body surface. This intensifies the function
of qi movement in and out through the skin.
• Benefits of the External Hunyuan Stage Practice:
° It increases connections between the human body and the natural world.
° One absorbs external hunyuan qi to improve and strengthen internal hunyuan qi.
° One develops from normal to paranormal abilities. For instance, through
practicing external hunyuan one can feel and experience the existence of external
hunyuan qi.
Why can we benefit so much from the practice of external hunyuan?
Modern science believes that normal human life processes, from a small cell to the
complexity of an entire body, must all retain a physio-biochemical balance. To maintain
this balance the body must exchange matter, energy and information with the external
world. The metabolic process occurs through internal qi opening out, external qi
gathering in and the two inter-changing. These changes and the process of exchange
take place mainly on the membranous level. The change of qi at this membranous level
can directly influence one’s life state. Change beyond a certain level will lead to illness,
although usually the body’s functions will themselves adjust to bring about recovery. If
these body functions cease, the body will die. These life processes occur naturally as part
of the laws of life.
Qigong science discovered this process of life and that the mind can lead and control
this process of change. So Zhineng Qigong developed certain methods that intensify
the process by which internal qi goes out of and external qi comes into the body to
transform each other, thereby increasing vitality. This process changes natural life
activity to become conscious life activity.
Internal Hunyuan Stage

Conscious life activity is guided to a deeper level in this stage.
• What is internal hunyuan?
The mind merges with internal hunyuan qi and makes internal hunyuan qi penetrate
deeper into different parts of the body tissues, merging skin, muscles, tendons, blood
vessels, bones, channels and the inner organs into a unity. This practice is based on
the benefits gained from external hunyuan practice, which makes internal body qi
plentiful. The practice of the internal hunyuan stage requires the mind to be totally
concentrated within.
• Benefits of the internal hunyuan stage:
° It improves the ability of the mind to direct and control qi. It can bring qi directly
to different parts of the body.
° It increases the practitioners’ control over their mind; their emotions become
more stable.
° Yiyuanti’s functions can be developed so one can experience the exchange of

internal and external qi.
° Practitioners achieve the first level of an ideal healthy state in body and mind.
° It increases the process of hun hua of body hunyuan qi and inner organs hunyuan
qi.
Middle Hunyuan Stage

Middle hunyuan practice begins when Hunyuan Palace has been opened.
• What is middle hunyuan practice? There are two stages.
° Concentrate the mind on the middle channel and form a qi column inside the
middle channel, connecting the top of the head and huiyin. Then make body
qi merge and transform (hun hua) with middle channel qi. [This is Level Four
practice. If the mind can concentrate into the Central Channel so it becomes very
fine, then this is the Central Line, and one’s practice differs only in degree.]
° Concentrate the mind on the middle point of one’s being; the term middle point
is a special appellation to describe a particular state that is very even, very pure,
feeling no distinctions, corresponding to the characteristics of yiyuanti. The mind
(yishi) concentrates on this particular point, and in fact returns to yiyuanti itself.
[This is Level Six.]
• Benefits of the middle hunyuan stage:
° Practitioners achieve a state of paranormal ability.

DIFFERENT WAYS OF PRACTISING BODY, QI AND MIND IN ZHINENG

QIGONG
We cannot separate the practice of body, qi and mind in Zhineng Qigong.

We say physical practice prioritises the body. In fact the mind and qi follow and assist the
body (although mind is the Master in the process of the practice). [The mind is the Master
in that our mind directs the movements; qi and the mind then follow those directions,
which is necessary in order for the body to do the practice.] This then improves the body
functions. (The functions of mind and qi are also improved.) Some martial arts qigong
works in this way.
Practice at the level of qi prioritises qi. The mind and body follow and assist qi (although
the mind is the Master in the practice). Traditional Dan Dao Qigong works like this.
Mind level practice prioritises shen (the mind). The body and qi follow and assist shen.
This intensifies the functions of shen. (The functions of the body and qi can also be
increased.) Zen Buddhist practices are of this type.
Zhineng Qigong emphasises the practice of ‘shen xing’ (mind and body) and of ‘shen qi’
(mind and qi) in combination.
Combined Shen and Qi Practice

The basic characteristic of this practice is that shen and qi connect to and aid one another,
each needing and using the other.
Shen nian qi (Shen thinks of and visualises qi)
This practice requires that the mind always thinks of and visualises qi. Qi is invisible
and has no shape but it is not nothingness; it is a special type of existence. So when we
start to practice, the mind needs to connect to this invisible special state of being. After
practicing in this way for some time, one can really feel qi.
‘Shen nian qi’ has two aspects, of visualising internal and external qi. In early Zhineng
Qigong practice we mainly visualise external qi. We especially visualise and think of
original hunyuan qi. For example, when we practice the methods of external hunyuan
we think of the void, the purpose being to connect the mind to original hunyuan qi. Note
that when we think of the void we must understand that it is not absolute emptiness but
a state of being that is very even, with no form or colour. Generally speaking, this state
of being is difficult to experience. The qi we feel when we practice is usually our external
body qi.
Shen guan qi (Shen observes qi)
‘Guan’ means to feel or observe. ‘Shen guan qi’ means that shen feels and observes qi,
including seeing and sensing qi. There are differences between observing internal qi and
external qi. Pulling Qi, feeling qi between the hands, and seeing qi are ways of observing
external qi. When one can truly feel qi, the mind will focus on qi and qi will intensify.
Observing internal qi is usually built upon the observation of external qi because it is

a little more difficult. Because our body is a manifestation of the gathering of qi, the
body itself influences the invisible qi inside it. Within the body, both qi of the different
parts of the body and our overall body qi are influenced not only by posture and bodily
movement but also by changes of mind activity. For this reason olden-day practitioners
practised ‘jing guan’, also called ‘ji zhao’ (very quiet and still observation). When the
inside was observed very deeply throughout the whole body, the practitioner might
sense a qi form of the body. There are two manifestations of the qi body. One is the
feeling of qi surrounding the whole physical body to form a bigger qi body state; this
is the feeling of one’s own qi spread out around the body. The other is a qi body shape
inside the body; this is the qi shape of the body’s membrane qi.
Shen ru qi zhong (Shen within qi)
At the ‘shen guan qi’ level, shen is the active observer and qi is the object that is observed.
Shen and qi are two. But at the ‘shen ru qi’ level, shen goes within qi to a state of shen
within qi and qi wrapped around shen.
How to achieve this state? When one can observe qi, then observe the whole body qi
from top to bottom repeatedly, our shen will naturally be within qi. The key point in
this process is to totally concentrate the mind and continuously observe the whole body.
Shen qi he yi (Shen and qi become one)
At the ‘shen ru qi zhong’ level, there is still a distinction between shen and qi; they are
still two. At ‘shen qi he yi’ level, shen and qi cannot be distinguished. For this, bodily qi
must be continually refined until it changes into yiyuanti qi.
How to achieve this level? Shen observes the entire body qi so that yiyuanti permeates,
expands through and modifies the whole body qi. Then shen and qi naturally unite to
become one.
Achieving ‘shen qi he yi’ level is not the end of practice.
Combined Shen and Xing Practice

The basic characteristic of this practice is that the mind and body need and aid each
other. Shen and xing must always remain connected.
Shen nian xing (Shen thinks the body)
At this level of practice one mainly needs to connect the mind activity and the body
movements, using the mind to direct the body movements in accordance with the
requirements of the method. The mind should direct every movement. It is not easy to
meet this requirement. If one does not concentrate fully, one will lose the state of ‘shen
nian xing’. If one truly achieves the state of ‘shen nian xing’, distracting thoughts will
disappear of their own accord.
Shen guan xing (Mind observes the body)

Shen guan wai xing (shen observes the body from outside)
When we practice qigong, closing the eyes and looking at the body, it can seem as though
we are seeing another person practicing. We can observe ourself from the front or can
look from inside, from lower dantian or some other place. Observe a small self-shape
practicing. Without a solid foundation of preceding stage [shen nian xing], one cannot
gain a great deal from this practice. When the mind can observe the body practising the
whole method, the mind will be capable of excellent self-control.
Shen guan nei xing (Mind observes the body from inside)
When one attains a certain level of ‘shen guan wai xing’, qi is abundant and the mind
can feel and permeate the whole body so that one can see inside the body. For example,
when the limbs move, the mind can observe the inside physical and qi movements. The
ability to observe is developed step by step to gradually achieve clear, detailed internal
observation. One can see how internal qi and blood are moving, the exchange of body
and natural qi, etc. It is important to understand that inside change must be observed in
a very quiet and calm state without judging or guiding the change.
In traditional qigong this was called ‘ji zhao zhi gong’. Ji means the mind in a quiet
state. Zhao means to feel and observe all kinds of change inside the body. The quieter
the mind, the greater the ability to observe deeper and in more detail, so that the mind
concentrates further and becomes still more quiet. So in the old days people said “be
quiet and observe”, “observe and be quiet”, “observation and the quiet state are one”.
When one has achieved ‘shen guan nei xing’, one is already at the middle gongfu level.
When one practices Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down one can use observation to see how the qi
changes between inside to outside. When one practices Body Mind Form one also can
observe the state of the qi merging and flowing between the skin, muscles, tendons, blood
vessels, bones and channels. Practicing Five Hunyuan Form, one also needs to observe
the change of the five organs’ form and qi, and how their qi merges and transforms in
Hunyuan Palace.
Shen ru xing (Mind within the body)
This level of practice requires shen to go into the body. When shen observes the internal
body, shen is separate from the body as an observer. But ‘shen ru xing’ requires that shen
goes into the body. It’s more difficult to achieve than ‘shen ru qi zhong’ because the body
is formed of very small components such as the cells and their smaller constituents, and
it is very difficult for the mind to enter into those very small components of the body.
But here ‘shen ru xing’ refers to the macro level of the body [not to all the small details].
It is based on ‘shen guan nei xing’. When you can observe inside the body, first focus and
keep the mind on a certain point, which you then maintain, looking at this point as the
centre observing its surroundings. When you stay in this point and can observe the state
around it, shen will then enter into that part of the body.
Shen xing he and Shen xing miao

This is a higher-level practice that cannot be described using simple language.
Here we need a simple explanation of Chapter One. The different steps in Combined
Shen and Qi Practice and Combined Shen and Xing Practice have been distinguished so
as to easily describe them. But in the actual practice the different steps, especially steps
one and two, are interwoven. Further, the combined mind and body practice and the
combined mind and qi practice always interweave.
Zhineng Qigong is an open system. Although there are six levels of practice, each can
itself be practiced at different levels. Because the body and mind quality of each person
differs, the benefit they receive will also greatly vary. Some people who only practice Level
One [Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down] can open the skin, muscles, tendons and bones; some
can even open the inner organs and the middle channel, and totally merge the inside
and outside together. But some people who practice Five Hunyuan Form cannot practice
external hunyuan well. So if we only practice one level out of the six, we eventually can
also achieve a high level of paranormal ability.
Kong kong dang dang, huang huang hu hu
This describes a good qigong state,

empty but not empty.
It cannot be properly described in English.
Chapter Two
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down

Peng Qi Guan Ding Fa
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is the first level of Zhineng Qigong dynamic methods. It is a
basic method for healing illness and cultivating good health. Its characteristics are:
• The mind combines with qi and the mind is used to lead qi. The practitioner leads
internal qi to open out and gathers external qi inside the body through a combination
of the open and close of their movements and directions from their mind. This opens
the connections between human hunyuan qi and natural hunyuan qi. This practice
can increase sensitivity to one’s body functions. It belongs to the external stage of
Zhineng dynamic methods.
• This method is very effective in gathering qi. Through its practice one can rapidly
master the skill of sending external qi to treat and heal illness.
SUMMARY OF LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN METHOD
Explanation of the name Peng Qi Guan Ding Fa

The name Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down captures the essence of this first level method. ‘Peng
qi’ means to use the hands to hold and lift up natural hunyuan qi. ‘Guan’ means pour
down, ‘ding’ means top of the head; ‘guan ding’ means pour qi down through the top of
the head into and through the whole body. It aims to totally open the head and the whole
body. [‘Fa’ means method.] The movement of lifting qi up and pouring it down is the key
point of this first level practice.
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is made up of five sections: an opening sequence; start from
the front, lift qi up from the sides; start from the sides, lift qi up from the front; lift
qi up diagonally; and a closing sequence. The movements of the opening and closing
sequences are an inverse of one another. Although there are many movements in Lift
Qi Up Pour Qi Down, the essence is simply pulling qi and pouring qi; pulling qi is a
preparation for pouring qi.
The many ways of pulling qi in Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down include the essential elements
used to gather qi in traditional qigong. Pouring qi has two aspects to it: pouring qi into
the head and pouring qi into the whole body. These come from Guan Ding and Wei Qi of
traditional qigong. Guan Ding is also called Kai Ding or Mo Ding; it was used by Masters
to send qi to their disciple’s Heavenly Gate to open it, always combined with chanting or
C HA P T E R T WO : L I F T Q I U P P O U R Q I D OW N 25
with visualisation to impart an internal experience to the disciple. This increased their
confidence in their practice and their mindset towards it. Wei Qi was a way in which the
Masters helped their disciples improve their qigong level. The Master sent qi to major
energy points or dantians, thus changing the disciple’s inner qi. Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down
is a way for practitioners to pour qi and send qi to themselves. It has the same effect as
Guan Ding and Wei Qi of traditional qigong and practitioners can rapidly become skilled
in sending qi to heal illness.
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is an external hunyuan practice

External hunyuan refers to the mind mingling and transforming (hun hua) with external
hunyuan qi. But hun hua is not the goal; hun hua is a way for the body to take in more
external hunyuan qi and use it for itself. Hunyuan qi theory says that bodily qi spreads
out around the body; this external bodily qi is the same as that inside the body. This qi
is influenced by our life activity, including any activity in any part of the body [from
moving our arm to the beating of our heart]. Our bodily hunyuan qi spreads out through
the pores, energy points and gates, etc. and forms a layer of qi around the body [outer
body qi]. Our life activity directly influences this layer of qi. When life activity opens out,
as with breathing out or sending force out [making a movement outwards], our body qi
opens and spreads out from inside, which enlarges our external bodily qi layer. When
life activity closes, as when we breathe in or draw in our force, the internal hunyuan
qi gathers further inwards and the surrounding qi layer follows towards the inside,
which reduces that surrounding qi layer. [Whenever we make any physical movement
outwards, such as pushing out to pick up something, we use internal force to carry out
that movement and qi opens and goes out. When we draw back the item, qi gathers and
closes in, both around and inside the body.]
This process is not a simple movement of inside qi going out and outside qi being drawn
in, but is also a process of human hunyuan qi hun hua (mingling and transforming) with
natural hunyuan qi. In the process, the more that inside hunyuan qi spreads out, the
more its higher quality and quantity will influence the surrounding natural qi. It can then
connect with more natural hunyuan qi, so when we draw this qi into our body it is possible
to also draw more natural hunyuan qi inside our body and thus increase our vitality.
The mind can control and lead qi and life activity. Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down uses the
mind and the movements to lead opening and closing, directing hunyuan qi to go out
and come in, opening the pathways that connect humans and nature and intensifying
the process of hun hua inside and outside the body and between the two.
It is important to know that the process whereby internal qi goes out and external qi comes
in is a natural process, not one using the mind to guide qi and force it in and out. When the
mind goes out and connects with the void or with the horizon, the opening of our mind
causes our life activity to naturally open, leading to internal hunyuan qi going outside.
Although we do not think about qi, the qi naturally follows the mind. The qi opens and
extends out in all directions and enlarges the qi layer around the body. When the mind
merges with the void, in fact the mind merges with original hunyuan qi. This is a process
of the mind and natural hunyuan qi actively hun hua (mingling and transforming). When
the mind thinks of the inside of the body, this gathers external qi inside it.
Somebody asked: using the mind like this, the mind going out to the void, does this
contradict the qigong characteristic of turning the mind inward? The answer is “no”.
• One requirement of turning the mind inward is that one needs to concentrate the mind
on one thing only. When the mind merges with the void it meets this requirement.
• The goal of turning the mind inward is to help people go into a good qigong state.
The state of mind merged with the void is a manifestation of a high-level qigong
state. The Qing Dynasty qigong Master Huang Yuan Ji said “If the mind can connect
with original hunyuan qi, the mind is working with the source of the universe; this is
called Mind and Qi become One”.
The Characteristics of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down Practice

• The basic principle of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is that the mind is connected to qi
and one uses the mind to lead qi, with an equal emphasis on the mind and qi. Qi here
refers to natural hunyuan qi as well as both internal and outer body qi, but mainly to
external natural and body qi.
• The open and close of the body movements supports and intensifies the open and
close of the mind.
• Practice requirements:
° The mind is at ease, quiet, peaceful, confident and comfortable. One can also say
there is a beautiful and fulfilled feeling in one’s heart and mind.
° The posture should also be open, free and natural. Don’t be artificial, but the
movements out and in must be well controlled.
° The movements are gentle, soft, rounded and unbroken, whether the practice is
done more quickly or slowly. The movements are smooth and free-flowing.
° The opening and closing of the mind is the key point of this method. When you
open out, your mind needs to go far away; when you close in to the body, the
deeper the better.
Benefits of this Method

• Practice of this method can open all the membranes of the entire body, and open
energy points, qi pathways and ‘guan qiao’ [inside the joints, especially the spaces
between the bones where qi gathers and is transmitted from one body part to
another]. This makes the entire body qi flow well and strengthens our life functions.
• Practice of this method means one can rapidly feel qi. It builds a strong qi feeling,
which brings good benefits in healing illness and improving health.
• Through practice of this method one can develop some paranormal abilities such as
being able to feel the qi of flowers, grass, trees, mountains, rivers, lakes and oceans,
the sun, moon, stars, wind, rain, lightning and thunder, and can feel the changes of qi
that take place.
• This method is an effective way to gather qi. Through its practice one can quickly
learn how to send qi to treat illness. For example, one can use information to organise
the qi field to do healing or to lead the practice.
THE MOVEMENTS OF LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN
Preparation
Place the feet together, body centred and upright, hands hanging down naturally. Look
straight forward to the horizon, close the eyes gently, draw the vision back. (Fig. 2–1)
Say the Eight Phrases: Ding tian li di, xing song yi chong, wai jing nei jing. xin cheng
mao gong, yi nian bu qi, shen zhu tai kong, shen yi zhao ti, zhou shen rong rong.
2–1 2–2 2–3
Opening
1. Leading with the little fingers, [turn the hands] flex the palms up slowly, palms facing
downwards, the tips of the fingers pointing forwards. Think the centres of the palms
connected to the Earth qi. Push qi forward 15˚, pull qi back to the sides of the body,
three times in all. (Fig. 2–2) The movement begins from the shoulder, moving the
whole arm.
2. Lead with the little fingers, relax wrists, turn palms to face each other. Open Tiger
Mouth, relax arms, lift qi up from the front at shoulder width, to duqi (navel) level,
centres of the palms facing inward. Then draw the centres of the palms inward a little
and move the palms and arms inward slightly to mirror duqi; send qi into lower
dantian. (Fig. 2–3) Turn palms downward. Imagine the arms extend out infinitely far,
then open out at duqi level to the back. Turn palms inward, then draw the centres of
the palms inward a little and mirror mingmen, the energy point directly through from
duqi. (Fig. 2–4) Then lift forearms up, palms upward; use the tips of the middle fingers
to press dabao energy point (dabao links to the pancreas channels and is between the
6th and 7th ribs); send qi in. (Fig. 2–5)
2–4 2–5 2–6
3. Push arms forward at shoulder width and height. Draw the palms and arms back a
little, draw the centres of the palms inward a little, and with the middle fingers mirror
yintang energy point between the eyebrows. (Fig. 2–6) Turn wrists to slightly angle the
palms, and from the elbows turn the arms and open out. (Fig. 2–7) The arms go into a
line. The palms gradually turn so they face the front on reaching the sides. Leading with
the little fingers, turn palms down then up. Think your palms extend to the horizon,
then from the horizon lift qi up in an arc to above the head, close the palms. (Fig.
2–8) Lower hands down along the front of the head to in front of the chest into Heshi
Hands. The upper arms form a 45° angle with the body, forearms form a horizontal
line with the tips of the middle fingers upward. The base of the thumbs is just in front
of tanzhong energy point. (Fig. 2–9)
2–7 2–8 2–9

1. Turn your fingers forward while pushing your arms forward until they are almost
straight at shoulder height. (Fig. 2–10) Gradually separate the fingers, starting from
the little fingers. Your palms are turned down, index finger and thumb still connected.
Raise the palms, flex the fingers back, the centres of the palms pushing forward.
Separate the hands [index fingers then thumbs], palms out to shoulder width. Think
of the palms and arms extending to the horizon. Do push and pull three times.
When doing push/pull, your shoulders, elbows and wrists are connected as one. The
shoulders go up, back, down, forward, drawing a circle. When pushing forward, lead
with the base of your palms; push the centres of the palms forward. When pulling
back, lead with your shoulders, elbows downward, centres of the palms drawing
inward. Think of drawing qi back into your body from the horizon. (Fig. 2–11)
Push out; think your palms and arms reach the horizon. Then your palms lead the
arms along the horizon to pull qi horizontally three times. Open out 15˚ and close
back to shoulder width. (Fig. 2–12)
2–10 2–11 2–12
2. Keep your palms raised and push gently. Open your arms out to the sides into a line.
Push gently, think your palms and arms extend to the horizon; do push/pull three
times at the horizon, then push. Lead with the base of your palms and push out
the centres of your palms. When pulling back, lead with your shoulders, the elbows
lower down a little, the centres of your palms draw inward a little, your mind returns
from the horizon into your body. (Fig. 2–13) Then keep your palms raised and push
gently to the horizon. Palms at the horizon, pull qi up and down three times. Go up
about 15° and lower to shoulder height. (Fig. 2–14)
2–13 2–14
3. Relax the wrists, turn palms up, think your hands extend to the horizon; lift qi up
along the infinite sky to above the head. Arms curved a little, wrists at shoulder width,
draw the centres of your palms inward very slightly; mirror the top of your head. For
one breath cycle, pour qi into the head. (Fig. 2–15) Lower your hands along the front
of your body to duqi. Connect tips of the middle fingers, press duqi. (Fig. 2–16)
2–15 2–16
4. Connect your middle fingers with the centre of lower dantian; open out around the
waist to mingmen. Connect the tips of the middle fingers and press mingmen. Lower
your hands down along the bladder channels, down to the feet. (Fig. 2–17) [Your
thumbs are opened to run down the sides of the legs, your palms run down the back
of the legs.] Hands go along the outer feet to the tip of your toes; place your palms on
top of the feet with your fingers in line with your toes. Push down and pull up three
times. When pushing down, your knees move forward and your weight goes forward
onto your hands; think of the centres of the palms going through the centres of the
feet into the Earth. When pulling up, raise the knees a little, lead from mingmen,
move the weight to the feet, draw the mind into the body. (Fig. 2–18)
Raise your hands a little, turn your palms to face one another as if holding a qi ball.
Draw Earth qi up, holding it in your hands, then turn your palms to face the three
yin channels of the legs. [At the front of the inner legs, your thumbs against the
hands.] Draw qi up to duqi. (Fig. 2–19) Press duqi with the tips of the middle fingers.
Separate your hands to the sides, hanging down naturally.
2–17 2–18 2–19
Section Two: Start from the sides then lift qi from the front
1. Raise your arms from the sides with your palms facing down, draw qi up into a line.
(Fig. 2–20) Raise the palms, push out, think your hands and arms reach out to the
horizon. Do push and pull three times. (Fig. 2–21) When pushing, lead with the
base of your wrists, the centres of your palms pushed out. Pulling back, lead with the
shoulders; the elbows lower a little, the centres of your palms draw inward a little,
your mind returns from the horizon into your body. Raise the palms, push out, think
your palms reach the horizon; horizontally pull qi along the horizon three times,
forward about 15° and back to where your arms are in a line. (Fig. 2–21, 2–22)
2–20 2–21
2–22
2. Palms raised, push gently. Think your palms extend to the horizon. Close your arms
forward along the horizon to shoulder width. Do push and pull three times at the
horizon. When pushing, lead with the base of the palms; push out the centres of your
palms. When pulling back, lead with the shoulders; your elbows lowered a little, the
centres of your palms drawn inward slightly; draw the mind back from the horizon
into your body. Push gently, think the palms and arms reach the horizon. Move your
hands at the horizon to pull qi up and down. Move them up about 15˚, move them
down to shoulder height. (Fig. 2–23)
3. Relax the wrists, turn your palms to face each other, lift them up, lifting qi up from
the void to above your head. Draw the centres of your palms in slightly, mirror the
top of your head; pour qi through the top of your head for one breath cycle. Lower
the hands to yintang, turn palms inward, tips of the middle fingers connect and press
yintang. (Fig. 2–24) Open your hands along the eyebrows to under yuzhen bone,
press. Then lower your hands down along the neck to the upper back; press under
your 3rd thoracic vertebra with the tips of your middle fingers. (Fig. 2–25) Move the
hands around the shoulders to the back, raise them as far as possible. (Fig. 2–26)
Palms touching the body, move the hands down along the gallbladder and bladder
channels to mingmen. (Fig. 2–27) [Your thumbs should be opened well to run down
the sides of your body, your fingers and palms going down the back.] Press mingmen.
With your middle fingers, open along the waist to duqi; press duqi with the middle
fingers.
2–23 2–24 2–25 2–26 2–27
4. Lower your hands down along the inner leg channels to your feet. Hands go along your
inner feet to the tips of the toes. (Fig. 2–28) Place palms on top of feet, push down and
pull up three times. When pushing down, your knees move forward and your weight
goes forward onto your hands; think of the centres of the palms going through the
centres of the feet into the Earth. When pulling up, raise your knees a little, lead from
mingmen, move your weight to your feet, draw your mind into your body.
2–28 2–29
Raise your hands a little, turn the palms to face each other as if holding a qi ball.
Draw Earth qi up, holding it in your hands. Hands go along the outer feet to your
heels then along the bladder channels to mingmen; press mingmen with the middle
fingers. (Fig. 2–29) Open the hands around the waist to duqi; middle fingers press
duqi. Separate hands to your sides, hanging down naturally.
Section Three: Lift qi up diagonally

1. Lift qi up
Open Tiger Mouth, your hands as if holding something, arms at a 45° angle to the body.
(Fig. 2–30) Lift qi up from the void to above the head. Draw the centres of your palms
inward slightly, mirror the top of your head for one breath cycle, pour qi through the
top of the head. Lower hands down past the ears, to in front of the shoulders with your
palms facing forward and your elbows downward. (Fig. 2–31, 2–32)
2–30 2–31 2–32

2. Return qi
Push your right hand forward. Your arm almost straight, relax the wrist; leading
with your little finger, turn your palm to the left, draw the centre of your palm in
slightly. (Fig. 2–33) Turn to the left, draw round in an arc to gather qi. At about 90°
press zhongkui with the tip of the thumb, fingers gently closed. (Fig. 2–34) Continue
gathering qi to the back, to about 180˚. From there, return to left qihu, press, send qi
to qihu. (Zhongkui is the middle point of the middle joint of the middle fingers. Qihu
is under the middle point of the collarbone, directly above the nipples.) (Fig. 2–35)
2–33 2–34 2–35
Push left hand forward, draw qi to the right to about 180° back; repeat the movement
as with the right hand but in the opposite direction.
Cross your forearms in front of your chest, upper arms at a 45° angle to the body.
(Fig. 2–36) Breathe naturally three times. Breathing in, middle fingers press qihu;
breathing out, relax. Open the fingers, push hands forward, turn the wrists to form
Lotus Flower Palms, then turn into Heshi Hands. (Fig. 2–37)
2–36 2–37
Closing
Raise your hands above the head, stretch up; think the hands go up to the top of the sky.
(Fig. 2–38) Separate the hands, turn palms forward, lower arms to the sides almost into a
line, then turn palms up and close forward along the horizon to shoulder width. (Fig. 2–39)
Draw in the palms and arms a little, your middle fingers mirror yintang. Lower the elbows,
point your fingertips to the space between the 6th and 7th ribs; tips of middle fingers send
qi into dabao. Push hands back, open out to the sides, turn palms forward, close forward.
(Fig. 2–40) Place your palms on duqi. (Men place the left hand on duqi, women the right
hand.) Quietly gather qi to nourish inside. (Fig. 2–41) Open the eyes slowly.
2–38 2–39 2–40 2–41
HOW TO PRACTICE LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN WELL
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down looks very simple but includes a lot of important and special
ways of practice taken from traditional qigong. When it is practiced correctly, you can
quickly reach a high level. An explanation follows of key points about the movements
and use of the mind.
Use the consciousness correctly

Recognise the value of practicing Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down
• This method includes high-level practice content, as previously mentioned. Lift Qi
Up Pour Qi Down was created out of important traditional qigong practices such
as gathering qi and pouring qi. The movements are organised in a very detailed and
complete manner, all the movements using the laws of the flow of qi and blood.
The method’s starting point for practice is a focus on the membranes of the skin.
Regardless of whether qi is healthy or not, all qi must penetrate through the skin
from outside, first coming in to the shallow small channels (song mai) then deeper
into the bigger channels (luo mai) then the biggest (jingmai), then reaching the inner
organs. The method leads and pours healthy qi to the whole body.
In this method are hidden the secret ways of practicing Nine Palaces Thirteen Gates.
In traditional qigong this is a special way of practicing. (In traditional qigong there
are some practices of Nine Palaces Thirteen Gates in the head, or some practices have
sixteen gates; there are also two practices that have nine palaces and thirteen gates
over the entire body and one of these is used in this method.) The nine palaces and
thirteen gates are: tianmen, huiyin, yuzhen, shenzhu (under 3rd thoracic vertebra),
mingmen (under 2nd lumbar vertebra), yintang (between eyebrows), between
tanzhong and yutang, duqi, dabao (under armpits between 6th & 7th ribs), jingmen
(the end of the 12th ribs), and a point that can be higher or lower from the midpoint
of yintang and yuzhen to the midpoint of duqi and mingmen but that is usually in
Hunyuan Palace. This method removes the complicated traditional ways of practice
used in Nine Palaces Thirteen Gates but retains those important energy points for
sending qi in. When practicing this method, concentrating the mind to pour qi into
those energy points not only improves the practice more quickly but also can bring
remarkable benefits.
• Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down contains high-level ways of practice. The practice emphasises
merging with the void, which is the foundation of Zhineng Qigong’s open-type
practice. If one can truly experience the state of the mind merging with the void,
one will easily achieve high-level practice. Because the void is an empty state, if the
mind connects with it, this can bring the mind into a very pure and effective state of
non-attachment. In this state, if the mind moves lightly it can mobilise hunyuan qi
and bring about clearly evident change. Olden day people said that when we breathe
in, Heaven and Earth breathe in together; when we breathe out, Heaven and Earth
breathe out together. Heaven and Earth are like a huge bellows. In fact this is a qigong
state. If one directly observes inside while in this state, one can directly experience
yiyuanti itself. Old people said this pointed directly to the root and source. Of course
not everyone can achieve this but if you understand and research this repeatedly and
understand it seriously, it will greatly improve your qigong level.
• This method is a high-level way of gathering and nourishing qi; when the centres of
the palms do the ‘hantu’ movement, combined with the open and closing of the
mind, this is a higher-level way of gathering and nourishing qi. Notably, connecting
the mind with hunyuan qi of the void is the highest-level way of gathering qi in
traditional qigong. [‘Hantu’ means the centres of the palms draw in and push out.
Only high level practitioners should ever attempt this.]
Deepen your understanding of external hunyuan practice
• External hunyuan practice is based on humans’ ordinary life activity; it simply uses
the laws of natural external hunyuan. Usually these laws apply naturally, but we need
to use them consciously so as to strengthen life activity to improve it more quickly.
• External hunyuan practice emphasises drawing external qi into the body. When we
practice qigong we must use our consciousness to think of the void and visualise
the void as not actually empty – there is very fine, even, transparent existence that is
hunyuan qi. We need to always draw this qi into the body for us to use it.
• The practice of external hunyuan requires an emphasis be placed on fully and deeply
opening the whole body. We deepen the ability of the whole body to open and close.
Using our consciousness, we direct qi to go deeper and deeper until it reaches the
middle line. (Not only does the mind draw qi from outside to inside, but also the
mind should stay inside and actively draw qi inside from outside.) With such practice,
some people can directly open the middle channel and reach a higher level. Even if
one cannot achieve this higher level, one can nevertheless open the body qi well and
increase one’s sensory abilities.
• You should understand and use Combined Shen and Qi Practice in this method. We
earlier described how this practice is done so won’t cover it further here.
Use the consciousness (shen) when practicing the method
We here mainly discuss the consciousness activity of the Eight Phrases, since mind activity
while doing the method is described elsewhere in combination with the movements.
You should recite the Eight Phrases before practising the method. While saying it you
must enter into the Eight Phrases state. Deeply experience the state of each phrase. This
is very important as a way of adjusting the mind to accord with the requirements of the
practice. A detailed explanation follows shortly.
Do the movements well

You need to do all the movements correctly, but at different levels of practice the
requirements vary a little. Beginners need to practice according to the standard
requirements laid out in this book. Each practice should last about seventeen minutes.
Once familiar with the practice, combine the movements well with the mind activity.
When the two are well combined, the movements should be developed to a more detailed
and subtle level. For instance, when doing open and close, push and pull, one should do
the hantu movement with the centres of the palms. The limbs and body should make
flexible movements like caterpillars.
Preparation and the Eight Phrases
• Posture during the Preparation
The posture placing the feet together differs from much other qigong. It is used
because the tips and heels of the feet and the legs closed together can connect the
kidney channels with yin qiao channel [one of the eight special channels or ‘qi qing
ba mei’] which has the special effect of nourishing kidney qi. In addition, the legs
closed together can help unify the whole body qi. The body is centred and upright.
Firstly lift baihui and relax the whole body from head to feet. Place the weight of the
whole body on the front of the feet. Using baihui, lead the whole body to sway very
gently to relax and balance it, and to mobilise and build the qi field around you. This
process is very useful for your practice.
Look straight forward to the horizon. Gently close your eyes slowly and evenly to
the middle from top and bottom (upper and lower eyelids), while drawing the mind
back. This is the process of drawing the mind inward. The mind combines with the
vision to draw in to a point where a line down from baihui is intersected by a line in
from yintang; in traditional qigong this point is called Zu Qiao (Ancestral Palace).
When the mind and vision lead the hunyuan qi of the void to here, the heart and qi
are unified and one goes into a good practice state. When you close the eyes, a smile
but not quite a smile on the face, this relaxes the facial muscles.
• The Eight Phrases
You recite the Eight Phrases to prepare your mental state before Lift Qi Up Pour Qi
Down: Ding tian li di, xing song yi chong, wai jing nei jing, xin cheng mao gong, yi
nian bu qi, shen zhu tai kong, shen yi zhao ti, zhou shen rong rong. The main focus
of the Eight Phrases is the use of consciousness (yishi). When starting to practice
the method, the practitioner uses the Eight Phrases to adjust their body to a relaxed
state and their mind to be quiet and focussed, with the practitioner merging with the
natural world and the void in an entirety state. Their mind and the qi of their entire
body enter the practice state.
Ding tian: Baihui pushes up into the void of the blue sky. Don’t judge how high the
sky is. When the practitioner thinks of the void of the blue sky, the blue sky has
the qi to nourish and enhance everything; it can increase the practitioner’s vitality
and vigour.
Li di: The feet root deep into the void of the Earth, as if they were not standing on
the ground or floor. If the practitioner feels the surface, it will limit their mind and
Heaven’s qi will be blocked by the surface of the ground. People stand on Earth,
which is surrounded and supported by qi. The practitioner needs to put themself
in the position of Earth to imagine that around them is a void full of qi. In this way
their mind will connect human qi and qi of the void into an entirety. If one does
only this, it can build a foundation for practicing ‘ren tian hun hua’, the merging
and transforming of humans with the whole universe. At the start of practice, use
your mind to think your head merging into the sky, feet merging into the Earth;
the limitations of the sky and Earth disappear and the human being merges with
the void of the natural world; Heaven, human and Earth become one. If you think
like this you will feel qi very strongly.
In practicing Zhineng Qigong we don’t need to think about yin/yang or Heaven
and Earth qi. Humans live on Earth and are connected with everything. When we
practice, we gather original hunyuan qi. This qi is in the Earth and in everything,
and everything on Earth comes from this level of qi. So when we start to practice
we merge with the sky and the Earth; that is the reason for reciting ‘ding tian li di’
at the beginning of our practice.
Xing song yi chong : ‘Xing song’ means relax the body, ‘yi chong’ means that the
mind expands to the void. The deeper meaning of ‘xing song yi chong’ will be
described in Essence of Zhineng Qigong Science; here it is only covered in a simple

way in combination with the method.
‘Xing song’ means to relax the skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, bones, inner
organs, etc. One must first relax the mind; this is the foundation. One can imagine
relaxing and opening the pores of the skin, imagine relaxing the muscle fibre; this
makes it easy for qi to go in and out.
‘Yi chong’ has two layers of meaning:
° Whilst relaxing the body, the mind expands inside to the relaxed part. The
mind guides the relaxation, then the mind expands from that place elsewhere
in the body. Following the expansion of the mind, qi also expands.
° The mind expands in all directions out from the body to the void. This always
requires support from visualisation, for example to think of oneself as a ‘ding
tian li di’ huge person with the body expanding out to fill up the whole of
space. One can also imagine one’s mind filling up the void. Doing this enlarges
the heart and mind, and thus it can contain the sky and the Earth, and the
mind will connect well with the hunyuan qi of the void.
‘Xing song’ and ‘yi chong’ influence and support each other. In particular, when
the mind expands inside the body this has a clear relationship with ‘yi chong’. If
there were only ‘xing song’ but no ‘yi chong’, the relaxation would be lifeless [i.e.
there would be no qi or internal force, no inner life force]. If there were only ‘yi
chong’ but no ‘xing song’, the body would become tense and hard. Only through
‘xing song’ and ‘yi chong’ in combination can one achieve a gentle, free-flowing,
harmonious and relaxed state.
‘Xing song yi chong’ is a key element in practicing Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down well.
Doing it well makes the heart calm and the mind quiet, with qi flowing well. This
enhances the opening of the body. The process is one of relaxation, penetration and
opening, and expansion. Based on the relaxation of the body, the mind actively
penetrates to the relaxed part. At the same time, qi follows in to make qi plentiful in
that part. When the mind and qi permeate the body, one can feel the details of the
body more clearly, then one can observe and know the inner state of one’s body.
Wai jing nei jing: ‘Wai jing’ means respect people and respect everything; ‘nei jing’
means that inside the mind is focussed and quiet. Most practitioners only know
that quiet is very important for qigong but ignore the importance of respect. In
fact the state of respect can help bring about a quiet state. Think about it: when you
meet people whom you greatly respect, do you still have distracting thoughts? Do
the special mindset and the special inner change result from being in a respectful
state?
In qigong we believe that respect can lead the mind to concentrate: this can be called
a state of jing, which activates life activity. Olden-day qigong Masters thought the
state of jing could directly take the mind to its source; they also believed a respectful
state helped keep one’s qi stable. So they demanded respect from their disciples. In
fact, this requirement was made to improve the disciples’ practice level. Zhineng
Qigong opposes idolising others. It does not emphasise respect as was required
by olden-day Masters, but all practitioners must respect Zhineng Qigong science
and the practice they take part in. If you have a respectful state you can practice
diligently and seriously and quickly go into a good qigong state.
Xin cheng mao gong: ‘Cheng’ means clear, pure and transparent. ‘Gong’ means of
humble appearance. ‘Xin cheng mao gong’ is an extension of ‘wai jing nei jing’.
‘Cheng’ is an extension of ‘jing’ that describes a state of quiet, like still water, pure
and transparent with no movement of the mind, like clear water and a bright
mirror. Gong is also an extension of jing. Jing refers more to a deep inner feeling;
gong is an inner state manifested outwardly. Inside and outside, all is in a respectful
state; this deepens the qigong state.
Yi nian bu qi, shen zhu tai kong: These two phrases have a combined meaning. Based
on respect and quiet, the practitioner’s mind becomes focussed with no distracting
thoughts. Ordinary people cannot achieve a state of no thinking, so the mind needs
to connect with the void and concentrate on it. This is a high-level way to practice.
To understand these two phrases deeply, we will explain them in detail.
Zhineng Qigong is an open style practice. One should connect and merge the
body and mind with the environment. These two phrases, through the mind
activity, connect human and nature into an entirety. Traditional qigong holds that
the highest way of practicing is by using the hunyuan qi of the void to work on the
body and mind, make the mind more and more pure. The key point of this way
of practicing is not only to focus the mind in the body but also to connect with
outside, merge with the natural world and absorb more hunyuan qi inside. This
was a practice through which alone some ancient people reached ‘ren tian hun
hua’ (the human being mingles and transforms with the universe).
So when we recite ‘shen zhu tai kong’ the mind connects with the blue sky state of
‘kong kong you you’, of no fixed point, no blockages, empty and transparent; this
can bring the mind to a state of no attachment but ‘xu ling ming jing’. [‘Kong kong
you you’ is a very carefree and natural empty state. ‘Xu ling ming jing’ describes
a very good qigong state: ‘xu’ – empty but not empty; ‘ling’ – the mind is able to
receive information readily and is effective in sending information without being
attached to it or the result, very flexible and sensitive; ‘ming’ – very clear and pure;
‘jing’ – very quiet, still and serene.]
Shen yi zhao ti, zhoushen rong rong: Based on ‘shen zhu tai kong’, one draws the
mind back from the void to illuminate inside the body. When the mind connects
with the void it also connects with the hunyuan qi of the void. Then when the
mind illuminates inside the body, the hunyuan qi of the void comes back into the
body naturally and makes body hunyuan qi abundant and free-flowing, so that
one feels the whole body harmonised with qi.
To better draw the mind back from the void and bring in more hunyuan qi one can
recite “kong qing lai li” (or you can recite “ong lan lai li”). [Kong – void of the sky,
qing – blue, lai – come, li – inside; ong for its vibration, lan – blue, lai come, li inside.]
The effect of these words comes from their vibration and from their information,
which bring the very pure qi of the void into the body. Reciting the words can help
the mind come back from its focus on the void to illuminate inside the body.
The Eight Phrases is an excellent method. To experience it seriously is a type of practice.
Practicing it can adjust the mind and body from a non-qigong to a qigong state, with
the mind focussed and in a state of human and nature harmonised and unified. To
work on improving one’s life level, one needs to actively create this harmonious state
between human and nature, actively draw the mind in to illuminate the body, and
combine mind and body to practise the method. This helps us keep the state ‘ren zai
qi zhong, qi zai ren zhong’ (we within qi, qi within us), of ‘ren tian hun hua’, (humans
and the whole universe merging and transforming).
The Movements
Opening
Lead with the little fingers to turn the palms back. The whole arms and shoulders turn
together with the hands. Then raise the palms. Press down, push forward 15°, pull back.
When first learning push/pull, go directly forward and back. Once familiar with the
practice, push forward and back in a long oval and use the hantu movement – the centres
of the palms draw in and push out, leading the palms slightly upward and downward; the
palms feel a little tense as they push down and relaxed as they draw up. When pushing
forward, push the centres of the palms out, then draw in the centres of the palms [when
they are forward 15°], then push the palms out again as your hands come back to the
sides of the body, then draw the palms in again. When the centres of the palms push out,
the mind goes into the void of the Earth to release one’s qi to connect with the qi of the
void. Relax the body.
[When the hands are at the front, and again back by the sides] draw in the centres
of the palms as the palms turn a little and make small arcs to gather earth qi into the
body. This movement looks simple. In fact this very small push down and draw in is
an opening and closing. Along with the open and close of the hands, the whole body
is opening and closing.
After doing push/pull three times, relax the wrists, lead with the little fingers to turn your
palms in an arc, all the fingers drawing an arc; turn your palms to face the sides of the
legs. When you turn the palms, your whole arms turn at the same time, connected with
the entire body qi. Feel all your body qi become an entirety. When the hands relax down,
the mind goes directly deep into the void of the Earth. Draw up a large insubstantial qi
ball with a big qi tail. Move the hands inward slightly to mirror duqi; your mind sends
the qi ball continuously through duqi into lower dantian and back to mingmen. This can
bring in Earth qi to make lower dantian qi abundant.
Leading with the little fingers, turn your palms down, your arms moving with them.
Open out continuously at duqi level; the movement must be soft and relaxed. The hands
press into the Earth and extend to the horizon; you merge into the void, and qi from the
void comes into the body continuously. Open to the back, bend the elbows and draw the
arms in a little; turn your palms to mirror mingmen; your mind goes into mingmen and
to lower dantian.
Raise your hands up to under the armpits; press dabao with the middle fingers. Dabao
is an important element: the human body has fifteen collateral channels, each with an
energy point; dabao connects to the pancreas collateral channels. To practice hunyuan qi
[open the body qi and draw in more external hunyuan qi] we must open the collaterals,
and pressing dabao can help open all the collaterals. So when you press dabao, concentrate
the mind and press the middle fingers so the tips of the middle fingers seem to connect
inside the chest; imagine that with this you can open the collaterals more easily. The
whole body will have a strong qi feeling that connects with the inner organs. Sometimes
the qi opens out from inside, sometimes the qi goes from outside inside; the qi will flow
well. You can draw a circle from the back to the front and then press dabao if you prefer.
Push your hands forward, feeling you are holding something, to connect and carry
Heavenly qi, the mind connecting the hands and arms together as if something links
them to one another. Mirror yintang. A beginner can raise the palms a little to send qi
into yintang; after some practice you only move the middle fingers a little, the less the
better. It is as if two lines of qi go into yintang. You may feel a light tingling, pressure,
tightness, expansion or beating sensation at yintang; you may even feel something at
the base of the ears. Qi goes into the head and opens upper dantian, wakes up dantian
and makes the inside Palace sensitive; it is good for opening tianmu and developing
paranormal abilities for receiving information.
When the arms open out, lead from the shoulders to open the elbows out, which turns
the palms inward a little as they open out. Once one’s practice is skilful, one should
experiences three forces:
• use the shoulder blades and outer arms to push out, feeling resistance to the
movement;
• lead with the shoulders, open the elbows, feel suction between the arms as if you
cannot open them out;
• there seems to be a big qi ball between the arms that is expanding out, and the space
between the arms is filled with qi; the inner arms are also filled with qi.
The hands stroke the horizon. These movements make internal and external qi connect
to become an entirety.
Once the arms are almost in a line, lead with the little fingers to turn your palms down
then up, as you begin to raise them in one continuous movement. The movement is
round and unbroken and the qi does not stop. When turning the palms, your mind is
in the void and the turning also rotates the qi and raises it up. Your hands and palms lift
qi from the void, the arms straight but relaxed as if holding something of some weight.
This weight shows that qi is abundant and that the arms connect with the qi of the void.
While lifting qi up, think of the qi gathering as high as possible in the void and that there
is already a lot of qi coming down into your body as your arms rise. Close the palms.
Lower your palms to near the top of the head then move them forward as you lower them
to Heshi Hands. Relax the shoulders, your forearms in a line. Expand out the shoulder
blades a little from inside, your armpits hollow. The base of the palms and forearms is no
lower than the base of the sternum. The thumbs are between the tanzhong and zigong
energy points. The upper arms are at 45° to the body. Inside each elbow it feels as if a qi
ball is expanding inside the arm. This posture not only makes qi circulate between the
hands but also has a wonderful effect of drawing in the mind and heart.
The opening looks simple but it pours qi to the three dantians. We mirror duqi to pour
qi to lower dantian; press dabao to pour qi to middle dantian; mirror yintang to pour
qi to upper dantian; close the palms to above baihui then lower them down and pour qi
to baihui and tianmen; then lower them into Heshi Hands in front of the chest, which
draws qi to middle dantian. The whole opening sequence connects Earth qi, Heavenly qi
and human qi to harmonise them together.
Turn your fingers forward, push them straight forward. Separate the fingers, the little
fingers, then ring, then middle fingers, keeping your thumb and index fingers forming
a triangle. Raise the palms. (If you wish, open your eyes very slightly to focus inside the
triangle to see qi.) Separate the index fingers then thumbs to shoulder width; separate
the thumbs slowly and feel the suction between the thumbs. When doing push/pull don’t
pay attention to the qi, only focus on the mind and use the mind going out and coming
in to lead the qi to go out and come in naturally. When you push, the mind goes to the
void; don’t think about how qi goes to the void as it will naturally follow the mind and
go out. When you draw in, the mind comes into the body and qi naturally follows the
mind to come into the body. This is using the mind to lead qi: only use the mind, don’t
think of qi, for qi will follow. This is how we use the mind to lead qi. Through push/pull
and pouring qi, the mind leads internal qi to go out and merge with natural hunyuan qi,
which creates a very dense qi field around the practitioner. When the mind combines
with the movement to draw in, thinking inside the body, natural hunyuan qi and qi field
qi come into the body, thus enriching internal hunyuan qi.
When doing the push/pull movement, the mind firstly leads qi to release out and connect
with natural hunyuan qi, then draw in. When you draw in, lead with the shoulders.
Rotate them up and back; the elbows follow, relaxing and bending a little. Relax the
wrists, not lower than shoulder height. Draw in the centres of the palms, visualise the
thumb and little finger extending out 10 cm and connecting to one another to hold a
qi ball in each hand. When you push out, rotate the shoulders down and forward then
push your arms out from the shoulders; the palms are raised. (Open shenmen energy
point.) Then lead with shenmen, push out. Push out the centres of the palms and flex the
fingers back. Don’t make the push/pull movement too big. Feel as though you hold a soft
qi balloon that you press and that springs back; if the movement is too big the balloon
will fall down. The movement should be small and slow, soft and wavelike. This makes
internal qi and external qi stick together and integrate very well so it mobilises easily.
Forward push/pull and side push/pull have the same requirements. If you do it like this,
you will gradually have a feeling of qi and of resistance along the arms.
Do open/close horizontally, not more than 15°. While doing it, push the centres of your
palms out and flex your fingers back, which can make qi release out and circulate back.
Once your practice is skilful, don’t open and close in a straight line but do hantu in an
∞ shape. The whole body follows the hantu to open and close so qi goes out and comes
in. By doing each movement using the mind in this way one can better draw qi into the
body and improve one’s health.
Open the hands out with your palms raised well and pushing a little. The qi follows and
expands and increases. The mind follows, the hands stroking the horizon as they open
out; merge yourself into the void. Hands in a line, do push/pull as previously described.
You should especially emphasise the drawing in. Pull qi vertically up and down 15°. An
experienced practitioner could also do the hantu movement and draw a long oval. But
new practitioners should not attempt it too soon, for if you do it too forcefully it will
influence the flow of qi.
Relax the wrists, think of your five digits as five big columns standing on the horizon
and slowly lowering down almost to shoulder height, then turn hands a half circle like
scooping water inside the Earth; raise them up. The hand movement of relax down, turn
and scoop gathers and carries qi from the horizon, to raise it up as if raising all the space
around. As you raise your hands you must relax all the muscles, lifting up from dazhui.
The arms feel pressed down by a very heavy weight of qi so the arms even feel a bit sore.
Your hands lift qi up and it goes into the body continuously while they rise above
the head. Turn the palms and lower them a little, then the centre of the palms mirror
baihui, wrists at shoulder width. It seems a big qi column lowers down from the sky
and goes through the whole body from the top of the head. The mind goes to huiyin
and yongquan, but don’t think of the route the qi takes. Hands above the head, stay for
a cycle of breathing; follow the breathing, the qi goes down, the mind leading the qi to
pour into the body. While breathing out, lower the hands as they pour qi down, hands
past the front of the face, your five fingers raking down through the body to in front of
the chest. Turn your palms inward but don’t touch the skin – the hands are about one
centimetre from the skin. The mind leads qi down inside to duqi; the hands going down
outside connect with the skin, muscles and bones inside. Press duqi with the middle
fingers, send qi to mingmen, which impacts the qi poured down from the head; sensitive
people will have a special feeling.
This meeting point is the centre of the lower foundation of Zhineng Qigong; it is very
important to build this foundation. In the old days people thought this point was the
foundation upon which life was built. From this point one can gradually experience the
emptiness in the empty point; this place is called ‘xuan guan’ or ‘zhong dian’. During
practice, use the mind to lead qi and gradually experience this place but don’t seek it out.
If you seek it out, even though the movement of the cross-point occurs, the qi will not
be pure.
After the middle fingers press duqi and the tips connect to that point, move your hands
around the waist. The hand movement must be natural and continuous; if you stop, the
daimai qi will be broken. You must be relaxed when pressing mingmen and sending qi to
duqi. Then draw qi down past the buttocks, along the back of the legs with Tiger Mouth
open, four fingers at the back of the legs, thumbs at the side of the legs. Connect all the
channels of the legs.
When you squat down you must relax the whole body. Don’t raise the head. Use your
hands to feel inside your legs and feel the qi penetrate inside the legs, the deeper the
better. The ideal is to feel the qi penetrate into the middle line of each leg; it feels as
though the qi is being pushed into the bones. If you practice slowly in this way, you can
feel the qi go through the muscles, bones and blood vessels and what their state is. It feels
as though you can touch them, can look at them. Also, you can feel a problem area, you
can feel the distinctions between normal and abnormal tissue. Then you don’t need to
open the 3rd eye to diagnose illness.
When you place your palms on the feet, press down. The knees should touch and the heels
should be on the ground. If the heels lift up, the back of the head will be uncomfortable
and qi will be unstable. Push out the centres of the palms and relax the centres of the
feet when you push down. Move your weight forward, upper body touching your thighs.
When you lift up, move your weight back and draw in the centres of the palms and feet.
When you press down your mind should go into the void of the Earth. When you lift up,
think inside the body. Through pressing down and lifting up, the mind connects with
hunyuan qi from the void of the Earth and draws it into the body.
The movement of drawing up Earth qi requires that you first separate your hands to
the sides of the feet with the palms facing one another [then continue, drawing qi up];
the mind imagines pulling up a big radish from the depths of the Earth. The movement
combines with the mind to move slowly and evenly; if you do it like this the qi will
be connected. Draw this qi up through the centres of the palms, raise them along the
middle line of the leg bones; sensitive people can feel the qi. Your hands lead this qi
up the inner legs to duqi. A beginner may not feel the qi rise up through the centres
of the feet so may need to use their hand combined with the mind activity, leading the
qi to go up. When the middle fingers press duqi, Heaven and Earth hunyuan qi merge
into duqi. The body qi and the natural qi circulate in duqi. Human and nature merge
to become one.
Section Two: Start from the sides then lift qi from the front
Some movements of Sections One and Two are the same, e.g. push/pull and move qi, only
with the order reversed. Section One starts from the front, then from the sides, then lift
qi up and pour qi down. Section Two starts from the sides, then to the front and to lifting
qi up and pouring qi down. Here we only explain in detail the differences between them.
When the arms rise from the sides, the shoulders lead the elbows, wrists, palms and
fingers to lift up. It feels as though the palms are drawn up by the shoulders, that the
part closest to the heart moves first. The mind thinks of the hands leading qi up from
the void of the Earth. When the arms are in a line, relax. You can measure that the arms
are level by the feeling of their weight. Lead with the middle fingers to erect your palms.
After push/pull, push out the centres of your palms, close forward along the horizon,
the mind thinking of the hands sticking to the qi of the horizon. Use your shoulders to
close and gather surrounding qi inside the body. When your hands lift qi up from the
front, imagine two hands and arms behind you like your real arms lifting qi up. Merge
front and back qi together and pour down through the head. Pour qi down; in front of
the head, press yintang. Send qi inside, the mind leading qi to go in deeper. The two qi
columns meet in the head, one going down and the other in from yintang. Sensitive
people can feel a special movement happen on this meeting point. It is an important
Palace in the head in traditional qigong, called Yuan Shen Zu Qiao.
In Section One, two qi columns meet in ‘duqi xuan guan’; in this section two qi columns
meet in ‘yuan shen zu qiao’. (The traditional qigong belief was that ‘yuan shen zu qiao’
point is xing [relates to consciousness] and ‘duqi xuan guan’ point is ming [relates to
the physical body and internal qi]. Linking these two points could provide a basis for
practicing xing and ming in combination. Xing and ming were thought to have been
one before birth and only separated at a certain stage after birth. Zhineng Qigong does
not discuss this; simply by pouring qi into the body one will naturally benefit. If you do
not sense these two points, just keep on with your practice of external hunyuan step by
step without seeking them out.) After pressing yintang, the middle fingers connect with
the centre of the head, then move along the eyebrows to under the yuzhen bone. Press
through, inside to yintang. When some people practice this point, qi may go the wrong
way and hallucinations occur; take no notice and continue the practice.
The hands draw qi down along the neck; the hands go down like a rake through the
muscles and bones and deep inside. The middle fingers press shenzhu energy point
under the 3rd thoracic vertebra. The mind sends qi down, preferably past the shoulder
blades. Move hands around the shoulders to the back. Open Tiger Mouth to face the
sides of the body; at the back, your palms face the back not outwards. The mind connects
qi upward then draws qi down to mingmen. Press mingmen.
Section Three: Lift Qi Up Diagonally
Sections One and Two lift front, back and side qi up to pour into the head. This section
is for lifting qi up diagonally from four directions and pouring it into the head. At the
start the fingertips point downward like five big qi columns coming from the depths of
the Earth, with Tiger Mouth open. Lift up a big qi ball with a big qi tail extending out
to the void. Lead with the shoulders. Open and expand the armpits. The palms face
slightly inward as if holding a big basin. Arms almost at shoulder height, gradually turn
your palms up while lifting qi up to above the head. The mind thinks of two hands
growing out from the back and raising qi up diagonally together. Your hands stay above
your head for one breath cycle; your breathing should be natural, deep, fine, even and
slow. Pour qi down past the ears. Turn your palms forward, place them in front of your
shoulders. Relax your elbows, lower them down.
Return qi: open shenmen, erect the palm and push forward. When your arm is almost
straight, relax the wrist; the fingers like five big qi columns, lower the fingers down from
the void, turn the palm sideways. [Your right palm turns to face to the left, left palm
turns to face to the right.] Leading from the lower back, turn your upper body, the hip
joints scarcely moving. Relax the shoulders; the hand draws qi to the side of the body; at
90˚ the thumb presses zhongkui, then draw qi back around the shoulder. This movement
must be continuous with no break in it; the body stops turning but the arm continues like
a whip circling and coming back over the shoulder. The driving force of the movement
comes from the lower back. The shoulders must be relaxed so that the waist, shoulders,
elbows and wrists are a unity.
The movements of Section Three are very simple. The main point is that the mind must
imagine that behind the body there are another two hands or even many hands around
in a circle, lifting qi up in all directions to above the head. When one practices this
method the mind goes outside, which forms a very good qi field around the practitioner;
Return Qi uses the mind to bring this qi field into the body.
The mudra of the thumb pressing zhongkui energy point was called Yu Qing Mudra in
the old days. There are 24 joints in a hand; zhongkui is on the middle line of the hand;
pressing this energy point with one’s thumb opens all the energy points of the hands, and
when it is pressed the centre of the palm draws in and qi follows to come into the body.
The theory of the channels is that the thumbs belong to the lung channels, the middle
fingers to the pericardium channels; the lungs govern qi and the heart governs the blood,
so this mudra can connect qi and blood. The theory of the inner organs is that the thumb
belongs to the pancreas and the middle finger to the pericardium; the pancreas governs
the mind and the pericardium governs the shen (spirit or soul); this mudra connects
mind and shen and makes them stable, and helps return qi into the body as well as raise
up inner qi.
When the middle finger presses qihu (meaning qi door) this can draw qi into the body; it
must be pressed precisely. Breathe naturally three times. When you breathe in and press
qihu, use the middle fingers and press gently. When you breathe out, relax the fingers.
Follow the open and close led by your breathing; open the qi of the lungs and the chest.
The upper arms don’t touch the body and should be rounded and expanded outward.
The next movement is to push the wrists forward, the tips of the fingers spreading out
with palms up to form lotus flower palms. The mind follows the movement. The tips of
the ten fingers draw a circle along the horizon. Close the hands, starting from the base of
the palms. Your fingertips bring qi back from the horizon; close to Heshi Hands.
The three movement sequences, of lifting qi up and pouring qi down in these three
sections, pour qi to three dantians. Section One pours qi to lower dantian; Section Two
mainly pours qi to upper dantian but also to lower dantian; Section Three pours qi to
middle dantian. When the hands press qihu while crossed in front of the chest, they
gather qi there in front of tanzhong energy point, which has middle dantian in from it;
this builds middle dantian qi. The three sequences of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down gather
Earth qi, Heavenly qi and human qi, merge the three together and make qi plentiful in
the three dantians. Whenever you pour qi into the body you must always have in mind
pouring qi to the dantians. If you always do this, your gongfu level will improve.
Closing
The Closing’s function is to gather into the body both natural hunyuan qi and the qi field
qi built up during practice. Do not see it as unimportant, for it can integrate the entire
body qi. Zhineng Qigong focuses more on the practice of upper and middle dantian,
so the Closing starts from middle dantian. Raise Heshi Hands up from middle dantian
along the middle line to upper dantian then to above the head. You need to stretch up
as far as possible so that the light yang qi of the gallbladder channels at the sides of the
body rises up easily. The movement of drawing your body qi up with the hands gives a
feeling of touching the top of the sky. When you then turn the palms forward and lower
them down, it seems as if the hands separate the sky. When they are almost in a line,
turn your palms up and close them forward along the horizon. Mirror yintang, send qi
to upper dantian. Relax the shoulders, lower your elbows, draw your hands back, press
dabao. Beginners press with the tips of the middle fingers. Advanced practitioners use
the middle fingers to draw a small circle front, up, back, down, then press inside the
circle and send qi to middle dantian. Push the hands back, not lower than mingmen.
Open out along the horizon, draw qi back to lower dantian. The Closing pours qi to the
three dantians. Then quietly nourish qi a short while. Separate your hands to your sides,
open the eyes slowly.
One can practice some parts of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down in isolation and experience
the related mind activity. For example, one can do push/pull and pouring qi. One can
do the movements more slowly, which makes it easy to use the mind. Whatever you do,
don’t think about how the qi goes out and comes in. If you think too much about the qi
movement in and out and your mind is too intense this will disturb your practice and
bring problems.
Flexibility using Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down

After practicing Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down, body hunyuan qi will be increased and of
better quality. Illness can be healed, life will flourish and one can also develop wisdom.
If one wants to adjust some part of the body better and faster, one can just pour qi
there. Someone wanting to cure a problem in some particular place can pour qi there;
someone wanting to improve the functions somewhere can pour qi there. Below are
some examples of simple and easy ways to help you imagine the possibilities.
To Develop Wisdom
Use a sitting, standing or lying posture. Lift qi up to above the head. Pour qi into the
head. Pour qi with the mind sending qi into the head. Pour qi down and hold your hands
one on the other near the top of the head, without them touching skin or hair, men left
hand below and women right hand. Your hands draw a circle front, left, back, right three
times. Draw the circle slowly and evenly with the mind focussed. Think a big qi column
is rotating inside your head. Then press down three times to pour qi into the head to
open the brain. Then lift up three times. Feel the vibration inside the head change the
flow of qi and blood in the head; the brain qi will flow well. Now turn three circles in
the opposite direction – front, right, back, left; press down three times then lift up three
times.
Open out the hands to connect the tips of the middle fingers. Raise and lower them three
times. Separate the hands and move them down so the fingertips are just above the ears
(your mind needs to open the top of the head from inside), then back up to connect
the middle fingers; do this three times. Move your hands to in front of your forehead
and close the hands, men left hand inward, women right hand inward, palms facing the
forehead at a distance of 1–2 cm and never more than 5 cm. Rotate down, left, up, right
in a small circle. Press in three times. Draw out three times. Don’t touch the skin. Rotate
down, right, up, left three times. Press in three times. Draw out three times. Slowly lower
to the palms in front of yintang, repeat the same movements as in front of the forehead.
Practice of this method can improve the functioning of the brain.
To Improve the Vision
Sit, stand or lie, your hands facing each other about 5 cm apart. Place naturally in front
of duqi. Lift qi up to in front of the eyes, the base of the thumbs at eye level. Do pulling
qi to feel the qi. Turn your palms to face your eyes, 3–5 cm from them. Push in and
draw out qi 7–10 times. When you push, the mind goes deep into the eyes; when you
draw out, connect with external qi. The hands draw a circle inwards, down, out, up 7–10
times. Push in and draw out 7–10 times; then turn the hands the reverse direction 7–10
times. This constitutes one cycle. You can do three cycles each time you practice this.
Daily practice can cure all kinds of eye problems.
Pour Qi to Heal Illness
Zhineng Qigong healing doesn’t require a diagnosis; one just sends qi to the problem
area. First do pulling qi, then when one can feel the qi, start sending it to the area of the
illness. The mind thinks the illness has gone, the functions are back to normal. Through
pulling qi and sending qi repeatedly, illness can be healed. The previous practice for
healing eye problems can also be used to treat other problems.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWO
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is a foundation Zhineng Qigong practice, working on external

hunyuan. Through doing it one can heal illness, strengthen the body and even develop
paranormal abilities. Generally speaking, beginners’ practice should take about 20
minutes. Once familiar with the practice, if you wish to quickly raise your qigong level,
you could practise it for 30–40 minutes. When practising you can use visualisation but it
should not be too detailed, like a picture. In one’s practice one must master the following
key points:
The Practice of External Hunyuan

This method works with external hunyuan, which differs from ‘ren tian hun hua’ and ‘fa
mo’ of traditional qigong.
In traditional qigong, ‘ren tian hun hua’ is at a higher qigong level where the practitioner
closes the mind inside the body, unites body and mind qi into one, then goes further
to dispel the subtle fixations of the mind and thus achieve a state with no sense of the
self, of others, of longevity, of any distinctions; the self is empty and the external world
also empty, empty like the void. Using Zhineng Qigong theory to explain this, it is a
state where the fixations of yiyuanti are dispelled and one’s yiyuanti merges with original
hunyuan qi. That merging is a deeper connection, different from the ‘ren tian hun hua’ of
external hunyuan in Zhineng Qigong. In Zhineng Qigong external hunyuan practice, we
use visualisation to merge with the void’s hunyuan qi; in this way we can move original
hunyuan qi. But we are far from the level where the mind truly combines with original
hunyuan qi, or of body, qi and mind thus combining. Zhineng Qigong practitioners need
to clearly understand that they are practicing ‘ren tian hun hua’ of external hunyuan and
have not achieved a higher gongfu level.
In traditional qigong the practice of ‘fa mo’ refers to gathering yang qi to the skin so
as to protect against unhealthy qi. This seems like an external hunyuan practice at the
membranous level, but in traditional qigong ‘fa mo’ only uses internal yang qi, whereas
the external hunyuan practice of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down combines internal and
external qi – so these are two different ways of practicing.
The Benefits of External Hunyuan

Initial practice in Zhineng Qigong is mainly with external hunyuan. This is because
human life is an open system and external hunyuan accords with this principle. A
second reason is that if one first practices external hunyuan, one easily benefits from the
practice.
• The main practice of external hunyuan is to release internal qi out and gather external
qi in to open the pathways between humans and natural hunyuan qi, thus gathering
external hunyuan qi inside to transform internal qi more rapidly.
• When practicing external qi, the mind must merge with the void. This can make it
easy for the practitioner to achieve a relaxed and quiet state. The void is empty; when
the mind merges with it, it will naturally bring the mind into an empty and quiet
state. The void has no form and is very even. When the mind merges with the void,
it easily leads to relaxation of the body. Thus qi and blood flow well and mind and qi
become one.
• When the mind merges into the infinite void in practicing external hunyuan,
however one thinks about the void, the mind is clear and focussed without random
thoughts. In consequence, qi movement is orderly. This creates a state where the
mind combines with qi to open and close in an orderly manner.
• External Hunyuan Practice can be done at a deeper or more shallow level. It is the
first stage of Zhineng Qigong but it can nevertheless directly point to the source of
the universe and reach a higher level.
The Process of External Hunyuan Practice

The mind merges with the void; the practitioner also needs to imagine the hunyuan qi
of the void, think of the invisible qi, the more and the denser the better. Once one can
feel qi, one should connect the mind with the membranous level, beginning with the
skin. On the one hand, one feels the qi go out and come in. But one should understand
that this is also the mind merging with the void. This is because there is a void outside
the membranes and there is a void in the qi pathways of the membranes. On the other
hand, one should think of the hunyuan qi of the void and that of the body as interwoven,
which means qi can come into and go out of the body easily. If one can experience the
state of the void inside the body it means one’s gongfu level has improved.
Simple Ways to do External Hunyuan Practice

You can use pouring qi in a variety of ways. When you walk you can pull earth qi with
your hands. With your hands facing each other, you can do pulling qi. You can experience
the feeling of qi in your hands. And always remember to gather qi into your body from
time to time.
Xu ling ming jing
Xu means empty but not empty

Ling refers to the abilities of yiyuanti to receive and
send information quickly, precisely and effectively
in a flexible way
Ming means pure and clear
Jing means quiet and still
This saying describes the desired state

for practitioners.
Chapter Three
Body Mind Form

Xing Shen Zhuang
Body Mind Form is at the second level of Zhineng Qigong and belongs to the internal
hunyuan stage. It practices body mind hunyuan, which fills the whole body with qi at the
level of the skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, bones, etc. All these merge together to
become an entirety. Its characteristics are:
• The movements are simple but difficult to do. Most of the postures can be practiced
in isolation.
• The movements mainly work on the ligaments and small joints, generally those that
are usually not much used. It quickly activates internal qi and can mobilise qi to the
hair, skin and fingertips. This is also what makes the method difficult.
• Practice of this method requires the mind to combine with the body; the use of
movements that mobilise qi; a relaxed, expanded body and mind; even, slow, soft
movements; postures that look angular but feel rounded internally; movements like
those of a snake or caterpillar, with the whole body an entirety; the experience of
stillness within movement.
The benefits of the method are:
• It stretches the tendons and bones, increases vitality and strength, makes the body
healthy and beautiful.
• It relaxes the body to open the channels and mobilises internal qi to open qi gates,
points and other pathways.
• It transforms the body and mind, develops wisdom and aids deep exploration of the
laws of life.
Along with the Preparation, Opening and Closing (almost identical to Lift Qi Up Pour
Qi Down) Body Mind Form has ten sections, which are: Crane Head, Dragon Head, Qi
Surging up to the Sky; Contract Shoulders and Neck, Tong Bi; Erect Palms, Separate
Fingers, Open Jingmai (the qi channels); Qi and Mind Surging, Strengthening Arms and
Ribs; Bow Body, Arch Back, Open Dumai [a big yang channel running up from huiyin
past weilu up along the spine to baihui then down to behind the upper front teeth]; Turn
Waist, Swirl Hips, Return Qi to Dantian; Feet in a Line, Open Hip and Sacroiliac Joints;
Kneel Down Towards Feet, Three Joints Connected; Push Leg Out, Point Foot, Draw
Taiji; Return Qi to One, Turn Hunyuan.
C HA P T E R T H R E E : B O DY M I N D F O R M 55
SUMMARY OF BODY MIND FORM
Introduction to Body Mind Form

The Meaning of Body Mind Form
Body Mind Form is at the second level of Zhineng Qigong dynamic methods. The name
means that the body combines with the mind and the mind directs the body, so that one
practices in a unity of body and mind. Practice of Level One opens the pathways between
human and natural hunyuan qi so that one’s qi is plentiful and one’s life functions and
level of health are improved. Body Mind Form builds from this and is a way to continue
improving one’s gongfu level.
Body Mind Form practices Body Mind Hunyuan of internal hunyuan
The internal hunyuan practice of Zhineng Qigong dynamic methods is made up of Body
Mind Form and Five Hunyuan Form. Body Mind Form practices body mind hunyuan.
Five Hunyuan Form practices inner organs qi hunyuan.
What is body mind hunyuan?
It means that mind activity is closely integrated with the movements, the mind completely
focussed on and observing the feeling of the movements. (It requires that you let go of
logical thinking.) Although ordinary people [see glossary] also control their movements
with their mind, they are not aware of and don’t focus on their body movements, instead
concentrating on the objective of those movements. This is an outward-looking use of
the consciousness. When practicing Body Mind Form, one must completely focus on the
movements of the body and the relevant parts of the body. This makes the mind gradually
penetrate the different tissues in the skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels and bones.
Because the mind directs qi, when the mind penetrates any part of the body, qi follows it
and changes the qi-state of those tissues. The qi of ordinary people is mainly distributed at
the level of the membranes. However, through concentration and penetration of the mind,
internal qi increases and in addition qi follows the mind to go deep into the tissues. This
gradually makes all the tissues’ internal qi plentiful, so that the differences between the
surface and the deeper tissues disappear. This builds an entirety qi state with different layers
of tissue qi merged and transformed to become one. This is called body mind hunyuan.
Use Combined Body and Mind Practice to do body mind hunyuan.
When we practice Body Mind Form the mind must concentrate on the movements.
Initially one is practicing at the ‘shen nian xing’ (mind thinks the body) level. If you have
a good external hunyuan foundation – for example, you can feel internal qi when you
practice and the mind thinks the body and perhaps can feel and observe the qi of the
moving part – you are at the level of ‘shen guan xing’ (mind observes body). Actually,
many practitioners who practice Body Mind Form use the mind both to think of and to
observe the body at the same time.
Initial practice of Body Mind Form requires an attempt to achieve the correct postures.
Over time one is able to practice in a competent manner and a relaxed, natural state. This
demonstrates an inner balance. Based on this, one can practice different energy points
during the movements. This is a shortcut whereby one can practice the whole body by
practicing one part of it.
It is important to understand that the combination of mind and body practice is a high
level practice in traditional qigong. It differs from the combined body and mind practice
of a Zhineng Qigong beginner’s practice.
Characteristics of the Method of Body Mind Form

The movements are difficult to do
Many movements in this method are taken from martial arts qigong and traditional
qigong. Many of the movements work on small body parts. Many are rarely made in daily
life and the practice supplements everyday body and qi activity. With initial practice,
if the movements are done correctly one will feel pain or discomfort. With some of
the movements, beginners have to use force to achieve the correct posture, so they will
always find them tiring. But practitioners must understand that this effort is essential if
one wants to strengthen the tendons and bones, to change and perfect the body, to open
the gates through which qi flows, and to strengthen the body.
The movements work on the body from top to bottom in a complete way
Because Body Mind Form greatly emphasises particular movements, these are arranged in
a very precise and complete order, which works on nearly every part of the body. There is
a full coverage of head and neck, chest, back, ribs, abdomen, pelvic area, weilu and huiyin.
For the arms the order is from the shoulders to the elbows, wrists, hands and fingers. On
the legs it goes from the hip joints to the knees, ankles, feet and toes. There is symmetry
of left and right, and a balance of the front and back of the body. The upper and lower
parts of the body are connected. The muscles are stretched and contracted, sometimes
in unison and sometimes alternating, in a way that feels harmonious. This can help to
contract and extend or twist the joints to open them and make them more flexible. Most
tissues throughout the body are worked on, directed by the mind. Consequently, practice
of this method can balance inner qi and improve health to the highest level.
It mainly uses movement to mobilise qi
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down uses the mind to mobilise external hunyuan qi, but it is difficult
to mobilise the qi of the channels using the mind. Qi of the channels has its own laws
of movement. It can be affected by movement and by the activity of the inner organs. In
fact these two ways of mobilising qi are naturally combined in everyday activity. Here we
describe the process in detail.
When people send instructions for movement, the mind activity points to the part to be
moved; at the same time hunyuan qi gathers at that place. We say “where the mind goes,
qi will follow”. This can occur in an instant. After the movement takes place, the body
has all sorts of changes that flow from that movement, and those changes influence qi
of the channels so it circulates better in the channels and qi is increased at the site of the
movement. This is a slow process of adjustment in which the movement combines with
the mind to mobilise qi. This combination of mind and movement together mobilising
qi maintains normal life activity.
In Body Mind Form practice, the movements mobilise qi. This is mainly qi of the channels.
Through practice we can enhance channel qi, and at the same time this qi will spread out
from the channels and transform with body qi to become body hunyuan qi. [Channel qi
is different from body hunyuan qi and most people cannot move it using the mind.] Once
changed into hunyuan qi, that qi can then be directed and transformed by the mind.
In Body Mind Form, the complete process of mobilising qi is that the mind leads qi, qi
leads the body movements, the body movements then lead qi and the qi influences the
mind. This means the mind leads qi to the place where one wants the movement; the
mind combines with qi to bring about that movement; the body movement mobilises
the qi of the channels to make qi and blood plentiful in that area; this creates a feeling
of qi flowing or expanding; this feeling feeds back to the mind and makes the mind
concentrate more fully on that place; the focused mind leads even more hunyuan qi to
gather at that place. This is why we feel qi so clearly when we practice Body Mind Form.
Theory of the Channels in Traditional Chinese Medicine
The channels connect with the inner organs and with the limbs. Qi flows along each
channel and all are connected to one another. The yang and yin channels of the hands
connect at the hands and fingertips. The yang channels of the hands and yang channels
of the feet connect in the head. The feet yang channels and yin channels connect in the
feet. The yin channels of the feet and hands connect in the chest. The tips of the toes and
fingers are the qi pathways for exchanging internal and external qi, called the welling
points. For these reasons, traditional thinking was that the tips of the limbs were the
roots of the channels, the head and trunk were where the channels ended.
Body Mind Form is grounded in this theory, to especially work on the end points of
the limbs and head. For example, Sections Two and Three work more on the ends of
the upper limbs. Sections Seven, Eight and Nine work on the lower limbs and their end
points. Section One works on the head because a number of channels connect there,
with the roots of those channels in the ends of the limbs. Moving the head can lead
movement in the limbs, and when the limbs move this mobilises all the channels and the
blood. This is why Body Mind Form uses movement to mobilise qi – the theory of the
channels is what underlies Body Mind Form.
Practice of Body Mind Form can mobilise channel qi to connect inwards to the inner
organs and outwards to qi of the membranes, merging the whole body qi into an entirety.
The effects of this method are very broad and it is central in Zhineng dynamic qigong. It
must be practiced with great dedication and effort.
Characteristics of the Practice of Body Mind Form

To summarise, practice of Body Mind Form consists of correct movements and postures,
the mind in the movements and postures, qi following the movements. Specific Points
are covered below.
Mind integrates with the body; a combination of tension and relaxation

The movements of Body Mind Form are difficult to do and when one first practices, it is
impossible to do the postures properly without using force; using force makes the body
tense and hard. This is the inverse of the requirement for relaxation and softness. So if
one wants to resolve this contradiction one has to use a combination of relaxation and
tension. This has two aspects:
• When first practicing one can use force to achieve the correct posture. Once one is
habituated to the movements, one naturally achieves a relaxed, soft and free state. Of
course, one can feel a tension when extending and contracting the muscles, but one
should do one’s best to give instructions from the mind to relax the body and should
relax the mind totally. This means the posture is correct, with the mind relaxed,
which is called ‘body tense mind relaxed’.
• While individual parts of the body are tense, everywhere else the body is relaxed as
much as possible. To maintain correct posture, parts of the body have to be relatively
tense but other parts of the body that are not involved in the movement should
maintain the correct posture and relax. You must understand that this tension does
not mean strong muscular force and also that this tension is a necessary part of a
certain stage of practice. Beginners have to use force to practice; once they can easily
do the movements it will become natural to do them in a relaxed way.
Looks angular, feels rounded inside; a combination of straight lines and curves
Many of the movements are angular and go abruptly from one to another. Transitions
between postures are also abrupt. It is easy to mobilise channel qi through such
movements but such transitions don’t meet the requirement that dynamic practice
be rounded and smooth. How can this contradiction be resolved? One way is that
although the appearance is angular, the inside is rounded. For example, when doing
angular movements of the arms, the outer elbows appear as a clear angle but the mind
and one’s force should expand them from inside in a rounded way. So it looks angular
but it feels rounded. The other way of resolving this contradiction is that movements
are a combination of straight lines and curves. Postures are straight but not straight;
don’t extend to the limit and keep the joints relaxed. Even straight movements can be
combined with snakelike and caterpillar-like movements. But this can only be done once
you have a good foundation in the practice.
Combine big and small movements, with awareness
Movements are flexible and natural. All parts of the body are worked on, using both
big and small movements. (For example, Bow Body Arch Back and Return Hunyuan to
One involve big movements whereas Erect Palms, Separate Fingers, Rotate the Wrists
and Swirl Hips are small movements.) In each section there are also both big and small
movements. (For example, the movements of the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees are
bigger while the movements of the wrists, palms, fingers, ankles, feet and toes are small.
The movement of the waist is big while the movement of the spine is small, etc.) In any
movement the visible movement is bigger and felt strongly, while the invisible movement
of qi feels small relative to it .
A further point is that one should sense a connection between the thumb and little
finger, with them closed in a tiny bit as if to catch something; but don’t connect them
physically, only use the mind to imagine them connecting 15–20 cm in front of the
palms. This posture is important for gathering qi and drawing it inside. (This can also be
used when practising other methods.)
Why combine and be aware of big and small movements while practicing Body Mind
Form? Firstly, to correct the habits of ordinary people, who only notice big movements
and ignore small ones. Secondly, when we do small movements we need the mind to give
more precise instructions, which makes it easier to focus the mind and go into a quiet
qigong state. Thirdly, the combination of big and small movements is more effective in
mobilising channels qi, to promote a good flow of qi and blood.
The body unified; stillness within movement
This method works from head to feet step by step. But while we do each movement
our mind should be aware of the whole body. Once familiar with the practice, each
movement can mobilise qi throughout the entire body. For example, when doing Crane
Head Dragon Head one initially uses dazhui (under C7) as the pivot, but in later practice
dazhui can also follow the movement of the head forward and backward, and at an even
more advanced level the head can lead the body all the way from the spine to the legs,
ankles, feet and yongquan (near centre of sole) to move slightly forward and backward.
Each movement is like this, connecting to the whole body.
Stillness within movement means that during practice the mind remains quiet and
focussed. The mind centres on the movements, is aware of the points, gates and qi
Palaces [where qi gathers] (guan qiao) and experiences the flow of qi. Gradually merge
mind and body to become one. Quan Jing says, “The fist is not a fist; the mind is not
the mind; inside the no-mind is the real mind (wu yi zhi zhong you zhen yi)”. This is a
state of stillness in movement; movement and stillness are one. When we practice Body
Mind Form the mind should go into each posture in total concentration, observing and
illuminating inside the whole body. Gradually you will better feel the changes taking
place inside. For each movement, the changes to the energy points and channels vary
between people and over time. Don’t imagine how they may change on the basis of
other people’s experiences; this can be distracting for your practice and can create false
channels produced though mind activity. Once the energy points have opened and qi
flows well in the channels, one will experience inner changes naturally.
Some people concentrate intensely when practicing Body Mind Form, which can stop
the natural movement and lead into a standing form. This is a very good occurrence. It
is not stillness in movement, it is the movement going into stillness. If this phenomenon
occurs, qi will flow very well and one may develop some paranormal abilities.
THE MOVEMENTS OF BODY MIND FORM
Preparation
1 Place feet together, body centred and upright, arms hanging down naturally. Look
straight forward to the horizon, draw the vision back, close eyes gently. (Fig. 3–1)
Lead with the little fingers, turn and raise the palms, centres of palms downwards,
fingers forward, hands forming a right angle with the arms. Using the shoulders as a
pivot, push hands forward and pull back three times. Push forward 15°, pull back to
sides of body. (Fig. 3–2)
3–1 3–2
2 Lead with the little fingers, relax wrists, turn palms to face each other. Open Tiger
Mouth, relax arms, lift qi up from the front at shoulder width to duqi (navel) level,
gently draw in centres of palms. Then the centres of the palms come inward a little, and
the palms and arms move inward slightly to mirror duqi; send qi into lower dantian.
(Fig. 3–3) Turn palms down. Imagine the arms extend out infinitely far, then open out
at duqi level to the back, turn palms inward and then draw the centres of the palms
inward a little and mirror mingmen, the energy point directly through from duqi. (Fig.
3–4) Then lift forearms up, palms upward. Use the tips of the middle fingers to press
dabao energy point (dabao links to the pancreas channels); send qi inside. (Fig. 3–5)
3–3 3–4 3–5

3 Push arms forward at shoulder width and height. Draw palms and arms back a little
as you draw the centres of your palms inward a little and with your middle fingers
mirror yintang energy point between the eyebrows. (Fig. 3–6) Turn wrists to slightly
angle the palms, and from the elbows turn the arms and open out. (Fig. 3–7) Arms go
into a line; the palms gradually turn to face forward as they reach the sides. Leading
with little fingers, turn palms down then continue, turning palms up; think the palms
extend to the horizon, then from the horizon lift qi up in an arc to above the head;
close the palms. (Fig. 3–8) Hands lower down along the front of the head to in front
of the chest into Heshi Hands. The upper arms form a 45˚ angle with the body; the
forearms form a horizontal line with tips of the middle fingers upward. The base of
the thumbs is just in front of tanzhong energy point. (Fig. 3–9)
3–6 3–7
3–8 3–9

He Shou Long Tou Qi Chong Tian
The name Crane Head comes from the way a crane’s head moves forward and back, and
the Dragon Head movement describes swaying from side to side. This section manifests
the spirit of Body Mind Form. The crane has the characteristics of yin and yang and of
harmony. It lives on land but likes walking in water. Its state is quiet; it can easily fly high
in the sky. So when we practice Crane Head we should experience those characteristics
of the crane and achieve a quiet comfortable mind along with graceful, soft, free and
natural movements that are stable and strong.
In the old days the dragon symbolised the soul and mind (shen). [In Chinese culture the
dragon symbolises harmony, justice and peace.] So when practicing Dragon Head, the
shen needs to be peaceful and the qi to flow well. All movements are done smoothly in a
stable state, using qi force [not physical force] together with strong mind activity.
Movement Requirements
Crane Head
Separate the hands, lower along ribs, place palms on waist; tips of thumbs press jingmen
energy points on lower back (at end of the 12th rib), fingers on the hips. (Figs. 3–10,
3–11)
3–10 3–11
Forward Crane Head

Tuck chin in, push neck back and draw up. (Fig. 3–12) Head back. (Fig. 3–13) Push chin
up. Relax the neck. Chin forward, downward, inward; draw an arc along the chest. (Fig.
3–14)
3–12 3–13 3–14
Repeat the movement, a total of nine times.

Backward Crane Head
Reverse the movement. Chin draws an arc down along the chest, forward, upward, head
back; lift from baihui, chin back, push neck back and pull it up. Repeat a total of nine times.
Dragon Head
Tilt left dragon horn down to the left (Fig. 3–15) then up in an arc. Tilt right dragon
horn down to the right (Fig. 3–16) then up, drawing an arc. Repeat a total of 18 times
both sides.
3–15 3–16
Key Points of the Movements

Crane Head is not a simple forward and backward movement but a circle from back to
front. Beginners should use dazhui energy point (under C7) as the pivot, and stretch
and contract the neck as the head moves, in order to do the movement correctly. Once
familiar with the practice, relax dazhui and use the combination of open and close the
shoulders together with the chest moving inward then opening, to lead the whole spine
to move forward and backward like a snake.
Dragon Head is not a simple left/right movement, rather the shape of the infinity symbol
as shown here: ∞. In the mind, one lifts in an ‘s’ shape, going up and up. When doing
this movement you should focus on the dragon’s horns, which lower and rise up. At the
same time pay attention to relax your shoulders, ribs and the whole body. Leading with
the head, the spine and the lower limbs move left and right like a snake.
Benefits
The palms are placed on the waist with tips of the thumbs pressing jingmen energy points
(which belong to the gall bladder channels and connect with the kidneys). The fingers
press on zhangmen energy points (which belong to the liver channels and connect with
the pancreas) and daimai energy points (on the daimai channel around the waist). The
placement on these energy points has four effects:
• Pressing jingmen and zhangmen energy points activates pancreas and kidney qi.
• Pressing the liver and gall bladder channels merges liver and gall bladder qi together
and increases and raises up yang qi.
• Pressing on daimai energy points improves the functioning of the dai channel, which
controls the functions of other channels.
• Because zhangmen energy points connect to the pancreas, pressing them brings gall
bladder qi into the pancreas, thus improving the functioning of the pancreas. For
these reasons we use this as the basic posture in Body Mind Form.
The main benefit of Crane Head Dragon Head is to lead qi to rise up. When beginners
do it, moving the cervical vertebrae directly enhances the flow of qi at dazhui energy
point. Dazhui is on dumai, the Governing Channel on the spine. It is a central point for
the yang channels of the feet and hands, so this movement leads pure yang qi to rise up.
The practice of Section One is very good for problems with the cervical vertebrae and
for problems of the brain, especially the blood vessels. That then brings qi surging up to
open the Heavenly Gate. Practice of this section also makes the spine flexible and opens
dumai. It’s a foundation practice for Qing Gong [to make the body very light so one can
jump very high].
Furthermore, don’t overlook the Preparation and Opening. The Opening mobilises the
pure yang qi of the whole body as well as the five organs’ qi. Heshi Hands helps focus the
mind. The thumbs in front of tanzhong connects qi and blood to benefit one another.
One’s inner state is changed, so one’s practice deepens naturally.

Han Jian Suo Xiang Tong Bi Jian
This movement is based on the crane as it opens its wings to begin to fly. [Tong Bi means
to open up the structures of the arms and the flow of qi through them.]
Movement requirements
1 Relax hands, turn palms up, fingers forward and elbows back. Push forearms forward
with elbows down by the ribs, forming a right angle with the upper arms. Raise
upper arms to shoulder height, keeping the right angle; forearms vertical with fingers
pointing to the sky. (Fig. 3–17)
2 Open upper arms out into a line. Turn palms outward without moving the upper
arms. Lower forearms into a line. Middle fingers lead, raise forearms with elbows as
the pivot, with forearms at a right angle to upper arms. Lower forearms into a line.
Do up/down a total of three times. This is called Zhan Bi. (Fig. 3–18)
3–17 3–18 3–19
3 Arms in a line with palms down, straighten the fingers. Leading with the middle
fingers, rotate the hands with your wrists as the pivot. Rotate forwards then backwards
three times each. (Fig. 3–19)
4 Contract shoulders and neck: head back, tuck chin in without moving the trunk; this
is contracting the neck. At the same time, contract your shoulder blades towards the
spine, weilu gently back and up, four points simultaneously gathering towards the
fourth thoracic vertebra. This posture comes from the crane as it begins to fly. People
may shiver like this when they feel chilled. (Fig. 3–20 A, B)
3–20A 3–20B
5 The head goes back to its original position while

the hands extend out and draw the shoulder blades
out. Do this contraction and expansion three to five
times.
6 Tong Bi: arms contract on the left and extend on
the right, then contract on the right and extend on
the left in a snakelike movement. Do this seven to
nine times. (Fig. 3–21)
Key points of the movements
Contract Shoulders and Neck and Tong Bi should
3–21
be done smoothly and in an unbroken manner in
order to get the benefits that come from massaging
the upper back. When doing Tong Bi each joint alternates, contracting and extending
like a snake in a wavelike movement. For example, when the right shoulder blade moves
towards the spine, the left shoulder blade moves out; at the same time the right shoulder
and upper arm draws inward with elbow down, and the wrist naturally bends with finger
joints following and moving. Beginners generally cannot do this movement well and
need to try it out slowly and carefully. After practicing for a long time, from the back all
the movements are connected and smooth: the back, shoulders, arms, elbows wrists and
joints of the hand, like a caterpillar moving.
Benefits
The area between the shoulder blades usually moves little. In this method, Contract
Shoulders and Neck and Tong Bi are designed to work on this area. This not only
relaxes that part of the body but also massages it. There are important energy points
called fengmen, feishu, xinshu and gaohuang in this area. These movements improve
the functioning of those energy points, which strengthens the functions of the lungs
and heart. Tong Bi relaxes the joints, muscles and tendons of the shoulders, elbows,
wrists, palms and fingers, which ensures that qi flows well in the upper limbs. This is a
very important practice in Martial Arts gongfu. Used for healing, this section has a very
good effect on problems of the upper limbs, shoulder blades, heart and lungs. The Zhan
Bi movement [moving the arms up and down from the elbows] is excellent to prevent
problems with the blood vessels of the heart.
Section Three: Erect Palms, Separate Fingers, Open Jingmai (the channels)
Li Zhang Fen Zhi Chang Jing Mai
1 Arms into a line, body centred and upright; middle fingers leading, erect the palms.
Use inner force to push out the centres of the palms while drawing back the back of
the hands and the base of the fingers. This makes the palms form a right angle to the
arms that should be maintained throughout the pushing and contraction. (Fig. 3–22)
Leading with shoulder blades, contract the arms inward with elbows straight and
arms horizontal. Push out; do these movements three to five times.
2 Keep palms at a right angle to the arms. Separate thumbs and little fingers, separate
index and ring fingers (Fig. 3–23) Push out the centres of the palms. Close index and
ring fingers, thumbs and little fingers. Do five to seven times (the more the better).
3–22 3–23
3 Relax the palms, curl the fingers down and in joint by joint, like a hook. Place thumbs
on the fingertips in the shape of wintersweet flowers. (Fig. 3–24) Lift up towards the
centres of the palms, into a half fist [an empty space inside]. (Fig. 3–25, 3–26) Raise
the hands, erect wrists; palms up, open out, straighten the fingers joint by joint from
base to top. Repeat several times.
3–24 3–25 3–26
4 Leading with middle fingers, lower the palms into a line. Do Tong Bi three to five
times.
When practicing this posture the arms must be horizontal but don’t open your eyes to
check. Check by relaxing the arms; if the hands feel heavy and shoulders relaxed, that
means the hands are too low; if the hands feel light and the shoulders heavy, that means
the hands are too high. Adjust as required. The movement of separating the fingers must
be done in order, not all at the same time. The movements of curling wrists and fingers
and straightening wrists and fingers mainly work on the middle and end joints of the
fingers. Pay attention to the movements of every small joint; gradually the movements
will become skillful and wavelike.
Benefits
The welling points of the three yin and yang hands channels are at the tips of the fingers.
Welling points are important qi gates through which qi of the channels goes out and
external qi enters the channels. This section works to enhance the functions of the
welling points so as to promote the flow of qi and blood. The movement of Separate
Fingers mainly works on the three yin channels to mobilise the qi of the inner arms. The
movement of Curl Fingers and Wrists mainly works on the three yang channels of the
hands to mobilise qi of the outer arms. Practice of these two movements one after the
other has the effect of yin and yang benefitting each other. Practice of Section Three will
mobilise qi to the fingertips, so people should quickly be able to feel qi. Strong qi of the
fingertips is useful if doing massage or pressing energy points. Section Three can be used
to treat illnesses of the upper limbs.

Qi Yi Gu Dang Bi Lei Jian
1 Lower your arms from the sides, close your palms and raise to Heshi Hands. (Fig.
3–27) Entwine your fingers, raise to in front of the forehead, turn your palms out,
expand your arms to form an oval [longer forwards than sideways] with the backs of
your hands facing your forehead. (Fig. 3–28) Use a slight inner force to expand the
arms out a little, and maintain it throughout the time that you turn to left and right.
3–27 3–28
2 Turn your upper arms left to face the left side at 90˚ from the front. Your hands are
in front of the forehead, your arms form an oval [longer to the sides than the front];
the left upper arm is at ear level and right upper arm at shoulder height; the back of
the hands are about a fist in front of the forehead. (Fig. 3–29) Draw a small circle with
the left elbow, so the left upper arm is at left shoulder height, the right upper arm level
with the right ear.
3 Starting from lower dantian, qi surges up, pushing the right ribs to the right side.
At the same time the upper body turns right. The right ribs lead the right shoulder,
elbow and hands to the front, where the arms form an angled front-longer oval, the
right arm higher and left lower, thumbs at eye level. (Fig. 3–30)
4 Your upper body continues right, arms going to the right until they are at 90˚ from
the front. (Fig. 3–31)
5 The left ribs surge; lower dantian qi surging to push the left ribs up as the upper body
turns left. The left ribs lead the left shoulder, elbow and hands to the front; hands
to the front, arms forming an oval, the left arm angled higher and right arm lower,
thumbs at eye level. Your upper body turns to face the front. Fig. 3–32) Do both
directions 18 times.
3–29 3–30 3–31 3–32
Key Points of the Movements

All movements in this section should be done in an arc, not in a straight line. The
rotation of the trunk should be flexible and not rigid. Beginners need to pay attention
to the continuous change of the oval between longer in front to wider at the sides. Once
familiar with the practice, you should use the mind to lead qi, and qi to lead the body to
move. The ribs surge from the front of lower dantian, continuing on to the elbows and
arms. The movement of the arms follows the body.
Benefits
The gall bladder channels go along the sides of the body. Usually the qi of the area around
the ribs is weak and its protective power is less than in other parts of the body. Practising
this section strengthens the ribs and arms. It can be used to treat liver, gall bladder, chest
and rib illness, etc.

Fu Shen Gong Yao Song Du Mai
1 Raise your hands to above the head, palms facing upwards, arms straight. Relax
shoulders and arms. (Fig. 3–33) The entwined hands feel as if holding something up.
Gently rotate the wrists in a circle, starting from the front, up, to the back and down.
Alternate the wrists. The spine follows, moving from the cervical vertebrae to the
thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Repeat three to five times. (Fig. 3–34)
2 Separate the hands, turn palms forward, arms by the ears. (Fig. 3–35) Head forward,
extend your arms forward, relax your back, arch the thoracic vertebrae and lumbar
vertebrae back. Then your head and arms go down together, drawing an arc; gradually
curl the vertebrae down one by one until your face is close to your legs and your
lower back is humped up. (Fig. 3–36) Keep the arms by the ears the whole time.
3–33 3–34 3–35 3–36
3 Palms facing downward, press down three times at the front, then at the left, then
the right sides three times each. (Fig. 3–37) Turn your body back to the front. The
hands draw qi back; pinch the heels three times and at the same time draw in the
abdomen, arch your back and bring your head to the knees three times. (Fig. 3–38)
Draw qi to the front.
3–37 3–38
4 Continue to arch your back and slowly raise your body, keeping your arms by the
ears. The body straightens slowly. Then relax and move the whole body, starting from
the arms, to the feet. The arms and the body move forward and backward like a wave
moving down. Do this several times.
Do this section five to seven times.
Key points of the Movements
Bow Body Arch Back is different from merely stretching the leg tendons. When we
practice it, all the joints of the spine should be relaxed; try your best to curl the joints
one by one from the top to the base of the spine, not several going down together. When
you raise the body up it’s the same: from the base to the top, joint by joint, arch the back
and straighten to raise up.
Benefits
This section focuses on dumai, the Governing Channel, together with working on the
bladder channels. The movement of Bow Body Arch Back can relax and open all the
joints of the spine, and will enhance the contraction functions of both the muscles and
tendons of the back and the ligaments of the spine. Not only does it improve the functions
of dumai but also of the bladder channels. All the inner organs have important energy
points on the bladder channels, and the bladder channels transmit qi of all those organs
through those points. Dumai controls the yang qi of the entire body so this section is an
important practice for gathering qi into the bones in the martial arts. It is also a basic
practice to close all the energy points of the body. In healing, this method can be used to
treat problems of the back muscles, the spine and kidneys.

Zhuan Yao Shuan Kua Qi Gui Tian
1 Turn palms to face each other. (Fig. 3–39) Lower
hands and draw qi down. Go along the ribs, place
palms on the waist. Separate the feet, stepping on qi,
feet parallel a little wider than shoulder width. Squat
down slightly, knees not past the tips of the feet. (Fig.
3–40)
2 Relax the hip joints; use them as pivots, rotate the
pelvis. Firstly turn left in nine circles: front, left, back
right, then turn right: front, right, back, left, in nine
circles. (Fig. 3–41, 3–42)
3–39 3–40
3–41 3–42 3–43 3–44
3 Curl weilu forward then backward to draw the pelvis forward and back, nine times.
(Fig. 3–43, 3– 44)
This section looks simple but it’s difficult to practice. Initially you need to bend the legs a
little and only practice rotating the hips. Later you can start from weilu leading to draw
a full circle. Use the buttocks to assist weilu in doing the movement. Keep the trunk
upright. For example, when you turn left the movement goes from front, left, back, right;
we can separate the movements to better describe them. (1) You move the weight of the
pelvis to the left hip and the lower abdomen pushes the buttocks towards the left side. (2)
Your buttocks draw a half-circle around the back to the right hip and the weight of the
pelvis moves to the right hip. (3) The lower abdomen pushes to the right. (4) The lower
abdomen draws a half circle towards the front to the left hip. The weight of the pelvis
moves to the left hip.
When curling weilu forward and backward you must be aided by contraction and
relaxing of the muscles of the buttocks and huiyin to complete the movement. This is a
requirement for one’s initial practice; later on one uses lower dantian qi to support the
movement of weilu, not only the muscles. This section is the most difficult movement in
Body Mind Form but it’s very important in qigong and the martial arts, so it should be
practiced diligently.
Benefits
Practice of this section has the effect of relaxing and opening the lower back, of
straightening weilu to point downwards, of moving weilu and of closing huiyin. These
effects enlarge lower dantian and gather and save qi there. In addition, rotating weilu
activates yang qi to raise it up along dumai; this is a supplementary way of transforming
essence (jing) into qi. It is also good for treating problems of the abdomen.

Ping Zu Kai Kua Fen Qian Hou
Open the Hip Joints
1 Turn tips of toes out, feet into a line at shoulder width, legs straight, body centred.
(Fig. 3–45)
2 Relax the hands, turn palms up, fingers forward, elbows back. Push forearms forward,
elbows down by the ribs so they form a right angle with the upper arms. Raise the
upper arms and at the same time close the elbows a little to a little narrower than the
shoulders; hands to in front of forehead, the centres of the palms facing yintang. (Fig.
3–46)
3 Turn palms outward, leading with little fingers. Open upper arms out into a line.
Lower forearms to shoulder height. (Fig. 3–47)
3–45 3–46 3–47
4 Tong Bi: the arms do the movement of contract left, extend right, contract right,
extend left, like a snake’s movement; use Tong Bi to lead the upper body, waist, hips,
legs, moving naturally left to right, right to left. (Fig. 3–48)
5 Bend knees and hips, squat

down. Thighs parallel with the
ground, keep the body straight
and centred. At the same time,
the arms follow the body and
lower past the knees; close the
palms in front of the legs.
6 Raise palms to in front of
the chest into Heshi Hands.
(Fig. 3–49) Rotate fingers
3–48 3–49 and palms, draw a circle;
shoulders, elbows, arms follow to move naturally. Turn left then right, three times
each way.
7 Lift from baihui, stand up. The palms follow; raise them along the chest to yintang. The
elbows are closed a little; the width a little narrower than the shoulders. (Fig. 3–50)
8 Repeat this movement sequence, from 3 to 7, five to seven times in total.
9 To finish, keep Heshi Hands in front of the chest, stand up. (Fig. 3–51)
3–50 3–51
Open the sacroiliac joints

1 Turn tip of left foot inward, right heel out, tips of feet inward as much as possible. The
distance between the tips of the feet should be about the length of your foot. Lean
upper body forward 35°.
2 Straighten the legs, push buttocks back and open sacroiliac joints; push lower back
forward; push arms forward to form a circle at shoulder height; open the chest but
don’t push it forward. Tuck chin in, head pushing upward. Hands form Tiger Mouth
facing upwards. The tips of the middle fingers face each other, separated by about the
width of your four fingers. The centres of the palms face inward, level with yintang.
(Figs. 3–52, 3–53)
3–52 3–53
3 Bend the knees and turn them inward slightly, squat down a little. Open buttocks
and around the area of the perineum. At the same time, raise and open out the
arms, drawing an arc, palms facing upward as if holding something. Draw in lower
abdomen, relax lower back; lean back the area above tanzhong; head back, look at the
sky; tuck chin in. (Fig. 3–54 A, B)
3–54A 3–54B
4 Push head upward, straighten the legs; push buttocks back and open the sacroiliac
joints. Lean your upper body about 35° forward. Push head up, tuck chin in; at the
same time the arms draw an arc and hold it in front of the shoulders. The centres of
the palms face inward at yintang height.
5 Repeat 2 to 4, five to seven times in
total.
6 To end, push your head up and stand
up; your hands draw an arc, raise them
to above the head with palms facing
one another. Draw in the centres of the
palms, wrists at shoulder width and palms
towards the top of the head. (Fig. 3–55)
Relax the shoulders, lower elbows, lower
hands past the face to the chest; turn palms
inward, lower along the ribs, place palms
3–55 3–56 on the waist. Close the feet, stepping on
qi. (Fig. 3–56)
The movement of Open Hip Joints should be done slowly. The body needs to be kept in
balance, especially when squatting and lowering down. The extent you lower the body
depends on your own abilities; don’t push yourself too hard.
When opening the sacroiliac joints while leaning forward, the feet must be relaxed with
just a little pressure on the big toes. This mobilises qi to enhance the qi of the bladder and
gallbladder channels which run along the back of the legs and the outer legs; there will
be some soreness there. Pushing the lower back forward merges the qi of two channels
at yaoyan (either side of the small of the back) and there will be some soreness there.
When doing the movement of Head Back, Look at the Sky, the area of the perineum and
the hip joints needs to be rounded and opened. Use your mind to feel your hands are
holding something.
Benefits
Opening the hip joints can build a foundation for doing seated Lotus Flower Posture. It
also can cause the whole body qi to raise and lower, open and close. Practitioners should
experience this for themselves.
Opening the sacroiliac joints can enlarge lower dantian and gather qi into lower dantian.
That’s because opening these joints enhances the ability of lower dantian to absorb qi.
Another benefit of the forward-leaning part of the posture is that it lowers middle qi to
lower dantian.
This section strengthens qi of the lower limbs and makes it flow well.
Section Eight: Kneel Down Towards Feet, Three Joints Connected

Xi Gui Zu Mian San Jie Lian
1 Close feet together, body centred and upright.

2 Contract buttocks, push hip joints forward, open shoulder
blades and bring the elbows forward, draw in chest and abdomen;
relax waist; push head up, tuck chin in; relax knees, relax wrists,
kneel down as far as possible, upper body and thighs in a line.
Hold this posture; the longer the better. (Fig. 3–57)
3 Push baihui forward and upward, leading the body to rise up
slowly. Relax the whole body.
3–57

Contract the buttocks, close hips and push forward makes the trunk and thighs into
a line, which moves the weight of the upper body to the knees; this is very important.
When you rise up, baihui lifts the whole body up slowly and your weight gradually
moves from the knees to the feet.
Benefits
The martial arts and qigong both emphasise the connecting of three joints. The four sets
of three joints connecting are the shoulders, elbows and wrists; the hips, knees and ankles
for the lower limbs; and the three joints each of the fingers and toes. This section mainly
practices the three joints of the lower limbs. Relaxing the knees makes qi go through to
the feet. Kneeling down to put one’s weight on one’s knees increases the resistance of the
qi and blood at the knees, and gathers and blocks them there. It is like creating a dam;
when the water level rises the pressure will be stronger; then when baihui lifts the body up,
the resistance of the knees will be reduced and the qi that has gathered will at once rush
down the legs, like opening a dam and the water flowing down. One can feel a hot flow go
through the ankles, even to the middle toes. Practice this section repeatedly and the three
joints of the lower limbs will connect more fully, with qi and blood better integrated.
Section Nine: Push Leg Out, Flex Foot, Draw Taiji

Tan Tui Qiao Zu Miao Tai Ji
1 Body centred and upright, move your weight to the right, lift left leg, thigh horizontal,
calf hanging down naturally. (Fig. 3–58) Flex the tip of the foot up then curl it down
three to five times. Rotate the foot inwards then outwards three to five times [first
out, up, in and down then in, up, out and down]. The movement should be done
slowly and evenly with the body remaining upright.
2 Flex the tip of your foot down then gently push your leg out diagonally; leg straight.
(Fig. 3–59)
3–58 3–59
3 Flex tip of foot up, push heel, curl tip of foot down, three to five times.
4 Rotate tip of foot inwards then outwards three times [out, up, in and down, then in,
up, out and down]. This movement should be done slowly and evenly with the upper
body remaining upright.
5 Curl the big toe in, draw the calf back, place feet together.
6 With the right leg, repeat the movements of the left leg, with the rotations a mirror
image.
Benefits
Push Leg Out Diagonally mainly mobilises the stomach channels. Flexing the tips of the
feet mainly mobilises the three yang channels of the feet. Pushing the heels out mainly
mobilises the three yin channels. The yin and yang channels also influence and bring
benefits to one another. Drawing a circle with the feet moves the ankles to mobilise qi to
reach the toes. Curling in the big toe can activate the three yin foot channels. In earlier
sections the yang channels were worked on more; this section mobilises the three foot
yin channels and balances yin and yang. Sections Seven, Eight and Nine are good for
problems of the joints, muscles and tendons of the lower limbs, and also can be used to
treat liver and kidney problems.

Hui Qi Gui Yi Zhuan Hun Yuan
Hunyuan Return to One
1 Relax the hands, turn thumbs forward and open Tiger Mouth with it facing upwards.
Draw in centres of palms; palms face each other at shoulder width. Push hands
forward and down to in front of the lower abdomen. Lift qi up to above the head,
hands facing one another holding a qi ball. (Fig. 3–60)
2 Relax the whole body, relax shoulders, lower elbows, turn body to the left; the arms
lower and draw an arc. (Fig. 3–61) At the same time the body lowers to squat down;
keep the body as upright as possible; don’t push the buttocks backwards. Squat down
as your palms pass in front of the knees, wrists relaxed and fingers pointing down.
(Fig. 3–62)
3–60 3–61 3–62
3 Turn your upper body to the right; raise the shoulders, elbows and wrists, raise hands
up and draw an arc to above the head.
4 Repeat 1 to 3 twice more.
5 Do the same as above: turn with your arms lowering to the right and raising from the
left three times. Hands above the head, do three Forward Crane Head as described in
Section One.
Draw Qi Back to One

1 Hold a qi ball; close the base of the
palms (Fig. 3–63) then the centres,
then the fingers (the hands don’t
touch). With the wrists almost at
the top of the head, relax shoulders
and lower elbows to lead the palms,
opening from the base to the fingers
as they are lowered. The tips of the
fingers go to the tips of the ears,
hands and forearms in a line. Then
raise your hands up exactly as they
came down; first close then open in
3–63 3–64A 3–64B an X shape. (Fig. 3–64 A, B) Do this
movement three times.
2 Hands above the head, pour qi down like pouring a qi ball into the head. Relax
shoulders, lower elbows, lower hands down the front of the body, to the chest, turning
palms inward with fingertips facing each other. (Fig. 3–65) Lower past the abdomen;
turn fingers downward, hands lower along the front of the legs, place palms on the
feet. Place fingers on the toes. (Fig. 3–66)
3–65 3–66
3 Press hands down, knees going forward. The mind thinks the centres of the palms
connecting to the earth through the centres of the feet. Connect to the earth then
lift up from mingmen with the buttocks going back and up, knees raised a little; the
mind draws Earth qi back into the body. Do three times.
4 Raise your hands a little, draw in the centres of the palms, turn palms to face one
another at outer front feet with fingertips downward. With your mind draw a qi ball
from the Earth up to above the feet. Turn your palms to face your inner legs, draw
qi up past the abdomen, turn your fingers so the tips face each other and continue
raising up to shoulder level. Separate your hands; leading with the little fingers, turn
your palms forward and place in front of your shoulders. (Fig. 3–67)
5 Erect right wrist, push hand forward. Arm almost straight, relax the wrist; relax,
lower and turn your palm and fingers. Leading with the little finger, turn palm to the
left. Turn the upper body left 90°, your lower back the pivot; the hand follows; draw
qi to the left 90°. (Fig. 3–68) Press zhongkui energy point with your thumb, the other
four fingers gently closed. (Fig. 3–69) Bend the elbow; the hand continues to draw qi
to the back, then returns over the shoulder; at the same time the body returns to the
front. Press left qihu with the middle finger. (Fig. 3–70)
3–67 3–68 3–69 3–70
6 Erect left wrist, left hand press forward. Repeat as a mirror of (v).
7 The upper arms are at 45° to the upper body, the forearms crossed in front of the
chest. Breathe three times. When you breathe in, press qihu. When you breathe out,
relax middle fingers a little and silently say ‘hong’ or ‘tong’. (Fig. 3–71) Beginners may
say ‘tong’ aloud.
8 Open the mudra. Push forearms forward to form a right angle with the upper arms,
turning palms upward. Turn hands so the bases of the palms connect; this posture is
called Lotus Flower Palms. (Fig. 3–72) Then close into Heshi Hands.
3–71 3–72
Key points of the Movements

Hunyuan Return to One involves movement of the whole body. The upper limbs, lower
limbs and torso should all move in arcs and circles. The joints should be relaxed and the
movements relaxed and harmonious. The rotation of the body and limbs is integrated
as one entity. When doing the initial rotations, the upper body should lean back slightly.
Movements need to be continuous and at an even speed.
The movement of Return Qi back to One must also be continuous and natural, and be
rounded and flowing. When drawing qi round the shoulder and back over to qihu, there
should be the feeling of gathering qi and drawing it back.
Benefits
The early sections work on different parts of the body to mobilise channels’ qi and blood.
As a consequence, qi then flows differently in some parts of the body than in others.
The first part of Section Ten works on the whole body qi, so the entire body qi merges
together to become one, so is called Hunyuan Return to One. The Forward Crane Head,
done three times, mobilises qi to tianmen.
In the early sections of Body Mind Form practice, a qi field is formed around the body.
The main purpose of Return Qi to One is to draw the qi field into the body. Near the
beginning, Crane Head mobilises qi to rise up; later on when one recites ‘tong’, sound
is used to mobilise qi to rise up. These two ways of raising qi up seem identical in their
effects, but the fineness of the qi differs between them; with practice you will experience
this for yourself.
Closing
Hands in front of chest, thumbs near tanzhong energy point, open and close three times.
Don’t open the palms past the nipples. (Fig. 3–73) Then close the palms to almost touch.
Raise the tips of the thumbs to in front of the tip of the nose. Open and close three times.
Don’t open past the cheekbones. Palms almost touching, raise so the end joints of the
thumbs are in front of yintang. Open and close three times. Don’t go past the middle
of the eyebrows. Palms almost touching, raise to the top of the head, thumbs towards
xinmen. Open and close three times. Don’t go past the middle of the eyebrows. Palms
nearly touching, raise to 10 cm above baihui. Open and close three times. Don’t open
beyond your Dragon Horns.
Close the palms and raise up; stretch up. Separate hands, turn palms forward, lower
down to the sides. When almost into a line, lead with the little fingers to turn palms
up and close arms forward to shoulder width. Draw palms and arms in a little, mirror
yintang with the tips of the middle fingers. Lower elbows, draw palms back, with the
middle fingers press dabao between the 6th and 7th ribs. Push hands back, open out to
the sides. Lead with the little fingers to turn palms forward; draw qi to the front, pour qi
into lower dantian. (Fig. 3–74, 3–75) Place palms to overlap just in front of duqi, men
left palm inward, women right.
3–73 3–74 3–75
Rotate the abdomen anticlockwise: left, up, right, down, from small to big in nine
rotations. Then rotate clockwise: right, up, left, down, from big to small in nine rotations.
(In the biggest rotation, the palms should not go above zhongwan energy point or onto
the pelvic bones.) Place palms on duqi, gather and nourish qi quietly for a short time.
(Fig. 3–76) Separate hands to the sides, open the eyes slowly.
3–76
The Closing looks simple but the benefits and the effect of the movements are difficult to
describe. In particular, the five open-and-close movements should be experienced very
carefully with high concentration. Doing each of these can not only influence the whole
body qi to open and close but also is a key way of opening tianmen and of drawing the
mind into the Palace. Your practice must be ‘wai jing nei jing, xin cheng mao gong’ as
if dealing with a very important person. Over long-time practice, subtle and beautiful
experiences will appear naturally.
DETAILED EXPLANATION OF KEY POINTS OF BODY MIND FORM
Body Mind Form is at the second level of Zhineng Dynamic Methods, practicing
internal hunyuan. Through practice of its ten sections we can stretch the tendons and
bones, make inner qi plentiful and open the whole body qi well. This brings the benefits
of vigour and grace, well-opened channels (jingmai), the curing of illness and improved
health, and development of wisdom. Zhineng Qigong is based on the theory of original
hunyuan qi, so the practice concerns itself with original hunyuan qi. The practice doesn’t
focus on the circulation of qi in the channels. But because the channels naturally affect
human life activity, when we talk about the benefits of each section we also mention
the benefits to the channels, and we sometimes also mention the circulation of renmai
(Conception Channel) and dumai (Governing Channel).
Preparation and Opening

Begin by silently reciting the Eight Phrases. This has the effect of taking the practitioner
from a non-qigong state to a qigong state. The first two phrases are ‘Ding tian li di, xing
song yi chong’. In order to emphasise ‘ding tian li di’, it is the first phrase. But the real order
for adjusting one’s state should in fact be ‘xing song yi chong’ first. Stand correctly, relax
the whole body from head to feet, then with your mind expand the whole body. When the
mind expands the head, think the head is the sky, without going outside the body. When
the mind expands in the feet, think the feet are the Earth. When we practice Lift Qi Up
Pour Qi Down, with ‘ding tian li di’ the mind thinks of the head connected with the sky
and the mind goes out to the sky; the feet are in the Earth and the mind is connected to
external qi. But when practicing Body Mind Form we need to think of the head as the sky,
the feet as the Earth. Achieving this state requires awareness of two points.
i) The mind needs to expand inside the body when thinking of the sky and the Earth.
Don’t think of the sky and the Earth as outside of the body.
ii) When the mind thinks from inside to expand, you need to open and go through the
skin of the top of the head and the skin of the soles. This means there is no distinction
between the head and the sky or between the feet and the Earth, and it merges them
together. Done like this, the mind will expand up to feel the head is the sky and
expand down to the feet to feel they are the Earth.
The next two phrases are ‘wai jing nei jing, xin cheng mao gong’. In fact these two phrases
have one meaning. The experience is one of respect and the heart must be quiet and
calm. ‘Cheng’ means clear, clean, pure, no inner impurity. When you recite these two
phrases you should experience a state of respect, and this solemn respect from the heart
and mind will bring about the transformation of inner qi and build a very quiet and
focussed mind. This is why in the olden days Masters taught students that they should
respect the Masters and the Dao. Some religions focus on God or the Buddha for the
same reasons. The purpose of this respect is to change one’s own inner qi, to get rid of the
monkey mind of daily life and to concentrate the mind to go into a qigong state.
‘Yi nian bu qi , shen zhu tai kong’ is a further requirement for a quiet and focussed state.
To avoid thoughts arising, the mind is focussed on and connects with the void. Because
of our state of ‘head is the sky, feet are the Earth’, our body is a big space, so the void is
inside the body. So with ‘shen zhu tai kong’ the mind feels ‘kong kong dang dang’; in fact
the mind is still in the body.
‘Shen yi zhao ti, zhou shen rong rong’: after the mind feels empty, one should still focus
the mind to control the body, use the mind to illuminate the body; then one can feel
one’s qi is very harmonious. Then start to practice.
Saying the Eight Phrases brings the mind from a distracted and disordered state to one
of calm concentration. This is also a movement from the worldly human heart to the
Dao heart. From the human heart non-qigong state, ones goes into the Dao heart qigong
state. Before practice, recite the Eight Phrases silently. It differs in certain ways from the
Eight Phrases as used in Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down. It must be treated seriously; don’t
neglect it. Once you have gone into a good qigong state, start the Preparation.
The Preparation can be practised in two ways. One is external hunyuan practice: the mind
goes out to connect with the natural world, as with the Preparation of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi
Down. The other way is internal hunyuan practice where the mind thinks the head is the
sky and the feet are the Earth. The sky and Earth are in the body. The arms and legs are
a part of the sky and Earth, without the feeling of skin covering the body. The key point
of this kind of internal hunyuan practice is that when the mind feels and observes the
movement, it needs to observe but not observe [just be aware of it, the mind placed there
very lightly]. If you practice like this you will feel as if a huge being is practicing.
The postures of this method look angular but must feel rounded and soft to the
practitioner. To begin, the little fingers lead to turn the palms from facing inward to
backward, then lead the other fingers to raise the palms, all in a circling movement.
Don’t only turn the fingers and wrists: the upper arms must also rotate in unison; in this
way one can mobilise more qi. When pulling Earth qi, the shoulders and elbows must
be relaxed and move along with the forearms. Then relax the wrists, turn palms facing
each other; with Tiger Mouth facing forward, lift qi up to duqi level and mirror duqi.
Throughout all these movements, the upper arms need to move in conjunction with
other parts. All rotation movements should be rounded.
Turn the palms down, open the arms out to the back; this movement draws an arc, with
the hands at duqi level throughout. When you mirror mingmen, the elbows must be
turned outward slightly. Then use the little fingers to lead the palms and wrists to under
the armpits; middle fingers press dabao. The middle fingers can draw a circle to open
dabao. If dabao is opened, all the collaterals will be opened. When you push your hands
forward, use the elbows to push them out, until nearly straight but never completely
straight; mirror yintang. Use only the tips of the middle fingers, curled slightly, to mirror
yintang. There will be a slight feeling of expansion at yintang.
The palms and arms open out, led from the shoulders. The shoulders lead the elbows so
you feel the whole arms expand out. As you open out, the palms naturally turn along
with the arms so they face forward as you reach the sides of the body. The posture and
movement of the hands should be rounded. Leading with the little fingers, turn palms
down then up. Raise palms, drawing an arc; close to above the head. The arms should
stretch up gently as much as possible [stretching but not tense]. When you lower the
hands, first go straight down to near the top of the head, then bring them forward to
lower further; the thumbs should face the mid-line of the body. Hold Heshi Hands in
front of tanzhong for two or three seconds; this allows qi to naturally move and transform
in tanzhong and middle dantian. All movements of the Preparation should be done
softly and in a relaxed way.
Benefits of the Preparation and Opening
• Internal qi and external qi are merged together and the entire body qi is mobilised.
After lengthy practice, when lowering the hands from above the head one can feel qi
go through the middle of the body or can feel the body separated into two halves. But
don’t seek these feelings.
• Many rotations of the hands are led by the little fingers. This is because the little fingers
belong to the heart channels and the movement mobilises these channels and draws the
mind into the body [because of the connection between the heart and the mind].
• Heshi Hands circulate the qi between the fingers of the two hands. Connecting the
two laogong balances the left and right qi of the body. Holding the thumbs in front of
tanzhong merges qi and blood together, draws the mind into the body and prevents
distracting thoughts. [This is because the thumbs connect with the pancreas, which is
yi (the mind); when the thumbs are here, yi connects with inside tanzhong where blood
is stored, near the heart. Where the mind is, qi will gather, and qi and blood will merge
together; when the thumbs are in front of tanzhong, the mind will be drawn there.]
Silent recitation of the Eight Phrases and doing the Opening movements both adjust the
mind and mobilise qi, thus leading one into a quiet qigong state.

Crane Head Dragon Head is the lead movement of Body Mind Form.
From Heshi Hands in front of the chest, separate the base of the palms, lower along the
ribs, place palms on the waist. The thumbs press on jingmen energy point. Jingmen
energy point is at the tip of the end rib; when you press there it feels a little sore. Pressing
this energy point assists qi and blood to flow smoothly in the main channels. Jingmen
energy point controls all the main channels; dabao controls all the collaterals. So the
beginning of Body Mind Form mobilises the qi of the main channels and the collaterals
through the whole body, which opens qi gates through the whole body.
Crane Head
The key point with Crane Head is to tuck the chin in and draw the neck back and up.
When doing Forward Crane Head, first tuck your chin in as far as you can then draw the
neck up from baihui and push it up with the chin. When you draw the neck up, baihui
should lift it up and the trunk will be pulled up and will follow. The head pushes up as
much as possible then tilts back. The chin goes up as far as possible, then goes forward,
downward and inward, drawing an arc. The top of the head follows, drawing an arc. Tuck
your chin in as far as possible, then pull the neck up. These movements draw a full circle.
The key points of Backward Crane Head are the same. When you tuck the chin in and
it goes down along the chest, you should draw an arc from inside, not a direct line.
Chin down as much as possible, go forward and upward, drawing an arc. The torso is
pulled up to follow. The chin goes up as far as possible. Then tuck the chin in, lift from
baihui, pull the neck up, the torso following upwards. The chin draws a circle with this
movement; if you don’t pull your neck up you cannot draw a proper circle.
Beginners should use dazhui energy point as the pivot for doing this movement. Once
familiar with it, one should include open and close of the shoulders and chest in the
movement. Drawing the neck up in Forward Crane Head, the trunk moves backwards
slightly with shoulders and chest open and the chest forward slightly – but don’t push the
chest. When the chin goes forward and downward, the shoulders close forward a little
and the chin is inward. When the chin goes down along the chest in Backward Crane
Head, the shoulders should close and the chest go inward. When the chin goes up, the
chest and shoulders should open.
Relax the whole body. When familiar with the movement, the trunk naturally stretches
and contracts and the shoulders and chest open and close; the trunk naturally curves,
following the Crane Head movement. When one reaches a certain level, one can use
yintang to draw a circle, but don’t use the chin when doing this.
Tucking the chin in and drawing the neck back mobilises dumai qi upwards and opens
the energy points on dumai. When the head is back, yuzhen energy point relaxes and qi
naturally flows through it. This movement raises qi from weilu to dazhui, yuzhen and
then the top of the head. Then the head goes forward and downward, the chin tucks
in. This sends qi from the top of the head to renmai and to middle dantian. So in the
simple movement of Crane Head, one mobilises the qi of renmai and dumai. Once you
can do this movement well, the neck and trunk can be stretched up in a relaxed manner
so you can feel from the trunk to the legs moving smoothly and freely. Combined with
the posture of palms on the waist, it can mobilise all the channels qi. At a certain level of
practice one Crane Head circle can lead one circuit of renmai and dumai, but in Zhineng
Qigong we don’t focus on this circuit.
Dragon Head
The key point of Dragon Head is the use of the dragon head to draw an infinity symbol
(∞). Beginners can use their hands to touch the horns to help them with the movement.
When the left horn moves to the left, the left side of your trunk lowers and relaxes. Use
your hand to push the left horn up. Feel the horn is being pulled and is drawing the left
side of the body up. Then tilt your right horn to the right, lower and relax the right side of
your trunk. Push the right horn up, draw an arc. The whole spine moves, in every joint. Do
your best not to move the chin. Don’t try to draw the ∞ very precisely; do it smoothly; only
have the idea in your mind, just feel and flow with the movement. Once skilled, the smaller
the movement of the dragon head, the better. With this small movement, one’s inner state
will be very good and the mind will rise up along with the movement, while the spine
will curve to follow it. The spine curves and spirals a lot to move like a snake. With even
deeper practice, one doesn’t need to use the dragon horn to draw the ∞ any more, instead
use baihui. At a certain level one should feel that the route of the ∞ is inside the head. (Fig.
3–77) The smaller the movement the better; this better mobilises the channels.
3–77
The effect of the dragon horns movement begins with mobilisation of the gall bladder
channels, then it further mobilises the liver channels. When one closes the eyes and
does Dragon Head, one gradually feels very light and comfortable inside; this is a
manifestation of pure yang qi rising up to nourish the brain.
Practice of Crane Head Dragon Head works to heal the central nervous system. Crane
Head mobilises renmai and dumai; Dragon Head mobilises the gall bladder channels.
Both have an effect on the head. Traditional Chinese Medicine says the brain is the
location of the source of the mind; Western medicine thinks that the cerebral cortex in
the head controls the whole body. In addition, when one does Crane Head, it moves the
spine forward and backward; when one does Dragon Head it moves the spine sideways
left and right; this stretches and affects the whole spine, softly and evenly massaging the
roots of the nerves connected to the spine. So these movements improve qi and blood
circulation in the spine and brain.
When one practices Crane Head Dragon Head one should have information that guides
one. Tell yourself: “In doing Crane Head Dragon Head I am changing the whole flow of
my body qi”; give yourself this good information. Crane Head or Dragon Head can be
added to other sections for practice, with the exception of Sections Four (Qi and Mind
Surging) and Section Five (Bow Body). If doing this, the movements should be smaller.
If you combine them with other sections as well as doing them alone, you will gain
greater benefits.
Section One is good for the blood vessels of the brain, the nerves of the brain, the
cervical vertebrae and spine, and for dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, dysfunction of the
nervous system and other problems in this part of the body. When the blood of the
cervical vertebrae and lymph circulatory system returns to normal, head problems will
resolve. If one has a problem in the head, when practicing this section one should use a
gentle affirmation that the head and neck problem has disappeared. Because this section
adjusts the whole central nervous system, it is also beneficial for problems anywhere in
the body. When practicing other sections, one can also use good information to affirm
and guide improvement. Gentle affirmation has a big influence on our life.
Scientists have examined people under hypnosis. In a hypnotised state, if ice is put on a
person’s arm and they are told it is burning charcoal they will develop a blister. This shows
that the effect of the mind is very strong. Modern psychology has already proven this
and the effect of the mind has been scientifically proven. If we always give ourselves good
information, especially at the start of practice – “I can practice qigong well, I’m sure I can
get good benefits, I will recover quickly” – then do our practice, there will be benefits.
At a certain level of practice, one can observe the energy points while practicing. When
doing Crane Head one observes the depths of the energy points baihui, yintang, dazhui,
ruzhong (nipples) and fushe (abdomen); these are called the seven small stars. Observing
the seven small stars is an initial way of observing energy points in Body Mind Form.
Another seven energy points are called the seven big stars; they are baihui, huagai,
mingmen, huantiao (2) and zuwaihuai (2). [Zuwaihuai is the outer ankle bone.] When
you practice the seven small stars don’t move the legs. The head and trunk move like a
snake, the chest moves inward and outward. You may feel some movement in fushe and
ruzhong energy points. Be lightly aware of the seven stars. Feel they are connected then
focus on the practice without your mind fixed on them. When you practice the seven big
stars, relax the whole body. The head leads the trunk and legs to move like a snake. The
mind connects to the seven big stars.
Only the seven big stars should be practiced with Dragon Head. Relax the whole body,
the head leading the trunk, the legs moving like a snake. The mind connects to the seven
big stars.
Observing energy points can increase the transformation of the whole body qi but it
must be done with the body totally relaxed. Furthermore, the way to observe the energy
points is to be aware of them but not to focus on them. Fixing your mind on the energy
points will block the flow of qi. This is why observing the energy points was not widely
taught in the old days.

Place hands on the waist, rotate wrists, turn palms up, push forearms forward to make a
right angle with the upper arms, shoulders as a pivot. Raise arms from the front; upper
arms go up to shoulder height then open out to the sides. Turn palms to face outwards.
Keep the right angle throughout these movements. The forearms remain vertical; don’t
bend the wrists. Don’t use any force. To do this movement well, the opening should
begin from the chest, the elbows pushed forward a little. Common mistakes are that the
upper arms are below horizontal, the practitioner can’t open their arms out fully to the
sides nor the hands turn outward fully, the forearms and hands are not in a straight line,
nor vertical. The posture of beginners looks very angular, whereas it should be angular
outside but feel round inside. [Use your mind and qi to expand a little inside the joint to
help this.] Once familiar with the method, the movements should always be round and
unbroken. Each new movement begins as the previous one reaches its end. For example,
when you raise the arms from the front, about ¾ of the way up start to open the arms
out, with the movement drawing an arc.
When you lower the forearms, elbows as the pivot, they lower gently. If you relax the
palms and draw an arc down, you will feel qi go to the tips of the fingers. This movement
works on the energy points of the arms channels in the elbows, which connect with the
organs. When you raise the forearms, leading with the middle fingers, you will have a
relaxed and heavy feeling in the hands and forearms. This movement is very effective
in opening the chest and is excellent for treating heart and lung problems including
emphysema, tracheitis, cardiovascular disease and all kinds of chest problems.
The key movement of Contract Shoulders and Neck is to contract and draw the shoulder
blades together, head back but the chin not raised. Pull weilu up a little and push the
chest forward slightly, but don’t push the waist forward too much. When the shoulders
draw in the arms, they should not come in very far; don’t pull in from the arms, only
from the shoulders and shoulder blades. The wrists are not below shoulder height. This
movement is like a small bird just starting to learn how to fly. The head goes up, the tail
flexes and the legs push up; the small wings flap and draw the shoulder blades together.
This shivering movement is also seen when someone gets a fever or is cold. People
shiver because the cold stimulates the body to produce heat to protect itself. The muscles
contract and produce heat. We use this movement to mobilise qi upwards to increase
our chest yang qi, then let this qi and blood flow through the whole body. So the practice
of Contract Shoulders is good for people whose yang qi is weak or who have chronic
weakness conditions and chronic low fever illnesses.
In Tong Bi, the big joints move like a snake and the small joints like a caterpillar. There
are two things of importance to note: (1) the arms should move in unison; don’t focus
on one arm only; (2) the arms stay at around the same level, moving a short distance
above and below a horizontal line at shoulder height. The contraction of one arm and
the extension of the other are simultaneous. Use one shoulder blade and shoulder to
push the other shoulder blade and shoulder, which makes that arm extend out a finger
length further. As the arm goes out it moves gradually from being curved to straight. The
fingers should curve and stretch so qi gradually opens to the tips of the fingers. If the
fingers are tense they will still feel qi but the qi will not be moving through inside them
because the channels’ qi will not be well opened. If your movements are not very good
when you first practice, you should still move the fingers; gradually you will be able to
move them well. Tong Bi is good for problems of the shoulder blades and the chest, such
as rheumatism and arthritis, bone spurs, heart problems and lung problems.
When skilled in this section one can practice the Reverse Seven Stars energy points:
yangchi (in the hollow at the centre back of the wrists when one bends the wrist back),
jianyu (the hollow in the centre of the outside of the shoulder, where it begins to slope
down, that appears when one lifts the arm), dazhui, taodao and weilu.
Section Three: Erect Palms, Separate Fingers, Open Jingmai

Erect the palms; push out centres of palms to draw open the shoulder blades. Draw in
the shoulder blades to close them. This differs from Contract Shoulders and Neck in
which the head goes back and the arms curve in, whereas here the neck doesn’t go back
and the head, trunk and weilu don’t move. Keep the arms straight as they push out and
draw in; only use the shoulder blades to draw in. When you push out, stretch out the
upper arms and push out the hands as much as possible, while flexing your fingers back
as much as possible. You will feel the fingers expand a lot from inside and the qi stream
out.
We did research using an infrared radiometer to test whether qi was more evident when
the hand was raised. With the hand raised there was more qi around the fingers. If the
fingers were curled the qi flowed less. If one can erect the wrists and keep the hands
relaxed, the qi will flow well in the channels. Qi flows well through the hands when the
arms and hands are extended out in a line. When the wrists are raised, this blocks the
flow of qi unless one uses some force to push out. However, through practice one will be
able to relax the arms and hands so that even with the hands raised the qi will still flow
through. This is evidence that the channels are more open and the qi more abundant.
Beginners need to use some force to achieve the correct posture, so the body may feel a
little tense. However, following a period of practice the body will be able to relax doing
this posture. People who play sport have strong muscles and this movement will be
difficult for them because contraction of the muscles blocks the channel qi. Through
practice this rigid muscle power will gradually disappear.
In Separate Fingers one first separates the thumb and little finger, then the index and
ring fingers. The movement should be slow and even. Then push out the centres of the
palms with the fingers flexed back and the base of the palms pushed out more. Then
close the index and ring fingers, then the thumbs and little fingers. As you close the
fingers, relax a little, not pushing out as hard. Separate and close fingers three times then
do Hook Hands.
First relax the wrists then curl the fingers, your mind at the tips of the fingers. It’s like
clawing something. Bring the tips of the fingers together in a hook, lift up towards the
centres of the palms. You can feel the tendons of the inner fingers are very tense with the
outer fingers and hands relatively relaxed. If you curl the wrists in too far you will lose
strength in the fingers. When you curl down, the fingers should curl from the tips joint
by joint. The fingers then straighten up from the base to the tip joint, to mobilise qi and
blood to the tips of the fingers. This opens the channels of the fingers, with qi and blood
flowing well.
Section Three works with Section Two to mobilise the three yin and three yang hands
channels, mainly mobilising the welling points of the channels. The welling energy points
of the ten digits are at the base of the nails, other than for the middle finger where there
is a welling point at the very tip of the finger. The welling energy points are important
as they are the place where hunyuan qi enters the channels; moving these points can
mobilise channel qi through the whole body. Although the movements in this section
look small, they mobilise the qi of the three yang and three yin channels, so this section
is very important.
The benefits of this section are much the same as with Section Two. It’s good for chest
problems and is also beneficial for the large and small intestines, for stomach problems
and for chronic gastroenteritis and chronic diarrhoea. In addition, it improves the
functioning of the blood vessels of the brain.
While doing this section, one can observe 24 points on the hands [qiao dian, mostly in
the joints or near the welling points] in sequence as shown in diagram 3–78.
3–78

This section mainly works on the ribs and not the arms, so don’t use force from the arms.
The key point is to use the ribs to lead your shoulders, elbows and the whole arms. Lower
dantian qi pushes the ribs, the ribs push the shoulders and lead the whole arms to move.
At the start of the movement, relax the waist and entire body. Your arms form a circle in
front of the forehead. Turn upper body left, left upper arm at ear level and right upper
arm at shoulder level. As you turn, the shape of the arms gradually changes to an oval
(wider at the sides and narrower from front to back). Draw a small circle with the left
elbow, connecting with the ribs; the left side of the body shouldn’t press down but the
left ribs should lower a little. Continuing on, from lower dantian the right ribs push out,
leading the shoulders and elbows to turn and open out to the front. Continue on to the
right side, hands at forehead level. Don’t use the elbows to push, nor the ribs. A force
goes down the left ribs to lower dantian, from where qi surges up through the right ribs.
Do the same movement back to the left. Turn from side to side continuously like a twisting
∞. Over time doing this, slowly the lower back and shoulder blades will become relaxed and
open. There are two aspects to note: (i) Keep the body centred and upright, the intertwined
fingers always in front of the centre of your forehead. (ii) The circle of the arms follows the
movement to change its shape. At the front it is a lengthened oval with the hands far from
the head; at the side the hands are close to the head and the oval is widened.
Common errors:
• The body is not centred, the forehead not facing the hands, and the head moves
forward and turns sideways instead of being centred.
• The arms and elbows lead the shoulders, instead of qi surging the ribs to lead the
shoulders.
• Leaning the body forward and using the following hand to push the lead hand.
• Moving the body to lead the arms by swaying from side to side.
When practicing this movement you should combine your mind with the movement so
as to mobilise lower dantian qi to make the ribs surge out and up, letting the inside of
the ribs feel empty and qi rise up. Ribs qi is generally weaker than in other places and the
qi of the livers and gall bladder can’t rise up well. This reduces one’s life force. If ribs qi is
abundant one’s vitality will also be abundant and the qi will rise up better.
This section is good for treating liver and gall bladder problems, the pleura, pleurisy,
peritonitis and its sequels, and intestinal adhesions.

This section is very important in Body Mind Form. It works on the trunk.
Raise your entwined hands above the head, palms up as if holding something. Push
palms up and tuck chin in. Rotate the wrists, drawing a circle from the front, up, back
and down, first the left then the right wrist, alternating. Stretch up as much as possible,
hands pushing up and using the shoulders to lead the movement. Stretch the cervical,
thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, the chest and ribs. When done well one can stretch right
to the heels, the centres of the feet and the small and fourth toes. One should at least
stretch to the hips.
Separate the hands. Stretch the body up a little – the head mustn’t go back; use the shoulders
to push the elbows and draw the body qi up. It’s as if the body is pulled up. Relax the whole
body, from the head to the neck, arms, chest, upper back, lower back and abdomen, then
the legs. Once skilled one can feel as if water flows from the top of the head down to the
feet. Then start to bow the body and arch the back as described below.
This section differs from the martial arts in which practitioners stretch the waist and
legs. In the martial arts the spine is straight and goes directly down. The key point of this
section is to relax and open the spine and dumai. Therefore the movement requires the
body to curl down. The arms are by the ears, touching them if possible. The chin touches
the chest as you go down. The hands push forward and the back stretches backward.
Draw in the abdomen and arch the waist backward. The spine curls down joint by joint
as far as possible. This can relax and open the spine and the ligaments around and in
it. The movements of dumai and of the head adjust the whole nervous system. If one
cannot curl down well, one can draw in the abdomen and the lower back will hump up,
which makes it easier to go down. Don’t force yourself down.
Press down in front of the feet, then the left side of the feet, then the right side of the feet,
each one three times. When you pinch and then massage the Achilles tendons, you must
focus the mind very strongly; use the thumb, index and middle fingers to massage the
tendons. If you cannot reach them, tap the back of the legs. The bladder channels run up
the back of the legs. This movement adjusts the bladder channels from the feet to the legs,
back and head. As you rub the tendons, draw the head back to touch the calves. Once you
are skilled, the head should be pulled up as far as possible, to the knees if you can.
To raise the body, begin from the buttocks then raise and arch from the lower back. Raise
up joint by joint, closing the opened dumai and the bladder channels beside it. In the old
days this was called ‘practice qi into the bones’. It has the effect of closing the channels;
when you contract the back, all the energy points of the back close.  If one wants to
practice in a difficult way, one can slowly bow the body down and quickly raise it up.
This can improve the speed of your reactions and closes your entire body qi.
This section is good for problems of the spine and the back muscles. It improves the
functioning of the spine in healthy people. People who cannot bow their body well can
improve their health if they practice over a long period, but older people and some
other people whose waist is not very flexible should not push themselves beyond their
limitations. Bow the body naturally to where it readily goes.
This is true for every section. Don’t push patients to attempt to do each movement
correctly from the start, just tell them how to do each movement and let them slowly
experience it. If the movement is bigger, qi will also flow better in the body. If the
movement is small that means the qi is not flowing as fully. But focussing the mind on
the movement can help qi flow through.
People with high blood pressure are always fearful of doing this section. In fact, this
section is very good for treating high blood pressure. One should gradually practice it
more fully and at a more difficult level.
This section is very important. Its practice brings benefits throughout the body. There
are two groups of energy points that one can observe when practicing it. One group is
observed when one rotates the wrists and also just after one raises the body up to the
hands fully extended above the head. The energy points to observe are tianzhu, dazhu
and nuxi. Another group consists of yongquang, laogong, huiyin, and the centre point
between duqi and mingmen. This group of energy points can be observed both as you
bow the body down and as you raise it up. When the body rises one feels as if the hands
lift something heavy. From yongquang lift this heavy thing, raise it up along the middle
of the legs to huiyin and the centre point between duqi and mingmen. When the body is
upright, immediately observe the first group of energy points. Relax the body from top
to toe. In the old days this was called ‘the way to change the bones’. The combination of
these movements with the observation of the energy points is a good way of drawing qi
into the bones.

Above the head, turn palms facing each other, pour qi down and place palms on the
waist. Separate the feet, stepping on qi, to a little wider than shoulder width. Squat down
slightly. Draw back the hip joints a little. Put the mind on the tip of weilu, turn weilu to
the front, left, back, right to draw a full circle. Don’t make it angular. Turn three times.
Then turn the reverse direction: front, right, back, left for three full circles. If weilu can
draw a full circle under the pelvis then weilu will lead the pelvis, hips and waist to draw
a full circle, but make sure you turn evenly.
When you rotate, one hip is up and the other down, alternating, and one side goes out
as the other goes in. New practitioners can draw a big circle, separate the feet wider
and squat lower. When weilu pushes the left side, that side will feel heavy and the right
side will feel light. When weilu turns back it will push the buttocks back. When weilu
turns to the right, that side becomes heavy and the left side light. When it goes forward,
the buttocks will contract and push forward. When done lower and bigger, more force
is required and it is tiring for the legs so it may feel harder, but it is easier to do the
movement correctly.
Gradually one’s practice will become skilled. Don’t use muscle power to turn the hips;
rather, use dantian qi lowered down to weilu or turn from inside lower dantian; lower
dantian connects with weilu to turn a small circle and rotate from inside lower dantian.
The small circle doesn’t look very obvious from outside but the effect is better than
turning a big circle.
Weilu should be curled forward and backward as far as possible. When one has gone as
far as possible, one should use a little force to push further. When you curl forward, draw
in the lower abdomen to help. When you curl back you should close together the energy
points beside mingmen (yaoyan).
Once familiar with the practice, use the thighs as a support while the hips turn not only
horizontally but also vertically, alternating one then the other. Gradually lower dantian qi
will start to move, and from this point one uses lower dantian qi to lead the rotation. When
you first practice this section, you use the body to lead the rotation but later you use lower
dantian qi to rotate. The rotation should be slow, which deepens the experience. The lower
back should be totally relaxed. This is necessary for qi to open the lower back and flow
down well. This will help weilu hang down and move well and aids with closing huiyin.
Older people who practice this section can mobilise kidney qi to improve their kidney
function. Some old people cannot completely void their bladder, which is a sign of weak
kidney qi. Practice of this section can correct this. Some older people have tracheitis
(inflammation of the trachea i.e. windpipe) or asthma. If they practice this section
enough their lungs’ qi will lower to connect with their kidneys’ qi, which is very good for
curing such problems. This section is also very good for treating reproductive problems,
especially for women. The energy points that can be observed are baihui and the central
point between duqi and mingmen.

This section opens the hip joints and the sacroiliac joints. Usually people cannot move
the sacroiliac joints, although in late pregnancy they open somewhat. We should
practice moving this joint gently, stretch and relax the ligaments of the joints to make
qi abundant in the pelvis. When the sacroiliac joints are opened, weilu can move well.
So opening the sacroiliac joints is key for being able to turn weilu and make it hang
down like a clock weight.
Turn tips of feet out into a line. Turn palms up, push forearms forward, raise palms to
in front of yintang. Turn palms out, open arms out, lower arms into a line. Do Tong Bi
as in Sections Two and Three, with the difference that the arms lead the upper body,
waist and legs to sway in a natural and relaxed way – but don’t use the legs to push and
move the body. Relax waist, hips and legs; squat down; arms lower down like the setting
sun, following the body. Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground, your
hands in front of your knees, then close the palms in front of the legs and raise to Heshi
Hands. Turn the palms; the tips of the fingers and the base of the palms draw a circle
which leads the shoulders, arms and hips to follow the rotation. When you stand up,
tuck your chin in and push baihui up. Close the base of the palms together using some
force and then push your hands up to help raise up your body.
To open the sacroiliac joints, the feet are turned inward into a line. Push your hands
forward to hold them like a circle. Press your big toes down with force to keep stable and
to transmit this power up your inner legs to open the area of the perineum, up to the
sacroiliac joints. Straighten your legs as much as possible, pushing the knees back. The
buttocks push backward and upward. The lower back pushes forward, the hips open out.
All these movements open the sacroiliac joints. Tuck your chin in, push your head up
with the neck straight. Open the chest but don’t push it forward. Lean your upper body
forward 35˚. This posture pushes the lower back forward, the buttocks back and up,
with the neck straight. Draw dumai up. The key point of this movement is not to stretch
dumai but to relax and open the lower back and the sacroiliac joints. The space between
the hands is about four fingers wide, the palms facing inward level with yintang. Focus
the mind between the thumbs.
This posture can be done as a static standing posture for five or six minutes. White qi or
white light may appear. This is a normal phenomenon: take no notice.
Bend and turn the knees inward to open out the buttocks and area around the perineum,
draw in the abdomen; the hands raise and open out, drawing an arc to the sides, palms
facing up as if holding something, head back as if looking at the sky, chin tucked in. This
can also be held as a static standing posture. If one closes the eyes and stands longer one
may see a red sun or red light. Then close the arms, stand up, the hands pour qi down
along the ribs, place palms on waist.
The sacroiliac joints cannot usually be moved. If we want to move and open them we need
to do some inhabitual movements. Both pushing the buttocks back and opening them,
and pushing the lower back forward from the 4th lumbar vertebra, can help open the
sacroiliac joints. This posture helps enlarge the lower dantian qi field and gather qi into
it. The gall bladder channels run up the outsides of the legs and the bladder channels run
up along the backs of the legs. These two channels connect at yaoyan beside mingmen,
and pushing the lower back forward increases the connection between them. This is why
we push the buttocks up and push the lower back forward with the legs straight. Relax
the knees, the big toes use inner force to curl and push down; relax the inner legs and
use force to straighten the outer legs; doing this; holding this posture causes the light
and pure yang qi of those two channels to rise to the top of the head. Tucking the chin in
causes qi to go down to middle dantian inside the chest.
Don’t speak when practicing this section, especially when you practise several sections
before it. This is because the channels are stretched and tight, so middle dantian qi
is insufficient to support speech and inner qi can easily be damaged [it may become
blocked so one loses qi].
This section builds a foundation for cross-legged sitting postures. When the hip joints
are opened it’s easy to do cross-legged postures including the Full Lotus Sitting Posture.
The Full Lotus and the Natural Cross-Legged Sitting Posture have different effects. Doing
the Full Lotus mobilises more qi than doing Cross-Legged Sitting. In the Full Lotus both
legs press one another; if the qi can still go through the legs that is evidence that inner
qi is very plentiful.
When opening the hip joints, advanced practitioners can choose to observe the Big Seven
Stars energy points, as in Crane Head. When you open the sacroiliac joints, observe
tanzhong and laogong. [Observe all the points: connect to them all at the same time if
you can, or connect one by one; then immediately cease focussing on them and remain
in the entirety qi body state to practice. One does this to help one be aware of all parts of
the body as a unity; to use one’s mind to connect all bodily qi; to make mind, body and
qi become one. In addition, those energy points have some special effects.]
Section Eight: Kneel Down towards Feet, Three Joints Connected

The key element of this section is to contract the buttocks and push the hips forward.
The buttocks and weilu push forward as far as possible. The trunk and thighs are in a
line, with no angle at the hip area. Place the weight of the body on the knees to relax and
open the knees and ankles.
The requirements of the movements are: Body centred and upright, contract buttocks,
push hips forward, draw abdomen in, open shoulder blades to round the upper back,
shoulders closed forward a little, push head up, tuck chin in. Relax the knees and ankles,
kneel down. Bend the knees and ankles but no other joints. If you bend other joints the
qi will block and won’t reach the knees, so the effects for the knees and ankles will be
lessened. Kneel down slowly as far as possible then keep the correct posture. Use your
mind to draw heding energy point up (in the centre point just above the kneecap, you
can feel a hollow when the leg is straight). Imagine kneeling down onto the tops of the
feet. Other sections should be repeated several times; this is the only section that is a
single posture but it must be kept for a longer time; if you feel tired, still keep going. This
can make qi gather at the knees until one feels one really cannot continue; then slowly
lift from baihui and draw the body up. Don’t use the legs to push up.
Relax the knees; the qi and blood will flow down like an opened dam and rush to the
feet in a hot flow. If you stay in the kneeling posture for longer the legs will feel more
painful so the hot feeling will be sharper; if you kneel down lower and block the qi more
in the knees, when you stand up the qi will rush down more strongly and some people
can feel hot qi rush to the centres of the feet and all the toes. This can open the qi and
blood pathways and let qi go through to the feet. Before these pathways are well opened,
qi and blood cannot flow well through them with the knees down, but once they are
well opened qi and blood will flow through freely even with the knees down. When
practicing for health reasons [as distinct from the martial arts] one only kneels down to
a 40° or 50° angle.
In this section one can observe the energy points of baihui, suliao [tip of nose], huiyin,
heding [above the kneecap] and mingmen.
This section is good for problems of the lower limbs including arthritis, bony spurs,
phlebitis and rheumatism.
Section Nine: Push Leg out, Flex Foot, Draw Taiji

When doing this section the movements must be slow and even. When you raise the
leg, flex the foot and rotate the foot, this should be slow, even and relaxed. Keep the
body centred and upright when lifting the leg up. Move the weight to one side, then sit
slightly and lower qi to lower dantian as you lift the leg. Be aware of the centre of the
sole of the foot as you raise it; doing this balances the body. When you do the up, push,
point movement, firstly flex back the top of the foot as far as possible, then flex the toes
back as far as you can while pushing out your heel. When you point down, start from the
top of the foot then lower the ankle to point down as far as possible, then curl the toes
and make the top of foot and leg as straight a line as possible. Do the whole sequence
smoothly and without stopping. When drawing the leg back, first curl the big toes, draw
in the centre of the sole, then draw the foot back.
The rotation of the foot should be done very slowly and carefully as if drawing a fine silk
thread around. Draw a full circle. If you find this movement difficult you can lower your
leg a little or put your heel on the ground to rotate, curl and flex the foot. Some young
people with a strong body can do more of the up/down movement. This movement
works in concert with Section Three. If you can continuously do this and also Separate
the Fingers 50–100 times, it can open all the channels of the body.
This section should be practiced carefully; if you are not well focussed or don’t complete
it, your body may feel uncomfortable. That’s because the other sections mobilise qi and
raise it up, so there is more qi elsewhere in the body than in the legs; this means the legs’
qi cannot descend so some people will feel their head is uncomfortable, or their blood
pressure may even change; this is because qi has not been mobilised down. If you don’t
have time to practice all of Body Mind Form and decide to pick out certain sections to
practice, when you choose the head you should also choose the feet, to create a balance.
Practicing this section carefully once is much better than ten times casually. Pay attention
to the tips of the feet. Doing the movement carefully can stretch the channels effectively,
because the combination of the movement of the toes and that of the legs mobilises
the three yin and yang foot channels. When you draw back the foot, curling the big toe
mobilises the liver and pancreas channels. Draw in the centre of the sole to mobilise the
kidney channels. Draw the foot back along the ground, the mind drawing Earth qi into
the body. Pushing the leg out mobilises the stomach channels. Pushing the heel out and
curling the toes down both mobilise the bladder channels at the back of the leg. If the
qi of those channels opens well it’s very good for the flow of qi and blood in the lower
limbs.
In practicing this section, one can observe the Big Seven Starts energy points as in Crane
Head.

This section is made up of two parts. Hunyuan returning to one requires the back, arms,
indeed the entire body to be relaxed. You hold and turn a qi ball, the movements smooth
and flexible, not stiff. When the arms holding the qi ball lower, you should relax the
shoulders and lower the elbows. When in front of the knees you should relax the wrists
and fingers, with the tips of the fingers downwards. The qi ball between the arms should
merge as one with the qi ball of the body.
When you move, you feel the qi ball between the arms affecting inside the body to adjust
inner qi. Don’t use any force, either when lowering or raising the ball. When you squat
down the body should remain upright; don’t push out the buttocks. Your body should be
very light and relaxed. When you raise it, the upper arms gently lift and lead the elbows
and wrists up. Once familiar with the practice, you can lean back slightly when rotating
the ball up, the whole body feeling like a qi ball.
When you do Return Qi to One, lower your hands above the head, the hands like an
opened lotus flower but without the base of the palms touching one another. Then separate
the base of the palms. When you raise the palms, the fingers and palms don’t touch either.
Open the palms. These movements are ‘lower, close, open, raise, close, open’. Then your
hands draw qi down, the palms nearly touching the face; draw qi down to the chest,
abdomen, along the front of the legs, to the centres of the feet. Use the mind to connect
the centres of the palms to penetrate the centres of the soles through to connect with Earth
qi. Press down three times. Palms along inner legs, raise up to the abdomen then chest.
Leading with little fingers, turn palms forward and separate them. This turning separates
the qi of the body and you can feel you are holding something in your hands.
Then do the movement of returning qi. Palms facing forward, place them in front of the
shoulders. Erect wrist, push right palm forward, relax wrist, turn palm, draw qi to the
left, at 90˚ press zhongkui, curve elbow, continue, move back and around the shoulder,
press qihu. The movement of the left hand is identical to the right. Say ‘tong’ silently
three times. Use the sound tong to mobilise middle dantian qi. Before saying tong, the
tip of the tongue should touch the upper palate to direct qi upwards. When you say tong
you may feel qi rise up from the sacrum and surge to the Heavenly Gate to pulsate there.
This is a way of using sound to open the Heavenly Gate. The pulsation means that qi is
going through the Heavenly Gate, xinmen and the cerebral cortex. There can be different
layers of pulsation – some area may pulsate, or the membranes of the bone; there is some
pulsation in the brain. If you experience this, don’t then seek it out, just ignore it.
After saying tong three times, do five open/close. These mobilise the whole body qi.
When you open, maintain the angle of the wrist relative to the arms; the elbows lead the
hands and shoulders to open. If you do it this way the qi feeling will be strong. Don’t
angle the palms outwards, keep them parallel to the body. Some people can feel inner
organs’ qi moving when they do open and close, also the head qi following open and
close, and the whole body qi opening and closing. Do open and close three times, in
the chest, in the nose, in yintang, in xinmen and in baihui. In xinmen only the hands
point backwards; for the others the fingers point upwards. Keep the palms as close as
possible without touching. After ending the three open and close of baihui, close the
palms together. Then do the Closing of Body Mind Form.
Close the palms, stretch up as far as possible. Separate hands, turn palms forward,
lower to the sides then turn palms up. Leading with the little fingers, close forward as if
carrying two bowls of water. Carry the water to the front, very stable. Use the elbows to
slowly draw back. Hands to dabao, send qi into the body. Draw qi inside and experience
qi lower directly down to inside duqi.
The first nine sections work on different parts of the body. Section Ten moves and works
on the entire body, balancing the whole body qi and blood and merging them to become
one. In this section one should experience the five ‘open and close’ deeply.
Practice of Body Mind Form requires that one combine the mind and the movements.
Once familiar with the movements, close the eyes to practice as if looking at yourself
doing the movements in the mirror. This is the second step. Later you should observe
yourself from inside the body as a hazy qi body practicing. You seem visible but not
visible, invisible but not invisible. These are various levels of the practice of Body Mind
Form. Gradually guide qi to go deep into the body. If you only focus on the body during
practice and don’t think about qi, your mind and qi will be limited by the physical body.
This is the lowest level of practice for people of low ability.
Initially carefully practice every movement of the ten sections to reach a relatively correct
level. Then when you go into the deeper practice state, don’t think any longer about how
correct your movements are – practice easily, freely and in a relaxed way. If a patient cannot
practice all the sections, they can choose some that are relevant to their condition.
There are no energy points to observe in Section Ten or the Closing.
Lead Qi along the Channels

Xun Jing Dao Yin Fa
Lead Qi Along the Channels: xun – go along, jing – short for jingmai (channels), dao
yin – lead or guide, fa – method is an important part of body mind hunyuan, along with
Body Mind Form. The two belong to the second step of Zhineng dynamic methods.
Lead Qi along the Channels mainly uses vibrating to penetrate and open different layers
of the body. It combines perfectly with Body Mind Form to provide a complete body
mind hunyuan practice.
Preparation
Place feet together, body centred and upright, arms hanging down naturally. Look
straight forward. Close the eyes gently, drawing the vision back. Relax the whole body.
Opening
Leading with the little fingers, raise the palms, press down, pull qi. Push, pull, push, pull,
push, pull. Rotate the wrists, lift qi up to duqi level, draw in the centres of the palms
slightly to mirror duqi. Leading with the little fingers, turn palms down, open out to
the back, mirror mingmen. Raise to dabao; send qi to dabao. Push hands forward to
shoulder width and height; the middle fingers mirror yintang. Arms open and expand
out into a line. Turn palms down, then up, raise up drawing an arc. Close palms to above
the head. Lower to in front of the chest into Heshi Hands. (Fig. 3–79 to 3–87) Separate
the hands, lower along the ribs, place palms on the waist. Place thumbs on jingmen
energy point with fingers placed naturally on the waist. Separate the feet, stepping on qi,
to shoulder width, feet parallel. (Fig. 3–88)
3–79 3–80 3–81 3–82

3–83 3–84 3–85
3–86 3–87 3–88
Lead Qi along the Hand Channels

Relax your left hand, turn the palm up. Push forward and downward in front of the body
at an angle of 45°. At the same time, relax your right hand, raise it along the ribs past
qimen and tanzhong to left yunmen energy point. (Fig. 3–89) Vibrate down along the
inner left arm, past quze and daling, laogong, etc. energy points to the tips of the fingers.
Draw an arc with both palms, right hand turning left, across and back up the left palm
then across to the right side, then turn left palm over to cover the backs of the right
hand fingers. (Fig. 3–90) Vibrate up along the outside of the right arm, past waiguan,
quchi, binao and jianyu to the base of the neck. (Fig. 3–91) Use your mind to send qi up,
then vibrate down to right yunmen energy point (at the outer edge near the top of your
collarbone) while at the same time turning right palm up. Left hand vibrates down inner
right arm past quze, daling, laogong, etc energy points to the tips of your fingers. Both
hands draw an arc as before, turn right palm over your left fingers. Vibrate up along the
outside of the left arm past waiguan, quchi, binao and jianyu to the base of the neck. (Fig.
3–92) Draw an arc down to the collarbone then go out a little to yunmen. Draw your
hand back past tanzhong and qimen under the breast, place on right ribs. At the same
time, draw the left hand back to the left ribs; place on the ribs. (Fig. 3–93)
3–89 3–90 3–91 3–92 3–93
Turn right palm up, push right hand forward and downward 45°. At the same time, raise
your left hand along the ribs past qimen and tanzhong to right yunmen. Vibrate down
along the inner right arm, past quze, daling, laogong, etc. to the tips of the fingers. (Fig.
3–94) Draw an arc with both palms, left hand turning right, back up the right palm
then across to the left side, then turn right palm over to cover the backs of the left hand
fingers. Vibrate up along the outer left arm, past waiguan, quchi, binao and jianyu to the
base of the neck. (Fig. 3–95) Use your mind to send qi up while you draw an arc to left
yunmen energy point, turning left palm up. Right hand vibrate down inner left arm past
quze, daling, laogong, etc energy points to the tips of your fingers. Both hands draw an
arc as before, turn left palm over right fingers. Vibrate up along the outer right arm past
waiguan, quchi, binao and jianyu to the right base of the neck. (Fig. 3–96) Left hand
draw an arc as the mind goes up to the head, your hand down to the collarbone and out
a little to yunmen. Draw your left hand back past tanzhong and qimen under the breast,
place left hand on left ribs. At the same time, draw the right hand back to the right ribs;
place on the ribs. (Fig. 3–97)
3–94 3–95 3–96 3–97

Lead Qi along the Foot Channels

Raise your hands along the ribcage and connect tips of middle fingers under the base
of the sternum. (Fig. 3–98) Then vibrate up to the neck, chin, face. Turn your fingertips
upwards as you vibrate up the face to the forehead, xinmen, top of the head (hands turning
naturally to face inwards) to yuzhen. Cover ears with the palms. Tap first with the index
fingers, then the ring fingers and then the middle fingers, three times in total. Then the
middle fingers lead the other fingers to tap yuzhen three times. This vibrates the back of
the brain. (This is called Ming Tian Gu, which means Beat the Heavenly Drum.) (Fig.
3–99) Vibrate down along the neck as far as possible. (Fig. 3–100) Without vibrating,
move the hands around the shoulders. (Fig. 3–101) Continue under the armpits to the
back. Connect the mind upward. (Fig. 3–102) Palms on your back, vibrate down, bow
the body down, gradually bend the knees and squat down, hands past huantiao. Open
Tiger Mouth to face the sides of the legs, forefingers on the back of the legs, thumbs on
the sides. (Fig. 3–103) Vibrate down and along the outer feet to the toes. Place fingertips
and thumbs on the tips of the toes, vibrate. (Fig. 3–104) Vibrate inner feet and up along
inner legs to the lower abdomen, back to just under the sternum, slowly raising the body
as you go. Repeat this sequence once only.
3–98 3–99 3–100 3–101
3–102 3–103 3–104
This constitutes one cycle of Lead Qi along the Channels. Practice three cycles each time.
Closing
Close the feet, stepping on qi. Close the palms from the sternum into Heshi Hands. Raise
to above the head, stretch up. (Fig. 3–105) Turn palms forward, lower into a line. Turn
palms up, close forward to shoulder width; the middle fingers mirror yintang. Lower
the elbows, draw qi back. Press dabao, send qi into the body. (Fig. 3–106) Push the
hands back, open out, gradually turn palms forward, draw qi to the front; pour qi to
lower dantian. (Fig. 3–107) Place the palms on duqi, gather and nourish qi. (Fig. 3–108)
Separate your hands to the sides, open your eyes slowly.
3–105 3–106 3–107 3–108
Points to Note
• When the right hand vibrates to the tip of the left hand and you turn the palms, this
must be a circular movement. The left hand draws an arc pushing a little towards the
outside of the right hand; at the same time the right hand pushes across the left palm,
fingers over the thumb then back to the outer palm. Don’t make the arc too big. Or
you can just use your mind to draw the arc without any movement.
• Beating the Heavenly Drum: Use the base of the palms to cover the ears, place the
fingers on yuzhen. Beating the Heavenly Drum movement is a sequence of index
fingers, ring fingers then middle fingers tapping three times, then all three fingers
tapping three times together. The middle fingers lead the other fingers to tap the back
of the brain to vibrate the brain and the whole head.
• Vibrating: The hands should not leave the skin when vibrating; don’t tap. The speed
should not be less than two times per second. The movement from the shoulders to
the fingers should take about five natural breaths each direction. From the head to
the feet should take about 24 breaths.
• Practice of this method requires smooth, continuous movement at an even speed.
Keep the mind relaxed.
Once familiar with the practice you can vibrate with the hands 1–3 cm from the skin,
without them touching it.
• Lead Qi along the Channels is a way that one can oneself lead qi along the twelve
channels. It is not a way of leading qi along each channel individually but of leading
qi along the three yin channels and the three yang channels together. The route of
circulation of qi of the twelve channels is as follows: the three yin hands channels from
the chest to the hands, along the inner arms; the three yang hands channels from the
hands along the outer arms to the head; the three yang foot channels from the head
along the sides and back of the body down to the feet; the three yin foot channels from
the feet along the inner legs to the abdomen. So leading qi along the hand channels
begins by going down the inner arm and up the outer arm. Leading qi along the foot
channels begins by going down the back and the outer body then up the inner legs.
• The vibration movement in Lead Qi along the Channels uses qi to directly penetrate
and open different layers of the structures of the body. With each vibration you press
to penetrate in, then draw out. Each time you vibrate your mind needs to penetrate
into the bones and into the centre of where you are vibrating, then draw out. This
makes the skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels and bones merge into one.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER THREE
Body Mind Form holds a very important place in Zhineng dynamic methods. It practices
the body and the mind. It’s an important practice of ‘shen nian xing’ and ‘shen guan xing’
(‘mind think the body’ and ‘mind observe the body’). Through practicing it one can
build a fundamentally healthy body and mind.
Body Mind Form and Lead Qi along the Channels together provide a complete
combination
Body Mind Form increases channel qi. But one must be aware that the goal of practicing
Body Mind Form is not to work on the channels. The channels connect inward to the
inner organs and outward to the limbs. The goals are to let qi penetrate the deeper layers
of tissue and to enhance the connections between qi of the deeper tissues and external
qi, as well as to make internal qi plentiful.
With the practice of external hunyuan, the exchange of internal and external qi takes
place mainly at the membrane level. In Body Mind Form, the exchange is at a deeper
and deeper level. The Preparation and the Closing of Body Mind Form are an external
hunyuan practice, included to connect Body Mind Form to external hunyuan practice.
However this is not sufficient, so we end the practice with Lead Qi along the Channels.
In Body Mind Form each section works on a particular part of the body. This means that
the practice works on separated segments of the body and that it limits the mind and
qi to inside the body only. Also, although an exchange of internal and external qi does
occur during the practice, it is limited in its extent. Lead Qi along the Channels gives the
appearance of working on the channels but in fact is not doing this, because the mind
is not focussed on any precise channel but rather on qi going in and out to open the
inner structures. In doing this, it supplements the limited internal/external qi exchange
of Body Mind Form. So after doing Body Mind Form it’s valuable to practice Lead Qi
along the Channels.
How to Practice Body Mind Form Well
• Develop your ability to use the movements to mobilise qi. This means the movements
must be correct and your practice attentive and deep.
• Improve the extent to which you have control of your mind. Don’t only concentrate
the mind on doing the movements, but also know the benefits of each section as
you practice it. When you practice a section, you must strongly believe that you can
benefit from practicing it. Through this belief the benefits of the practice will be
greatly increased.
• Be aware of improvements in your level of practice without being in a rush to achieve
results. This is especially true when observing the energy points. This practice must
be done with the mind very well focussed, the body very relaxed, the movements
very natural and able to do the complete method fluently. Otherwise you cannot get
the benefit you should get and distracting thoughts may affect the result.
• Observation of energy points needs to be precise. In traditional qigong the Masters
would press their disciples’ energy points so they would know their exact location,
which was called Positioning the Stars. In fact, this was a way of sending qi to the energy
point to make qi abundant there, thus producing a feeling of qi at the energy point so
the disciple could clearly remember its location. Today we ourselves observe energy
points so as to draw qi inside and link together all parts of the body as an entirety.
Body Mind Form mainly practices Bodily Hunyuan Qi
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down and Body Mind Form mainly practice human bodily hunyuan
qi. Anybody is able to direct the gathering and dispersing of their bodily hunyuan
qi. Bodily qi is mostly used for physical development and activity. It is influenced by
channels qi to ensure that the body’s metabolic needs are met. Level One and Level Two
differ in that Level One practice of internal and external hunyuan, but the results of the
practice are the same in that both increase and improve body hunyuan qi.
Five Hunyuan Form mainly works on inner organs qi. This qi is influenced by the
emotions people experience through their life activity but is not much affected by mind
activity. Through the practice of Five Hunyuan Form, one can control inner organs qi
through one’s mind activity.
Inner organs hunyuan qi is used by the inner organs for their own metabolic needs.
Inner organs hunyuan qi is also used by the inner organs to produce many kinds of
matter out of invisible qi. One example of such a process is that the inner organs produce
different hormones.
Five Hunyuan Form works on internal hunyuan whereas the Middle Hunyuan Method
works on middle hunyuan, but both practices improve inner organs hunyuan qi; we
need to understand this.
He xie huan chang zi ran duan zhuang
He xie here means harmonious and peaceful

Huan chang means feeling inner happiness
Zi ran is an inner state that is natural and freed of
fixations, showing outwardly as uncontrived and open
Duan zhuang means serene and dignified
This is the dao de requirement

of Zhineng Qigong
Chapter Four
Five Hunyuan Form

Wu Yuan Zhuang
SUMMARY OF FIVE HUNYUAN FORM
Five Hunyuan Form is at Level Three of the Zhineng dynamic methods. It is also called Five
Qi Hunyuan Form or Five Qi Return to One Form. It practices opening, closing, merging
and transforming qi of the inner organs. It then returns this qi to Hunyuan Palace, further
merging mind and qi there. The theory of Five Hunyuan Form explains why and how
various practices of traditional qigong worked to open energy points and palaces using
sound. Five Hunyuan Form uses this theory to guide the practice. Five Hunyuan Form
combines together the mind mobilising qi, movement mobilising qi and sound mobilising
qi. It is a higher-level practice than Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down or Body Mind Form. Five
Hunyuan Form is a middle level method of Zhineng Qigong. After practicing Levels One
and Two, practice of this method can raise one’s health to a higher level.
Brief Introduction to Five Hunyuan Form

There are thirteen sections to Five Hunyuan Form, in three parts. The first four sections
make up one part. They work to open the inner qi space so as to gather qi, and also
work to make body qi and natural qi merge together. They mainly practice external
hunyuan and body mind hunyuan as a preparation for practice of the hunyuan qi of
the five inner organs. The second part is the practice of the inner organs and is the
central practice of the form. Each section works on one of the inner organs. Its practice
intensifies the opening and closing, gathering and dispersing of inner organs qi, through
movement, use of the mind, and sound. This improves the functions of the inner organs
at the physical, qi and mind levels. And it increases the connections between inner
organs qi and hunyuan qi to bring about qualitative body-mind transformation. The
third part is made up of the last four sections. It mainly works to improve connections
and transformation between body hunyuan qi and inner organs hunyuan qi through the
practice of body mind hunyuan. It gathers qi to the middle of the body to nourish body
and mind.
The arrangement and practice of Five Hunyuan Form resembles the integration of yin/
yang, the five elements and bagua but its theory is based on hunyuan qi theory. Is this a
contradiction? No, because hunyuan qi includes yin/yang, the five elements and bagua.
C HA P T E R F OU R : F I V E H U N Y UA N F O R M 111
Basic Knowledge about Five Hunyuan Form

Knowledge about the Five Inner Organs
In Five Hunyuan Form the five inner organs are the heart, livers, pancreas, lungs and
kidneys. This comes from traditional qigong. It differs from modern medicine’s view of
the five inner organs.
Heart
The heart is located between the lungs, the top near tanzhong and the base just above the
diaphragm near jiuwei energy point. Heart qi extends up to yutang and down to juque.
Its qi gathering place is between tanzhong and zhongting energy points.
The heart governs the blood, blood vessels and shen. Its emotion is happiness. Its sound
is laughter. Its qi transformation is growth. Its outer portal is the tongue.
lungs
heart
liver
Hunyuan
Palace
kidneys
liver
pancreas
navel
Fig. 4–1: Location of the five inner organs
Livers
The livers are in the abdomen under the diaphragm on both sides of the ribs. [In modern
medicine, the liver sits at the right ribs and the spleen at the left ribs. In this diagram they
are labelled as two livers.] The qi gathering places are qimen and riyue.
The livers govern the tendons and sinews and the ethereal soul (hun). Their emotion
is anger. Their sound is that of exhalation making a sighing or blowing sound. Their qi
transformation is rising. Their outer portal is the eyes.
Pancreas
The pancreas is in the upper abdomen. It includes what modern medicine calls the
pancreas and the omentum majus, the mesentery, etc that surround the pancreas.
Classical texts say the pancreas governs the middle space of the body. Its qi gathering
place is between jianli and xiawan energy points.
The pancreas governs the muscles and yi (the active mind, thinking); together with
the stomach it works on the digestion, transforming and transmitting qi and fine
nourishment from food and water. Its emotion is pensiveness. Its sound is singing. The
qi transformation is transformation and transportation. The outer portal is the mouth,
with the lips manifesting the essence of the pancreas.
Lungs
The lungs are within the two sides of the chest between quepen and the diaphragm. As one
breathes, the lungs open and contract. The base rises and lowers along with the movement
of the diaphragm. The qi gathering places are in the area of yunmen and zhongfu.
The lungs govern the whole body qi, the skin and hair, breathing and the corporeal
soul (po). Their emotion is sorrow and compassion. Their sound is crying. Their qi
transformation is drawing in and gathering. Their outer portal is the nose.
Kidneys
The kidneys are on both sides of the upper abdomen at the back, between mingmen and
the livers. Their essence can reach as far as huiyin. (The male’s prostate and testicles, the
female’s uterus and ovaries all belong to the kidneys.) The qi gathering places are duqi
and mingmen.
The kidneys govern essence, marrow [of the bones, spine and brain] and bones; they also
determine the degree of one’s willpower, whether it is greater or lesser, strong or weak.
Their emotion is fear. Their outer portal is the ears and the two yin orifices [urethra and
anus]. Their qi transformation is storing.
Hunyuan Qi Theory related to Five Hunyuan Form
Because Five Hunyuan Form practices a deeper layer of life activity, we describe here the
related hunyuan qi theory more deeply.
Hunyuan qi theory sees humans as an integration of jing, qi and shen (body, qi and
mind). Because these three have different effects on human life activity, their hunyuan
qi is also different. Evidence of these differences is seen in the qi-gathering places, the
qualities of the qi, and the functions of the qi. We can look at them as subsystems of
human hunyuan qi. They are described simply below.
Body hunyuan qi
Body hunyuan qi gathers in lower dantian and reaches the tissues throughout the whole
body. It provides for the tissues to form and break down, and it supports all human
physical movement. It is the most basic element of human hunyuan qi.
Inner organs hunyuan qi
The growth and change of all human body tissues is restricted and controlled by the
laws of qi transformation. These laws are: birth, growth, transformation, gathering and
storing. The inner organs work in accordance with these laws. The laws state that all
the inner organs are linked and that each organ is connected to an emotion. The five
inner organs are very important in human hunyuan qi. They do not work individually
but as a harmonious entirety. So the five inner organs’ qi forms a subsystem of human
hunyuan qi. It gathers in hunyuanqiao Hunyuan Palace (hunyuanqiao), the centre of the
five organs’ activity. Hunyuan Palace is inside the middle of the upper abdomen behind
the stomach. Ordinary people’s minds cannot mobilise inner organs hunyuan qi actively
but their emotions influence it. So in Five Hunyuan Form the practice emphasises using
sound to mobilise qi and the emotions to adjust qi.
Mind hunyuan qi
This is explained in yiyuanti theory so does not need to be discussed here.
As described above, these three sorts of hunyuan qi are subsystems of human hunyuan
qi. They not only connect together but also can transform into one another under certain
conditions, thus maintaining all life activity of human beings.
Hunyuan Palace (hunyuanqiao)
The term Hunyuan Palace was not created by Zhineng Qigong. There are many
descriptions of it in traditional qigong theory. Ancient people thought that heaven
and Earth were a connected entirety. Heaven was yang, Earth yin. The middle space
connecting heaven and Earth, where heaven and Earth qi merged together, was called
hunyuan. Ancient people also thought of the human body as a miniature heaven and
Earth. The heart was heaven, belonging to yang, the kidneys were Earth and belonged
to yin, the middle space between the heart and kidneys was the location of human
Hunyuan Palace. In traditional Daoist qigong there were four different descriptions
about the location of Hunyuan Palace.
Zhineng Qigong locates Hunyuan Palace between duqi, the Earth, and the heart, heaven,
1.2 cun into the body from zhongwan. [There are different measurement systems in
China but the most useful measure for the body is cun. One cun is the length of the
middle joint of the middle finger, which averages about 3 cm.] Hunyuan Palace is a space
inside the body between zhongwan and jizhong energy points.
Hunyuan theory states that the hunyuan qi of any matter, including the human
physical body, gathers and concentrates both inside the form and less densely around
it, the further away the less dense. Accordingly, human body hunyuan qi concentrates
the most in from and under the navel, in lower dantian. Lower dantian is also called
qi hai (qi ocean). The hunyuan qi of the five inner organs concentrates and transforms
in Hunyuan Palace, deep in from zhongwan. Above Hunyuan Palace is the heart and
below are the kidneys, to the sides are the livers [liver and spleen] and lungs, in the
middle the pancreas. So Hunyuan Palace is a place where the qi of the five inner organs
gathers.
Some people say that the lungs are far from Hunyuan Palace and are separated by the
diaphragm, so wonder how the lungs’ qi could concentrate and transform in Hunyuan
Palace. We must understand that Hunyuan Palace is not the gathering place of the
physical organs but of their hunyuan qi. The theory of the channels explains that the
lung channels begin at Hunyuan Palace; this is one aspect. Another aspect is that when
we breathe in, the diaphragm lowers and the lungs qi lowers to and through Hunyuan
Palace to mingmen. When we breathe out, the diaphragm contracts and qi rises up.
When the diaphragm opens, the qi rises up and we breathe out. In this process Heaven
qi (qi of the chest) and Earth qi (qi of the abdomen) merge and transform in Hunyuan
Palace. At the same time this makes the qi of all five inner organs’ qi merge and transform
in Hunyuan Palace.
The Characteristics of Five Hunyuan Form

The five inner organs are hidden deep inside the body. Ordinary people have difficulty
controlling their activity. There are three ways of improving one’s ability to actively and
consciously improve their functions. (1) Use particular movements to mobilise the
channels that connect with the inner organs so as to further mobilise their qi. (2) Use
mudra of the hands. The hands hold information of the whole body and each finger
holds information of a particular inner organ. Through the mudra one can activate the
inner organs’ qi. (3) Use sound and visualisation to mobilise inner organs’ qi. The mudra,
sound and visualisation are described below.
Mudra
Mudra are used in Buddhist and Daoist practice. In the old days Daoists and Buddhists
considered mudra a secret and used them to keep devils and ghosts away. In fact their
use is a way of activating and intensifying internal qi so it connects more strongly with
external qi. Different parts of the hands connect with different parts of the body at the
levels of the body, qi and information, as is discussed in each relevant section on the
Form. (Fig. 4–2)
Fig. 4–2
The mudra of Five Hunyuan Form work in two ways when we practice an organ. (1)
We press on the finger that connects with that organ. For example when we practice the
pancreas we use the middle fingers to press on related parts of the hands [places that link
to the pancreas]. (2) We close all fingers except the one connected to that organ. Five
Hunyuan Form mainly uses this.
Sound
We recite certain words or phrases, called mantra in traditional qigong. In the old days
people thought the effects of the mantra came from the gods or Buddha. In reality the
effect of mantra comes from the gongfu of the people reciting them. Some mantra can be
used to concentrate and cleanse the mind; some can be used to mobilise qi. The sounds
in Five Hunyuan Form work to mobilise inner qi.
The three levels of sound are:
• Sound aloud. This can activate body hunyuan qi through the effects of vibration on
the body. This is used in the martial arts to activate strong force, with the sounds very
violent, short and powerful. In qigong practice we use soft, low, long and harmonious
sound to benefit our health.
• Silently recite. Say the words without making any sound; no-one else can hear anything,
only you yourself can. But your mouth must make the correct shape for the sounds. It’s
more difficult to have an effect on the xing [physical form of the livers] doing this.
• Recite from the heart. Recite in the mind; think of the sound and recite from the heart.
The mouth doesn’t move to form words; there is only thinking in the mind. This can
only be effective if you have mastered silent recitation. If not, you are unlikely to gain
any benefit. These three types of recitation work respectively at the levels of body, qi
and mind.
The sounds of Five Hunyuan Form
Xing Qi Shen
Heart xin xiang xing
Livers tü jü ling
Pancreas gang fu zhong
Lungs sang si song
Kidneys ei yü ying
Each organ in Five Hunyuan Form has three sounds. The first two mainly work on the
body and qi. The first sound mainly affects the body but also influences qi. The second
sound mainly affects the qi but also influences the body. The first sound vibrates the
physical organ to open it, but not fully; its qi remains connected with the centre of the
organ. The second sound vibrates the qi to gather it into Hunyuan Palace. The first
sound opens, the second one closes; the first affects the body, the second affects qi. This
enhances the entirety connections between the five inner organs and Hunyuan Palace.
The third sound not only connects with the qi of the five organs but also connects with
the shen of the five organs. When we recite the third sound we must actively visualise the
state of the shen of the organ. The third sounds are discussed in detail below.
Livers
The third sound of the livers is ‘ling’. When you say ‘ling’ you should begin with
the first tone [flat] and continue without a break into the second tone [rising] (see
glossary). The ethereal soul (hun) is housed in the livers; it is yang and is an aspect
of consciousness activity (yishi). While making the ling sound, the soul must be
ling (bright, clear, pure). You can feel the vibration in Hunyuan Palace, which is an
important place for transforming qi into shen in traditional qigong. Once you have
located Hunyuan Palace, concentrating the mind there and gathering qi there is a key
practice in Five Hunyuan Form.
Heart
The third sound of the heart is ‘xing’. Xing means awareness. Our shen is housed in
the heart. When making the sound, the shen must be in a state of awareness. Older
Grandmasters said “Is the Master aware?” by which they were asking whether the
true self was aware [i.e. recognized its own being]. When you say xing there will
be a slight feeling of movement inside shangen and yintang and some people will
sense an inner brightness; this is a phenomenon of natural light [i.e. light coming
from one’s mind]. When you say xing you should visualise an empty and pure state
inside yintang. Using the middle fingers to press and massage yintang while you say
xing increases its effectiveness. If one’s mind is in a confused state, saying xing and
visualizing an empty and pure state will quickly calm the mind.
Pancreas
The third sound of the pancreas is ‘zhong’. The pancreas governs the Middle Palace
of the body (the Hunyuan Palace area). The shen of the pancreas is mind activity.
Qigong practitioners should keep the empty state in mind. In older qigong this
state was called zhong. In the old days people said that the state without happiness,
anger, sorrow or thinking is zhong. In the zhong state there is no fixed point. Some
people say that zhong is emptiness but they misunderstand. Emptiness and existence
are opposites. If the mind is fixed on emptiness, this is not a state of zhong. In the
universe nothing is empty.
How can one experience the state of zhong? When you say zhong, especially if you
recite it silently, and you carefully experience the feeling in Hunyuan Palace, you will
feel the zhong state. Subsequently you can have this feeling without having to say
zhong, and can quickly go into the zhong state.
Lungs
The third sound of the lungs is ‘song’. The lungs govern po (the corporeal soul). Po
is one aspect of shen. Western medicine sees it as similar to the reactions of the
nervous system. Qigong says po is yin and is closely connected to the body. Qigong
practitioners must relax the body and let qi flow easily, so when we say song we should
relax our skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, bones, inner organs, etc. The shenzhu
energy point under the third thoracic vertebra (T3) is a key point for relaxing the
whole body, a support for it. This point connects with the lungs, so when we say song
we should actively relax shenzhu energy point. After this point is relaxed the whole
body will follow and naturally relax.
Kidneys
The third sound of the kidneys is ‘ying’. The kidneys govern our willpower. To practice
qigong and take up its cause requires dedication and focussed willpower; don’t divide
your attention. When you say “yi” the sound can have an effect on the kidneys, but it
is too direct in its effect and makes it difficult to connect with Hunyuan Palace. So we
say “yi-ying”.
Several important things need to be said about the sounds.
• Precision is necessary when making the sounds.
• The sounds should be harmonious and soft. Breathe in through the nose with teeth
and mouth gently closed. The tip of the tongue presses the tips of the teeth.
• Practice of the sounds should be undertaken step by step. Initially practice the sound
of xing, secondly the sound of qi and thirdly practice the sound of shen. After your
practice of these three is skillful you can put them together and in one breath say the
three words. Generally speaking, one should spend two to four weeks practicing each
step from xing to shen. Once you can skillfully say all three together, you can begin to
practice saying them silently or reciting from the heart.
Visualisation
The five sounds of the shen of the five organs contain different information and states.
When we practice each sound we need to visualise the emotions of that organ as well
as the state of its shen as described above. [We must visualise the emotions of each
organ throughout the practice of it.] Why do we need to mobilise the emotions through
visualisation when we practice Five Hunyuan Form? (1) It’s to practice control over our
emotions. This improves our ability to control our mind. (2) We use these emotions to
mobilise the transformation of the five inner organs’ qi.
The anger of the livers can help activate qi to rise up. When people are angry they glare
and qi surges up as their qi builds up. But when older people are angry most of them feel
melancholy, which means their inner qi cannot flow well, is blocked inside and can cause
illness. When we practice qigong to visualise anger, this can make qi grow and rise up
freely and it can increase the benefits of the practice.
The happiness of the heart can help qi grow and develop. When people are happy they
will open their eyebrows and have a smile on their face. An open heart lets qi flow well
and increases vitality. This nourishes the functions of the body tissues. When we practice
qigong we open yintang, which brings happiness to the heart and relaxes the cheeks and
mouth, and can bring a smile to the face.
The emotion of the pancreas is pensiveness, deep thinking or ruminating. This emotion
can help inside qi transform. When one thinks deeply, the growth and flow of qi change.
A lot of transformation in the human body is affected by mind activity. When we
practice the pancreas, we visualise the emotion of deep thinking so as to improve the
transformation and functioning of the pancreas. How should we visualise deep thinking
when we practice? We use the mind to focus on the tip of the nose.
The lungs’ emotion is sorrow and compassion. It can help gather qi and draw it inside.
The lungs have the function of adjusting and diffusing our entire body qi (i.e. of making
it flow smoothly throughout the body) and the emotion of sorrow gathers qi inside us.
So when ordinary people sob it’s because the emotion of sorrow is damaging their heart
and mind. In the old days people said “Sorrow dissipates qi”. When we practice qigong,
visualising the emotion of sorrow will simply help gather qi in without damaging the
heart and mind. It improves the ability of the lungs to gather qi and lower it down. How
do we practice the emotion of sorrow? When we say “sang”, we think of the state of
compassion.
The emotion of the kidneys is fear. This emotion can help with storing our qi inside. If
ordinary people feel too much fear, their kidneys will not be able to control and gather qi
and they will lose control of their bladder and bowels. When doing this qigong practice
we need to go into a very careful state. Ancient people said it’s like standing on the edge
of a cliff or walking on thin ice. Visualise this state but without feeling fear, only extreme
caution. This can help the kidneys store qi deep inside.
How to practice Five Hunyuan Form Well

Master the key aspects well
To practice Five Hunyuan Form well one must first practice all the movements, mudra
and sounds to become skillful. One must know the location of the inner organs and
experience the feeling of Hunyuan Palace. Hunyuan Palace is very important; one can
mobilise the qi of the five organs to merge and connect with it only if one can feel it. One
must say “ling ling”, the first ‘ling’ in the first tone and the second ‘ling’ in the second
tone; when saying it one must relax the whole body, close the eyes and experience the
feeling of qi in Hunyuan Palace. This is key to opening Hunyuan Palace.
Deepen your understanding and use of Hunyuan Qi Theory
• Although Five Hunyuan Form practices the five inner organs, it is based on hunyuan
qi theory and not on Five Elements theory. In traditional qigong an important method
called the Six Sounds (he, si, hu, xu, xi, chui) practises the five inner organs but it is
based on Five Elements theory. Five Hunyuan Form practice differs – although it
mentions some Five Elements theory, the purpose is not to practise each of those
individual organs but to merge and transform the qi of the five inner organs to create
a better balance. This is done by mobilising the qi of the five organs to open and
close, gather and disperse, and thus merge into Hunyuan Palace to harmonise the five
organs at the levels of xing, qi and shen.
• Traditional Daoist qigong practice firstly focussed the mind on lower dantian to
gather qi, then qi travelled along the renmai/dumai circuit. In the next step, the qi of
lower dantian and middle dantian merged to become one. The mind was focussed
on the qi and went into it so the qi wrapped around the mind. During this time the
qi of the five inner organs gathered in middle dantian. The key requirement was to
concentrate the mind, look inside, hear inside, with no distracting thoughts, only
focussed there to create a qi foetus. This qi foetus then rose to upper dantian. From
there it went out and came in as part of the practice. After a period of practice the
foetus returned and remained in upper dantian. The mind observed and transformed
the whole body to become hunyuan qi.
Five Hunyuan Form is a different way of practicing. It mobilises the qi of the five inner
organs to open and close, gather and disperse, through sound, movement and the mind.
This can be effective in connecting the five inner organs’ qi and Hunyuan Palace qi.
It can also increase the connections and transformations between inner organs qi and
body hunyuan qi. Consequently, the inner organs’ hunyuan qi has a direct effect on
the body and its external qi. This creates qualitative change in the body. This process of
transformation is different from that of traditional Daoist practice.
Know your practice level and improve step by step
Five Hunyuan Form is at the third level of Zhineng dynamic methods, the middle level
of Zhineng Qigong. If one doesn’t practice Levels One and Two well, then one will only
be able to practice Five Hunyuan Form at a beginner’s level. Although Five Hunyuan
Form brings together the essence of Level One and of Level Two, it cannot replace
them. So beginners should not practice it and should start with Level One. The six levels
of Zhineng Qigong practice constitute a process whereby one moves from being an
ordinary person to one with paranormal abilities. One should practice with diligence
and effort, step by step. For example, if one doesn’t practice Section Two of Body Mind
Form well, one won’t be able to get the benefits one should from the practice of ‘Open
the Gates’ in Five Hunyuan Form.
Consciously cultivate self-improvement
For practitioners at the level of Five Hunyuan Form, self-improvement is extremely
important. This is because the Form mainly works on the emotions of the five inner
organs and increases the connections between the emotions and qi, in addition to many
other reasons. So if the emotions are too negative, this will cause a huge change in one’s
qi and lead to illness. This is many times greater than would happen to ordinary people.
The strongest emotions are anger and depression.
Those who obtain good benefits from Levels One and Two and whose qi is abundant, have
greater need of a stable mind to control their qi. When one practices Five Hunyuan Form,
on the one hand one increases one’s ability to use the emotions to mobilise inner organs’
qi, and on the other hand transformation of the emotions also increases [bringing more
frequent and stronger emotional qi reactions]. So during the changes to the quality of the
body and mind, one has to cultivate self-improvement and maintain a peaceful state.
If we cannot clear out the ego from our mind, we will focus on our own gain or loss and
our emotions will be confused. This will cause abnormal movement of qi and blood.
Usually the heart and the brain are the first to be damaged by qi. Many high-level qigong
practitioners died for this reason and some developed mental problems. Zhineng Qigong
practitioners must be on guard against this.
Some people ask whether we shouldn’t practice Five Hunyuan Form to avoid these
dangers. The answer is “no”. Practicing qigong to a certain level where inner qi is
plentiful, everybody will meet the contradiction between internal qi and the mind. This
requires us to improve our mind’s quality and level – for example, our perspective on life
should be improved, self-centred thinking should be broken. These improvements can
help to keep the mind aware and to continuously raise our gongfu level. Below we give
some ideas on how to practice the emotions and mind by discussing the practice of Five
Hunyuan Form.
• Be loving and show benevolence to everyone and everything, to nourish the livers so
anger won’t occur.
• Have a humble appearance and respectful heart in everything and everyone you deal
with, to nourish the heart so as to get rid of desires.
• Treat everything and everyone with an honest and sincere heart, to nourish the
pancreas to guard against a treacherous or deceitful mind.
• Be brave and ready to help a just cause, seeing it as one’s duty to oneself, and gather
qi to nourish the lungs so as to overcome the emotions of grief and ruthlessness.
• Use wisdom, caution and fear to raise up kidney qi to ensure it is stored.
All these are good ways of working to change one’s qi quality. They can help us improve
our dao de level and purify our qi. Ancient people thought these were a very important
requirement to guide practitioners to reach the level of the sages and saints. If one has
wordly thinking and wordly qi, one cannot rise to a higher level. So we have to cultivate
and raise up our dao de level.
THE MOVEMENTS OF FIVE HUNYUAN FORM (WU YUAN ZHUANG)
When you start the practice you must first adopt the correct qigong posture. Place the
feet together, baihui lifted up, body centred and upright. Look straight forward, hands
hanging down naturally. Relax the whole body. (Fig. 4–3)
Section One: Head in the Sky, Feet in the Earth, Merge and Transform
Heaven and Earth Qi into Hunyuan Palace
Ding Tian Li Di; He Hua Hunyuan
1 Leading with Tiger Mouth hands, hold qi and raise up from the front to in front of
the lower abdomen. (Fig. 4–4)
2 Close and cross the hands and forearms, left forearm above right forearm, raise past
duqi to in front of Hunyuan Palace. (Fig. 4–5) Form Hunyuan Zhi Huan Mudra. The
base of the index fingernail presses the top side of the thumb by the main line of the
joint, the tip of the index finger near the base of the thumb. (Fig. 4–6)
4–3 4–4 4–5 4–6
3 Change into Ding Tian Li Di Hands. The left hand is upright in

front of the chest, the centre of the palm facing to the right. The circle
of the mudra is in front of tanzhong energy point. Turn right palm
down with the circle of the mudra in front of zhongwan energy point.
Deep inside is Hunyuan Palace. The base of the left hand is by the
base of the right hand fingers. (Fig. 4–7)
4 Tap the teeth. First tap the front teeth nine times, then the left
teeth nine times, the right teeth nine times and the front teeth nine
times again. Do Red Dragon Stirring the Ocean. Starting from the
centre of the upper teeth, draw the tip of the tongue along the back
4–7
of the upper teeth to the left, then down to the back of the left lower
teeth and along to the front and right side, then up to the upper teeth
and to the centre. Draw this circle three times, then in the reverse
direction three times. Press the tip of the tongue against the lower palate three times,
the upper palate three times, the centre of the front teeth three times. (In the old
times this was called ‘open the three levers of the padlock’.) If saliva forms, swallow it
to your abdomen.
5 Open the mudra, turn palms facing each other, left

palm above right hand. Close the palms so they nearly
touch. Draw the hands across each other so the tips of the
fingers face the base of the other hand’s fingers. Close the
fingers together then bend the joints so the fingers hold
each other. Place the thumbs against the gap where the
little finger and index finger meet. This mudra is called
Hunyuan Hands. (In the old days it was called Hunyuan
He Yin Hands.) (Fig. 4–8)
6 Say “eueng (e-weng as one sound) qing”: breathe in,
then say these two words. Do this three times.
4–8 4–9
7 Relax your hands, turn the palms facing each other
in front of Hunyuan Palace, fingertips pointing forward. Your hands are at nipple width,
upper arms by the ribs. (Fig. 4–9)
Key Points of the Movements and Mind Activity
When you raise the hands, think you are holding a big hunyuan qi ball, raising it from
the depths of the earth to in front of the lower abdomen. Close the hands in and send a qi
ball into duqi. When you form Hunyuan Zhi Huan Mudra, use force to round the index
fingers. In particular, use the tip of the index finger to push the base of the thumb. The
base of the thumb was called Heavenly Gate of the Hands in the old days. It connects to
the Heavenly Gate of the head. With the circles of the fingers in front of tanzhong and
zhongwan, use your mind to send qi into the centre of the body.
When you do Ding Tian Li Di Hands, use your mind to connect the fingers of the left
hand with the Heavenly Gate and point to heaven very high up. Use your mind to think
the right hand presses down very deep into the Earth. The hands touch each other lightly.
Gather heaven and Earth qi to merge and transform in the body.
When you say “eueng qing”, say e, u, eng in the same tone, but prolong the “eng” a little.
Don’t make some parts of the sound louder or softer. Say “qing” with the “q” and the “i”
said as one sound, changing into “eng”.
Benefits
The purpose of this section is to connect heavenly and Earth qi. Heavenly qi and Earth
qi has four meanings:
• It refers to natural hunyuan qi. Heavenly qi is the void hunyuan qi; Earth qi is actually
also the void hunyuan qi. Li Di (Feet into the Earth) means the mind goes infinitely
deep, but not into the physical earth, so it also connects with natural hunyuan qi.
• It refers to chest and abdomen qi. Above the diaphragm is the area of the heart and
lungs, which mainly receive Heavenly qi. The digestive tract and excretory organs
mainly receive qi from food and water; this is called Earth qi.
• It refers to qi of the head and of huiyin. Shen gathers in the head, essence gathers in
the area of huiyin.
• It refers to the heart and kidney qi.
We use Ding Tian Li Di Hands, combined with mind activity. This can gather and merge
Heavenly Qi and Earth Qi [in its different aspects as described above] to combine and
merge into Hunyuan Palace and transform into inner organs hunyuan qi. Hunyuan
Hands and the sound intensify the opening, closing, gathering and dispersing of the qi
in Hunyuan Palace.
Section Two: Open Pores, Points and Three Gates

Chang Tong Mao Qiao; Kai Qi San Guan
Section One gathers Earth and Heavenly qi into Hunyuan Palace using posture and the
mind. Building from there, Section Two opens the pathways between the body and the
qi of the natural world. The pathways include the pores and points, and three gates. The
three gates are the Heavenly Gate (tianmen), the Earth gates (yongquan) at the centres
of the feet, and the human gates (laogong) at the centres of the palms.
Open the Human Gate
1 Close hands to half of nipple width apart then open to nipple width. Do this three
times.
2 Turn palms up, raise forearms without moving the upper arms, to in front of the
shoulders, palms upward, tips of the fingers angled forward. (Fig. 4–10)
3 Push hands forward to shoulder height and width; tips of fingers point to the Earth,
palms facing forward. Push the centres of the palms forward three times. (Fig. 4–11)
4 Turn fingertips out, up, inward, push three times. (Fig. 4–12, 4–13) Turn fingertips
up, out, down, push three times. Turn fingertips out, up and in, push once.
4–10 4–11 4–12 4–13

5 Keep this posture and push out, then open arms to the sides. Arms in a line, push
palms out three times. (Fig. 4–14)
6 Turn palms up, back, down, push three times. (Fig. 4–15) Then turn your fingertips
back, up, forward, push once. (Fig. 4–16)
4–14 4–15 4–16
7 Keep this posture and close arms forward to shoulder width. (Fig. 4–17) Relax wrists,
turn fingertips forward, turn palms to face each other. Do open and close three times.
(Fig. 4–18) Close halfway in then open back to shoulder width.
4–17 4–18
Open the Heavenly Gate

1 Turn palms up, draw the forearms back to in front of chest with fingertips forward.
Close your hands so the little fingers touch along the length. (Fig. 4–19) Raise to in
front of the eyes. Separate hands to sides of ears; while doing this turn fingertips to
face back. (Fig. 4–20) Continue raising hands up while turning fingertips to connect
the tips of the middle fingers above the head. Push hands up until the arms are
straight, stretch up three times. (Fig. 4–21)
4–19 4–20 4–21
2 Turn palms down, the tips of the middle fingers connected; lower down to the top of
the head. Press tianmen with the tips of the middle fingers. Raise up the hands so the
backs of all the fingers touch each other, with the fingers straight. Turn three circles
left, front, right, back, then three circles the other way. Press down with the middle
fingers. (Fig. 4–22)
3 Lower the hands so they are flat with the middle fingertips still connected. Raise
the hands until the arms are straight; lower down to the top of the head. Repeat
preceding movement (2) from “Press tianmen”.
4 Entwine fingers, turn palms up, raise up, arms straight. Rotate the wrists (the hands
seem to hold something). Gently push and rotate the wrists in alternation; the wrists
draw a circle front, up, back, down three times. The shoulders, arms and elbows
follow. (Fig. 4–23, 4–24) Stretch up.
4–22 4–23 4–24

Open the Earth Gate

1 Push upward. Keep this posture then lower the hands and arms down; draw an arc
down to in front of the lower abdomen. Palms downward, press down. (Fig. 4–25)
Separate the hands, keeping the tips of the middle fingers connected. Press the hands
down and at the same time flex up the toes, three times. (Fig. 4–26)
2 Separate the middle fingers a little, keeping the toes raised. Palms and knees together
draw a circle front, out, back, in, three times, then in the reverse direction three
times.
Open the Points
1 Connect the tips of the middle fingers, turn palms inward, lower the toes as you raise
the palms to duqi, middle fingers press duqi. (Fig. 4–27)
2 Move your hands around the waist to mingmen, press mingmen. Turn the palms to
face back and cross them so the base of the right-hand middle finger is on mingmen
and the base of the left-hand middle finger is on the base of the right-hand middle
finger. The hands are crossed. (Fig. 4–28) Push your hands straight back while
pushing mingmen backward. Then draw your hands in to mingmen, returning them
to the original position. Push and return three times in total.
4–25 4–26 4–27 4–28 4–29
3 Turn your palms to face and touch your lower back; middle fingers press mingmen.
Separate the hands, palms facing the body at the sides, fingertips downwards, palms
facing zhangmen and jingmen energy points. Palms lead the ribs, opening about
10 cm out from the body then closing back to zhangmen and jingmen. Do this three
times.
4 Move the hands forward, turning the middle fingers to connect and press duqi. (Fig.
4–29)
5 Push the middle fingers forward, leading the fingers to connect along their full length.
Return hands back with middle fingers pressing duqi. Do this movement three times.
Key points of the Movements and Mind Activity

The purpose of opening the Human Gate is to open laogong energy point. So keep
pushing out the centres of the palms while doing turn palms, and flex the fingers. Push out
continuously without drawing back and relaxing; use your mind and qi to push as far as
you can, then use your mind and qi to continue to push. When you turn your palms the
movement should be soft and even with the mind out to the horizon.
When you open the Heavenly Gate, while you turn and press the fingers your mind
needs to go into the brain about 5 cm. When rotating in the Heavenly Gate you need to
use the elbows to push the wrists and the wrists to push the base of the fingers in order
to increase the feeling of qi.
When you do the movement of opening the Earth Gate, put your weight on the centres
of the feet; flex the toes; it feels as though the heels also pull up. Done like this it is easy
to open yongquang. At the same time push the centres of the feet down. When you draw
a circle with palms and knees, the ankles are relaxed and follow the knees’ rotation. The
force from your knees should go down to the centres of the feet.
When you use your hands to press mingmen and press back, the mind thinks of all the
energy points, pores and creases of the back opening together. When you draw back
they all close together. When the hands open and close at the sides of your body, think
of all the energy points, pores and creases opening and closing together. When the hands
connect to duqi and push forward and close back, think of all the energy points, pores
and creases opening and closing together.
Benefits
This section uses postures and mind activity to open the gates, points, pores and creases
to connect internal and external hunyuan qi and to create a feeling of ren zai qi zhong,
qi zai ren zhong [we are in qi, qi within us].
Section Three: Crane Looks Around, Shen Inward

He Qi Si Gu; Shen Shou Zhong Huan
1 Close the palms, raise in front of Hunyuan Palace.
Open the palms to nipple width, close halfway, open
again to nipple width. Open and close three times. (Fig.
4–30) Turn the palms, left palm above right palm, facing
each other. Hold a qi ball. (Fig. 4–31)
2 Circle your right hand, left, front, right, back and
left hand right, back, left, front at the same time, with
the palms kneading the qi ball in and out. Do three
circles.
4–30 4–31
3 Separate the hands with their qi ball; stretch qi between the hands with the left palm
lowering to the side of the body and the right hand stretching the qi up. Turn your
palm inward past the chest, continue up, gradually turning your palm forward above
and in front of the head. Your upper arm angles forward 15˚ and your forearm leans
backward slightly with the wrist relaxed. As you separate the arms, lift the left leg until
the thigh is parallel with the ground. Relax the ankle, the tip of the foot downward.
(Fig. 4–32)
4–32 4–33 4–34 4–35
4 Your shoulders lead the arms to do push/pull three times.

5 Put the heel of your left foot just above your inner right knee. The right leg is straight.
Turn the body left 90°. (Fig. 4–33) Turn back; keep turning to 90° on the right side.
The left foot goes over the right knee and lowers to the right side of the right foot, the
heel against the tip of the foot in a right angle. (Fig. 4–34) Move the weight to the left
foot, lift the right foot and place your feet together.
6 Turn your right hand to angle back and down a little towards the top of the head.
Pour qi. (Fig 4–35) Lower your elbow down along the front of the body to in front
of the chest. Turn your palm to face down, elbow out; lower it to the sternum. As the
right arms lowers, turn the palm of left hand inward to in front of the abdomen; turn
the palm up; place it in front of duqi, your hands facing each other, holding a qi ball.
7 Circle your left hand to the right, front, left, back and your right hand left, back, right,
front. At the same time the hands open and close kneading the qi ball three times as
you do the three circles.
8 Separate the hands with their qi ball, stretch qi between the hands with your right palm
lowering to the side of the body and your left hand stretching the qi up. Turn your palm
inward past the chest; continue up, gradually turning your palm forward, above and in
front of the head. The upper arm angles forward 15° and the forearm leans backward
slightly with the wrist relaxed. As you separate the arms, lift the right leg until the thigh
is parallel with the ground. Relax the ankle, the tip of the foot downward.
9 Your shoulders lead the arms to do push and pull three times.
10 Put the heel of the right foot just above the inner left knee. The left leg is straight.
Turn your body right 90°, then back; continue, turning to the left side 90°. The right
foot goes over the left knee and lowers to the left side of the left foot, the heel against
the tip of the foot in a right angle. Move the weight to the right foot, lift the left foot
and place feet together.
11 Turn your left hand to angle back and down a little towards the top of the head.
Pour qi. Lower your elbow down along the front of the body to in front of the chest.
Turn your palm to face down, elbow out; lower to the sternum. As the left arm
lowers, turn the palm of your right hand inward to in front of the abdomen; turn
the palm up; place it in front of duqi, your hands facing each other, holding a qi
ball.
This posture comes from the posture of the standing crane. When we practice this
section we must relax the whole body, with baihui up and weilu down. Contract huiyin
and the lower abdomen. While standing on one leg, be aware of the two centres of
the feet (yongquan). When you turn the body, the mind is aware of the outside void
but doesn’t focus on any particular thing. It stays inside, stable, aware of the outside
void and the void inside. When you do push and pull, draw external qi into Hunyuan
Palace.
Once familiar with this section you can combine Crane Head of Body Mind Form with
it. If you can close your eyes to do this movement [on one leg], you can raise up your
heel. If you can do this and stand stable, then combine Crane Head with this. Practicing
this can build a foundation for Qing Gong (Light Gong).
Benefits
This section is a very good way to concentrate the mind to practice jing [pure and
effective internal qi]. It is also a good way to gather external hunyuan qi. Section One
mainly gathers external qi into Hunyuan Palace; this section mainly goes from inside the
body to connect outside and draw outside qi in.
Section Four: Open the Wings to Fly, Rou Chen Tan Chan
Zhan Chi Ao Xiang; Rou Chen Tan Chan
[The second four words of this section’s name describe movement similar to the flight
of the crane. ‘Rou’ means rotate and push, like the sensation of kneading dough, in
this case the pushing of the crane’s wings against the air. ‘Chen’ means stretch. ‘Tan’
means expand open with inner force, like a compressed spring releasing. ‘Chan’ means
quiver.]
This section includes both standing and flying movements of the crane. It is in two parts,
one of opening the wings and the other of flying.
Open the Wings
1 Turn palms to face each other. The hands are at nipple width. Do open and close
three times in front of Hunyuan Palace. Close to half the distance then open to nipple
width. (Fig. 4–36)
2 Turn palms up. Raise forearms so upper arms are by the ribs. Raise palms to in front
of the shoulders; keep palms up. (Fig. 4–37) Turn forearms out without moving the
upper arms. Turn tips of fingers to the sides at the same time. (Fig. 4–38)
4–36 4–37 4–38
3 The tips of the fingers lead the arms to push out into a line. (Fig. 4–39) Draw the
forearms back, lower the elbows, upper arms by the ribs and palms upward as if
holding something. (Fig. 4–40)
4–39 4–40 4–41 4–42
4 Turn the forearms, hands and fingers to the front without moving the upper arms.
(Fig. 4–41) Lower the forearms until they are at 90° to the upper arms, palms up and
in a line with the forearms. (Fig. 4–42)
5 Turn the forearms out to the sides, without moving the upper arms. (Fig. 4–43) Raise
the forearms from the sides to beside the shoulders, palms up. The palms form a 90°
angle to the forearms. (Fig. 4–44)
4–43 4–44
6 The fingertips lead the arms to push out to the sides into a line. (Fig. 4–45) Draw
the forearms back, lower the elbows to beside the ribs, palms facing up as if holding
something. (Fig. 4–46)
4–45 4–46
7 Turn the forearms and fingers forward without moving the upper arms. (Fig. 4–47)
Lower the forearms to 90° with upper arms, your palms and forearms in a line. (Fig.
4–48)
4–47 4–48
Flying
1 Turn the palms to face each other. (Fig. 4–49) Do open and close four times. The
last time, the arms go out into a line. When you open the arms, the elbows lead. The
elbows rotate to lead the shoulders and the hands, going down and out to open, and
up and in to close. The arms make snake-like movements. Then the arms go into a
line with the palms facing forward. (Fig. 4–50)
4–49 4–50
2 Turn the arms down. Close the arms forward, closing and opening four times, to
reach shoulder width. Rotate the elbows to lead the arms forward, in snake-like
movements. When you close, the elbows go downward and inward; when you open
they go up and back. Keep the palms facing down throughout this movement. (Fig.
4–51) Then lead with the elbows to open and close out from the shoulders into a line,
doing four open/close. Open the elbows down and out, close them up and inward.
Open bigger than you close. The palms face downward all the way. On ending, the
arms are in a line. (Fig. 4–52)
4–51 4–52
3 Turn the palms forward. Return to in front of Hunyuan Palace, doing open and close
with the arms four times. (Identical to 1.) When you close, the elbows turn and lead
downward and inward; when you open, the arms go up and back. Close more than
you open, arms moving like a snake. The upper arms are beside the ribs. Your fingers
facing forward, close the palms in front of Hunyuan Palace. (Fig. 4–53, 4–54)
4–53 4–54

Open the Wings
During the movements of opening the wings, the palms change several times between
being in a line with the forearms to being angled backwards or forwards. A key point is
to always keep the palms upwards and the wrists relaxed. The change in the angle of the
palms follows the movement of the forearms to naturally change and flex backwards and
forwards. When the forearms and upper arms are at a right angle, the upper arms should
be against the ribs. Ideally the forearms will be in a horizontal line. The chest must be
open; the shoulder blades must be closed. Then when you raise the forearms up close to
the shoulders, use inner force to continue to close the shoulder blades. Push the arms
out. The shoulder blades should be stretched to open them out.
Flying
When flying, the shoulders, elbows and wrists should be relaxed and the movements
natural. Especially note that the shoulder blades must rotate to follow the arms. The
shoulders also move to draw a circle. When you do open and close the elbows draw a
circle, opening a semi-circle and closing a semi-circle. As you push and turn the arms, it
is like a spring turning, pushing and expanding out. When the arms close in, they rotate
and push as if against the resistance of the wind. The chest should go out and in with
the arm movement and at the same time the legs also follow to relax down a little and
straighten again.
When you practice this section you must pay attention to the actions. When you open the
wings, be aware of the centres of the palms. When flying, be aware of tanzhong energy
point and the area between the shoulder blades. When the palms are flexed in front of or
beside the shoulders, your mind must connect the shoulders and palms as one. This is to
unite the three auras of the shoulders and head; this increases the feeling of flying in qi.
Benefits
This section increases the open and close, gather and disperse of internal hunyuan qi
and merges it into one with external hunyuan qi. This increases the connections between
the inner organs and external qi. When internal qi is sufficient, the arms will naturally
vibrate when you move them – but don’t create a vibration yourself.
Summary of the first four sections

The first section mainly closes mind and qi inwards. Section Two mainly opens qi out.
Section Three closes qi and mind from outside to inside. Section Four is to make mind
qi open out from inside. Through the open and close of these four sections one not only
merges the mind and qi together but also improves the merging of internal and external
qi. Based on this foundation, one can easily gain good benefits from the subsequent
practice of the pure qi of the five inner organs and then the merging of that qi into
Hunyuan Palace.
Section Five: Smile Joyfully to Strengthen the Heart; Heart Mudra

on Shangen
Xi Xiao Zhu Xin Shen; Zhong Feng Li Shan Gen
1 Turn fingers up into Heshi Hands. (Fig. 4–55) Keep the tips of the middle fingers
connected; separate the base of the palms and entwine the other fingers and thumbs
within the palms. This is the Heart Mudra. (Figs. 4–56, 4–57) Turn fingertips forward.
4–55 4–56 4–57
2 Push hands forward. Arms straight at shoulder level. (Fig 4–58) The tips of the middle
fingers lead the forearms back in an arc to press on shangen energy point (between
the inner ends of the eyes); the head is back slightly, the middle fingers horizontal.
(Fig 4–59)
3 Turn the base of the palms left, up, right, down to draw a circle and at the same
time say “xing”. Breathe in naturally through the nose. Do the circle and say “xing”, a
total of three times. Each time you turn a circle you say “xing”. Then rotate the other
direction three times while saying “xing”.
4 Lower the Heart Mudra down along the middle line to tanzhong. Press tanzhong
with the tips of the middle fingers facing horizontally. (Fig. 4–60) Turn the base of
the palms left, up, right, down to draw a circle while saying “xin”. Draw three circles,
say “xin” three times. Repeat in the reverse direction three times.
4–58 4–59 4–60 4–61
5 Turn the tip of the Heart mudra forward, placing the base of the palms just under the
sternum. (Fig. 4–61) Turn the tips of the middle fingers left, up, right, down, drawing
a circle while saying “xiang”. Turn three circles while saying “xiang” three times. Then
repeat in the reverse direction.
When you make the Heart Mudra, close the middle fingers as much as possible [with
the joints straight]. The other fingers and thumbs are entwined, with the tips pressing as
much as possible into the opposite palm. Close the base of the palms as much as possible.
When the middle fingertips press shangen and tanzhong, you must keep the hands
horizontal. The key point is that the shoulder blades go forward and draw in the chest,
with the elbows raised. When you turn the base of the palms to draw a circle, you need
to use the elbows to push the ribs and the palms. When you turn the tips of the middle
fingers at the base of the sternum, don’t move the base of the palms around; use the
fingertips to draw as big a circle as possible.
Do the movements and say the sounds with a joyful feeling. As you say the sounds you
should experience the change of qi in each energy point.
Benefits
Practice of this section can strengthen the functions of the heart at the three levels of jing,
qi and shen. It can increase the open and close of the heart qi, and all the connections
between the heart qi and Hunyuan Palace. Shangen energy point belongs to the heart
and connects with the brain. Pressing shangen and saying “xing” can bring an increased
feeling of awareness and clarity.
Section Six: Arch Lower Back to Strengthen Kidneys’ Willpower;

Mingmen Connect with Ears
Tu Yao Qiang Shen Zhi; Mingmen Lian Er Men
1 Open the Heart Mudra and turn it into Kidney Water Mudras. The thumbs press
on the nails of the index, middle and ring fingers. Straighten the little fingers. (Fig.
4–62) Connect the tips of the little fingers, palms inward. Lower to duqi. Press duqi
with tips of the little fingers. (Fig. 4–63) Circle the little fingers around the waist
to mingmen; little fingers press mingmen. Turn the palms outwards with the little
fingers still on mingmen (Fig 4–64).
4–62 4–63 4–64
2 Bend your upper body down, keeping it straight. Your head at hip level, lower
mingmen area and raise the head with chin tucked in. Open the hips, weilu up.
(Fig.4–65) Arch the lower back, raise mingmen, curling weilu down and forward.
The head and chest maintain their posture. (Fig. 4–66). Do this movement five times.
4–65 4–66
3 Arch your lower back, gradually raise your upper body until straight. Turn the palms
to face inwards and move the little fingers around the waistline to duqi. Connect the
tips of the little fingers, press duqi. (Fig. 4–63)
4 Raise the little fingers along renmai to the chest. Turn the palms up. Continue to
raise to xuanji energy point. Turn the tips of the little fingers forward; close the sides
of the little fingers to touch. (Fig. 4–67) Raise the Kidney Water Mudras to shangen.
Separate the base of the palms, turn the palms inward and gently press shangen with
the tips of the little fingers. (Fig. 4–68)

5 Move the tips of the little fingers along between the eyes and the eyebrows to the tips
of the ears. Draw the little fingers down along the inside of the ears then into the ear
canal. [In a curve but not down the outer rim of the inner ear; go from the top of the
cartilage down then along the curve of the inner cartilage that leads the finger to the
ear canal.] Turn your palms forward. (Fig. 4–69)
6 Your head back slightly, weilu back, breathe in naturally. (Fig. 4–70) While returning
the head and weilu to their original position, say “ei, yü, ying”. Do this five times.
Vibrate qi in with little fingers.
4–67 4–68 4–69 4–70

When we form the Kidney Water Mudras, the thumbs should completely cover the three
fingernails as much as possible. The little finger must be closed against the ring finger.
When you draw the upper body down from the hips, you need to draw in the abdomen,
raising the head but with your chin tucked in. Your legs should be locked straight. Put
the weight of your body on your heels.
When you arch the lower back and hump mingmen up, you need to breathe in to lower
dantian and at the same time contract huiyin and curl weilu down. When you breathe
out, push down the lower back and relax huiyin. You need to feel the hands on the lower
back go up and down with your breathing.
When you raise the Kidney Water Mudras along renmai, the mind needs to rise up from
mingmen along the spine to baihui and then the mind follows the little fingers into
the ears. Then say the sounds with your awareness inside mingmen. At the same time,
contract and lift up huiyin and the two yin gates (anus and urethra).
Benefits
This section can cultivate the functions of the kidneys in their aspects of the body, qi and
one’s willpower. Practice of this section can strengthen the kidneys’ pure qi and raise it
more strongly, which will also improve its connection with Hunyuan Palace. The ears
and the two yin gates are connected to the kidneys. Practice of this section can improve
the kidneys’ function of storing. During practice of this section you should visualise an
emotion of fear so as to help the kidneys deeply store qi.
Section Seven: Rotate in Hunyuan Palace; Merge Four Organs’ Qi

Chan Mian Zhong Gong Yi; Hunyuan Si Zang Zhen
1 Draw little fingers out from inside the ears. Open the Kidney Water Mudras. Turn
fingers up, palms facing the head. Place palms at sides of ears then raise up into
Zhuangfeng Hands [hands straight up facing each other]. Straighten the arms, turn
palms forward. (Fig. 4–71) Lower them down the front while lowering your body
and arching your back down until your head is at the level of your hips. Lower the
arms to hang down. (Fig. 4–72)
2 Turn your palms to face each other. The hands draw a qi ball up from inside the Earth
to Hunyuan Palace, palms facing Hunyuan Palace. [As the palms are raised they
naturally cross over one another and face upward.] Raise the toes. (Keep the toes up
throughout the practice of this section.) Place your weight on the back part of the foot.
Palms upward, the arms wind around each other with qi, circling in, up, out, down.
The distance between the palms shouldn’t be greater than 10 cm. The tips of the fingers
should be at the base of the other hand’s palms. Wind five circles. (Fig. 4–73)
4–71 4–72 4–73 4–74
3 Draw the hands out sideways to connect the tips of the middle fingers to duqi and the
tips of the thumbs to the abdomen. (Fig. 4–74) [Note that 4–74, 4–75 and 4–82 show
an upright figure but are done while leaning forward.] Move the hands up along the
middle line. The thumbs go to tiantu energy point, in the hollow above the bone at
the base of the neck. Separate the thumbs along the collarbone. The middle fingers
follow the thumbs to open in front of the shoulders. (Fig. 4–75) Draw circles with the
palms around the breasts, out, down, in, up, three times. Turn the other way three
times. Then close the palms, the tips of the middle fingers connecting at tiantu energy
point. Lower the hands until the middle fingers are just under the sternum. Open the
palms past dabao. (Fig. 4–76) Turn the palms up and push backward, open out to
the sides. Continue, turn the palms down and close forward to in front of the head.
Lower the arms. (Fig. 4–77)
4–75 4–76 4–77 4–78
4 Turn the palms to face one another. Draw Earth qi up to Hunyuan Palace. Palms
facing up, rotate the hands around each other, down, in, up, out. The palms musn’t
be more than 10 cm apart. The tips of the fingers should be at the base of the other
hand’s palms. (Fig. 4–78) Rotate five times.
5 Draw the palms out sideways to connect the middle fingers and thumbs. Raise to
under the sternum. Open the hands, place palms on the sides of the ribs, vibrate
gently. (Fig. 4–79) Move the hands to the lower back, place palms on the lower
back, middle fingers press mingmen. Massage the lower back with your hands and
feel inner changes following your breathing. (Fig. 4–80) Return the palms back to
the ribs and vibrate gently. (Fig. 4–81) Move hands back to just under the sternum.
Connect the tips of the thumbs and tips of the middle fingers. Lower thumbs to
duqi. (Fig. 4–82)
4–79 4–80 4–81 4–82

6 Separate the hands, thumbs going along the waistline to zhangmen energy point,
press zhangmen. Lower the toes. Form the pancreas mudras. Thumbs are straight,
the fingers curled in tightly. (Fig. 4–83) Breathe in to the lower back, breathe out and
say “gang, fu, zhong”. (Fig. 4– 84) Do this five times. Raise the body slowly. Turn the
body left then right gently, three times.
4–83 4–84

In this section you need to arch your lower back, draw in your lower abdomen and
contract huiyin, but with the lower back relaxed. Keep the toes raised throughout.
When you rotate the hands around each other, visualise a very fine unbroken silk thread
rotating. Send hunyuan qi into the depths of Hunyuan Palace continuously as you rotate.
The movement of the hands up and down the upper body works to connect the heart,
lungs, livers and kidneys, so wherever your hands are, your mind needs to penetrate
deep inside there.
When you first practice this section, you should say the sounds standing upright. After
forming the Pancreas Mudras, press zhangmen energy point and slowly raise the upper
body, then say the sounds. Once you are skilled in saying the sounds – when you say the
sounds you can feel a vibration in Hunyuan Palace – then you can bow the body to say
the sounds, in the standard manner. A beginner who says the sounds while bent forward
will find it difficult to feel any vibration in Hunyuan Palace.
Benefits
The pancreas manages the digestion and transmission of food qi. It can spread pure qi to
the four limbs [i.e. throughout the body]. Because the pancreas governs the pure mind (yi
nian) a lot of traditional qigong practice worked on the pure mind of the pancreas. Zhineng
Qigong thinks that the pancreas is located in a part of Hunyuan Palace. So the pure qi of
the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys merges and transforms in Hunyuan Palace with the qi
of Hunyuan Palace. This process has a very important relationship to the pancreas [i.e.
they influence each other]. The practice of this section mainly works to repeatedly connect
the other four inner organs with Hunyuan Palace and the pancreas. So it enhances the
functions of the pancreas at the levels of xing, qi and shen. This is the main practice to
merge the five inner organs’ pure qi into hunyuan and transform it into an entirety.
Section Eight: Spread Arms to Cover Riyue; Turn Eyes to Strengthen

the Livers’ Shen
Zhan Bi Hu Ri Yue; Zhuan Mu Lian Gan Hun
1 Open the Pancreas Mudras. Push hands forward with palms inward. Draw qi back;
the right hand closes to the left breast and the left hand to under the right elbow. (Fig.
4–85) Draw the right hand down from the left breast to the right ribs; place on qimen
and riyue energy points. At the same time, turn the left palm up. The left palm leads
the forearm to expand out in front of the body to shoulder height. Focus your eyes on
the tip of your index finger. Your arm leads the upper body to turn left. At 90° form
the liver mudra. Use your thumb to press on the nails of the middle, ring and little
fingers. Straighten the index finger. (Figs. 4–86, 4–87) Continue; turn the body left,
arm pointing back. Turn your palm down (Fig. 4–88). Point your finger backward eight
times. Then your arms lead the body; return to the left side. At 90° turn your palm up.
Continue to the front, then to the right side. At 90°, turn your palm down. Continue
to turn back while bending the elbow; the finger points back (Fig. 4–89) Draw the arm
back and point your finger eight times. Return towards the front. At 90° on the right
side, turn your arm up. The left arm straight, lead the body to return to the front.
4–85 4–86 4–87
4–88 4–89
2 Draw the left hand back in front of your right breast. At the same time the right hand
pushes to the left rib under the left elbow. Turn your right palm up. Open the Liver
Mudra with the left hand. Draw the hand down to the left ribs to cover qimen and
riyue energy points. At the same time, push and expand the right hand to the front at
shoulder height. Focus your eyes on the tip of your index finger. The arm leads the body
to turn to the right. At 90° form the liver mudra. Continue, turn your upper body back,
palms to the back. Turn your palms down. Point your index finger
towards the back eight times, your arm drawing in and pushing out.
The arm leads the upper body to return back to the right side. At
90°, turn your palm up. Continue, turning to the front, then to the
left side. At 90°, turn palm down. Continue turning the body back;
bend the elbow. Point your index finger towards the back; point it
eight times. Return the forearm and upper body back; at 90° turn
your palm up, turn to the front. Lower the elbow, place the right
mudra on qimen and riyue energy points. Form a mudra with the
left hands, place on left qimen and riyue energy points. The tips of
4–90
the index fingers are straight and point directly downwards. The
base of the index fingers is directly beneath the nipples. (Fig. 4–90)
3 Breathe in naturally. Say “tü, jü, ling” as you breathe out. Do this five times in total.
Key Points of the Movements and the Mind activity
In this section there are many movements where the arms must remain straight but
with shoulders, elbows and ribs relaxed, not rigid or using a lot of force. When the index
finger draws back then points out, you should contract and push from the shoulder.
When the shoulder contracts, the other shoulder should curl forward, leading the arms
and pressing the ribs. When you push the ribs, your mind brings external qi inside to
nourish the liver. To point out, relax the palm on the ribs so the shoulder goes back and
pushes qi through the other shoulder and along the arm to go out through the liver
finger.
Practice of this section requires that the mind be focussed on the tip of the index finger
as well as the connection between riyue and shangxing energy points. (Shangxing is on
the middle line about 1 cun or 3 cm above the hairline.) When you do this you will feel
the change in tianmu energy point. (Tianmu is on the centerline at the meeting point of
an equilateral triangle, drawn with the base between the corners of the eyes. It is another
name for yintang.)
When you move your [lower] hand from one side of the ribs to the other, your mind
must push liver qi to Hunyuan Palace. This is a very important movement, to merge liver
qi with Hunyuan Palace and enhance the functions of Hunyuan Palace; don’t overlook it.
When you practice this section you need to visualise the emotion of anger.
Benefits
Practice of this section mainly cultivates the liver functions at the levels of xing, qi and
shen. In particular, when one says “ling” there is a slight vibration in Hunyuan Palace,
which is the key way to open it. After one knows the location of Hunyuan Palace one can
consciously gather five organs qi into it to transform that qi into a harmonious entirety.
Section Nine: Extend and Contract to Open Lungs’ Qi; Sorrowful and
Compassionate Heart Nourishes the Corporeal Soul
Shen Suo Kai Fei Qi; Bei Xin Yi Po Sheng
1 Open the Liver Mudras. Turn palms up, change into the Lungs Mudras. Straighten
the ring fingers, thumbs press on the nails of the index, middle and little fingers to
cover the nails as much as possible. (Fig. 4–91) Connect the ring fingers in front of
the stomach, turn palms up. (Fig. 4–92) Raise along renmai to under the sternum.
Turn palms inward, raise to the Adam’s apple, upper arms horizontal. (Fig. 4–93)
2 Open the upper arms back a little. The forearms leading, open out the Lungs Mudras
along the collarbone to the ends of the shoulders. Open the chest. Bend the wrists up.
(Fig. 4–94) Draw a circle with the ring fingers, out, down, in, up, above and out a little
from the breasts. Do this three times, then in the reverse direction three times. The
rotation is led by the elbows. Don’t lower the elbows; preferably they will be higher
than the shoulders.
4–91
4–92 4–93 4–94
3 The forearms draw an arc to open out the arms

into a line. (Fig. 4–95) Palms upward, contract your
shoulder blades to the spine, curl the wrists inward,
keep the arms straight. Relax the wrists, extend the
ring fingers out to draw the shoulder blades open.
Draw the forearms back in an arc to in front of the
shoulders. (Fig. 4–96) Draw a circle, up, in, down, out,
three times, then a reverse circle three times.
4–95
4–96 4–97A 4–97B
4 Push the arms out diagonally at a 45° angle, with a flicking movement. Straighten
the arms, palms up. (Figs. 4–97A, 97B) Turn the palms to face each other, curl
in the wrists so the ring fingers point to one another. Close the arms to connect
the ring fingers in front of the body. The Tiger Mouth should be a little below the
shoulders. (Fig. 4–98) Draw the hands back, ring fingers to between tanzhong and
yutang energy points. (Fig. 4–99) Raise your ring fingers to the Adam’s apple, upper
arms horizontal. (Fig. 4–100)
4–98 4–99 4–100
5 Open the upper arms back a little. The forearms lead the lungs mudra to open along
the collarbone. Open the chest. Bend the wrists, the tips of ring fingers go to yunmen
energy point in front of the shoulders. (Fig. 4–101) Press yunmen energy point. The
shoulders lead the elbows, which lead the wrists and palms, to draw a circle, elbows
turning back, down, forward, up. Turn four circles. As you turn the first circle say
‘sang’. With the second circle say ‘si’, then take a short sudden inward breath. During
the third circle say ‘song’. With the fourth circle, breathe in naturally. Repeat this
sequence. Then draw the four circles in the reverse direction and repeat the sequence,
doing it twice also. Open the Lungs Mudras. Lower your upper arms down by the
ribs, hands and forearms past the front of the chest to sit naturally [at duqi level but
towards the sides]. Turn palms up. (Fig. 4–102)
4–101 4–102

When the ring fingers draw a circle at the top of the lungs, the upper arms shouldn’t
lower and the shoulders should be relaxed. The mind needs to think of the fingers and
palms connected with the outer edge of the shoulders. This is a key point to open the
joint between the shoulders and the collarbone. When qi of the shoulders and the top of
the lungs is abundant and flowing well, qi light may appear on the top of the shoulders
and around the head. In the old days these auras of the shoulders and head were called
the Three Lamps of Being.
Doing Movement Three, when the shoulder blades contract to the spine, you should
curl the wrists in and straighten the fingers up; qi moves more at the back of the arms
and you may feel sore there. In doing Movement Four, when the arms straighten out
diagonally and you curl the wrists back and turn the fingers in [to face each other] and
draw the back open at the shoulder blades, at this point qi moves more in the inner arms
and you may feel sore there.
When you breathe in and say “si”, the tip of the tongue should block the gaps between the
teeth. The breath in should be quick and short. Dantian will suddenly contract and feel
strong. This is an effective way to increase lower dantian qi. When you say “song” you need
to concentrate the mind in the region of shenzhu energy point, with the mind guiding
the body to relax. When you practice this section you should visualise the emotion of a
sorrowful and compassionate heart, so as to increase the lungs’ function of drawing in qi.
Benefits
Practice of this section improves the lungs’ function at the levels of xing, qi and shen,
and merges lungs qi with Hunyuan Palace. In particular, breathing in saying “si” quickly
makes lung qi strong, and improves the connections and transformations between inner
organs hunyuan qi and body hunyuan qi. This makes qi plentiful throughout the body.
Brief summary of the five organs sections

These five preceding sections practise body, qi and shen of the five inner organs. They
start with the heart because the heart governs shen. Practice of the five inner organs
must first practice shen, but the practice ends with the lungs because the lungs govern
qi and mobilise qi throughout the whole body. The first and the last of these sections
practise shen and qi together.
The first is the heart and the second is the kidneys. In the old days, putting these two
together was described as “combining water and fire to create a balance”. The last two
sections practice the livers and lungs. In the old days this was called “combining one’s
true nature (xing) with one’s emotions (qing)”. The pancreas is placed in the middle of
the five sections; it manifests the central location and centred mind state. This explains
the sequence of the practice of the five inner organs.
Section Ten: Crane Walks to Exercise Gracefully

You You He Bu Yun Xing Qu
[The name of this section describes the state of the crane walking along; it is a very
relaxed, natural, peaceful and quiet state.]
The final four sections practice body and qi to connect and unify body hunyuan qi and
inner organs hunyuan qi.
1 Move weight to the right leg, lift the left leg from the knee, then push the left foot
and leg forward. (Fig. 4–103, 4–104) Straighten the leg, point the tip of the foot
down. Lower the left leg; first lower the tip of the toes to the ground, then the whole
foot. Move your weight to the left leg. Lift the right heel, push your arms forward at
shoulder width with palms up. (Fig. 4–105) Lean your body forward, open your arms
out, raise and straighten your right leg with the tip of the foot pointed back, until the
upper body and the right leg almost form a horizontal line. As you do this, open your
arms out into a line, gradually turning the palms to face down. Head up, open the
chest. Hollow the lower back down to keep your balance. (Fig. 4–106)
4–103 4–104
4–105 4–106
2 Your arms continue opening to the back. Using your hip and knee, draw the right leg
forward with the centre of the foot facing upwards. Slowly raise your upper body as
your hands go forward beside the hips. (Fig. 4–107) Raise the body totally, your thigh
and calf almost forming a right angle. Relax the ankle. Your hands continue forward
and up to beside the ribs with palms upward. (Fig. 4–108)
4–107 4–108
3 Push the right foot and leg forward as you push the hands forward. When the leg is
straight, point the tip of the foot down. Slowly lower the right leg, first the tip to the
ground then all the toes. Move the weight from left foot to right foot, lift the left heel.
Push your arms forward to shoulder level, palms facing up. Lean the body forward,
open the arms out, raise the left leg and extend back. The tip of the left foot points
back. The body is almost horizontal. Open the arms out into a line and at the same
time turn your palms down. Head up, tuck your chin in, open the chest. Hollow your
back to keep your balance.
4 The hands continue opening back. At the same time, using the hip and knee, draw the
left leg forward with the centre of the foot facing upwards. Slowly raise your upper
body as the hands go forward beside the hips. Raise the body totally, your thigh and
calf almost at 90˚. Relax the ankle. Your hands continue forward and up to beside the
ribs with palms upward. Lower the left foot beside the right foot.
Repeat the above movements 1–4.

This section mainly uses the mind to mobilise the body and qi. It is based on the state of
a crane walking in shallow water, so when you practice it the mind must be very quiet.
When you open the wings you need to be aware of the middle fingers. When you draw
the knee forward you must contract the lower back and buttocks. When you push the
leg forward, you must flick it gently from inside to express the qualities of the movement
– supple, graceful and very airy, yet strong. The arm movements should spread out
very naturally, wings outstretched. This manifests the peaceful state of the crane. This
movement can be done repeatedly.
Benefits
This section increases the shen’s ability to control and mobilise the body and qi. It not
only can make the body healthy and beautiful but also is a good way to integrate the
mind in the body.
Section Eleven: Shake Plumes with a Quiet Heart, the Four Limbs Follow
Dou Ling Xin Ning Si Mo Qi
1 The arms hang down naturally. Relax the whole body, body centred and upright. Lift
baihui up, relax waist and hips, weilu down. Rotate the pelvic bones in small arcs, one
side going forward as the other goes backward. The upper body and the four limbs
follow in a shaking movement. Relax the feet, don’t move them. (Fig. 4–109) Shake
for two or three minutes then stop.
4–109
2 Arms hanging down, turn the palms back with the arms straight. The elbows lead the
wrists to suddenly push forward 15°. The back of the palms pushes forward, the wrists
are bent inward with the fingertips backward. (Fig. 4–110) Suddenly pull the arms back
to the sides of the body, fingers flexed up and palms down. (Fig. 4–111) Do three times.
3 Keep the arms straight and palms flexed up. Body centred, raise the heels in three
movements, to as high as possible. Move the weight to the front of the feet and the
toes. (Fig. 4–112) Relax the feet, move the weight back, lower the heels suddenly but
naturally to the ground. Repeat three times.
4–110 4–111 4–112

You must lead from the hips to shake the whole body, not from the arms. A key point is
to relax the lower back and shoulders while doing this movement. Don’t move left and
right from the buttocks. The hips lead the abdomen, ribs, chest, then the upper arms, to
shake. In addition, the legs are relaxed; the pubic bone also leads the movement of the
lower limbs. When you shake the entire body, it should be relaxed with the mind quiet
and illuminating throughout the body.
Movement Two requires quick movement that uses inner force. Push forward with force
from the back of the lower arms and wrists. Pull back forcefully from the base of the
palms and the inner wrists.
When in Movement Three you lift the body up and raise the heels, you should lift from
baihui to raise the whole body. Once up, curl the toes and stay there a little. Then relax
from baihui, relax the toes, move the weight backwards and the body will lower to the
ground naturally. When done like this a very strong vibration will go up into the head.
Benefits
The vibration in this section can directly mobilise dantian hunyuan qi to fill up the whole
body. The movement leads from the sides of the hips. Because the hips connect with the
ribs and lead their movement, this can lower inner organs qi from Hunyuan Palace to lower
dantian, thus increasing body hunyuan qi. If Hunyuan Palace qi is not plentiful, when you
shake you will feel pain in the ribs or in Hunyuan Palace and you will sense the lack of
Hunyuan Palace qi. Practice of this section can not only mobilise hunyuan qi throughout
the whole body but also can merge the qi of lower dantian and Hunyuan Palace. The use of
an inner qi force to push the arms, and raising and lowering the heels to vibrate the whole
body, can balance the entire body qi and lead qi to penetrate at a deeper level.
Section Twelve: Move Freely Up and Down, Mind Illuminate from

Top of Head
Xiao Yao Qi Luo Shen Guan Ding
1 Relax the wrists, turn palms inward; close the hands to in front of the lower abdomen,
palms facing up. Connect the tips of the middle fingers, raise to Hunyuan Palace. At
the same time, move your weight to the right leg. Raise the left leg and foot so only
the 4th and 5th toes touch the ground. (Fig. 4–113)
2 Raise your palms up to xuanji energy point at the front of the chest. Turn the fingers
forward, close the sides of the little fingers, continue raising up to in front of the face.
Continue raising while you separate the palms and turn the fingers out, back and
then inwards, until your hands are above the head and the arms almost straight. The
palms face up and the fingers face each other to form Tuo Tian Palms (Fig. 4–114)
4–113 4–114
3 Lower the arms down to the sides into a line. (Fig. 4–115) Palms facing down,
continuously lower the arms, squat down until the arms form a 15° angle with the
body. The thumbs and middle fingers form Crane Mouth Power (He Zui Jing) (also
called Nian Hua Zhi or Hold Flower Fingers). (Figs. 4–116 and 4–117) Raise your
arms from the sides, the legs follow to raise up slowly. Arms into a line, open the
mudra with your palms facing downwards. (Fig. 4–115) Do this lowering and raising
three times. The fourth time, lower the left foot to the ground.
4 Close and raise your hands to in front of the lower abdomen, palms facing up. Connect
the middle fingers and raise your hands up while raising the body, feet together. Then
raise the hands to Hunyuan Palace. Lift your right heel up with only the 4th and 5th
toes touching the ground.
5 Raise your palms to xuanji energy point. Turn your fingers forward, the sides of the
little fingers closed. Continue raising to in front of the face, then keep on raising while
you separate your palms and turn your fingers out, back, inward until the hands are
above the head and the arms almost straight. Your palms are facing upward and the
tips of the fingers face each other, forming Tuo Tian Palms.
6 Lower the arms to the sides into a line, palms facing down. Continue to lower the
arms; the legs follow; squat down until your arms and body form a 15° angle. Form
He Zui Jing with thumbs and middle fingers. Raise your arms from the sides; your
legs follow; rise up slowly, stand up. Arms into a line, open He Zui Jing, your palms
facing downward. Lower and raise the body three times. Lower a fourth time and
lower your right foot to the ground. Close and raise your palms in front of the lower
abdomen, the palms facing up. Connect the middle fingers and raise them; the legs
follow the arms to rise at the same time and straighten the body.
4–115 4–116 4–117

When the 4th and 5th toes touch the ground, don’t use force but hold the leg up gently
from the knee. The knee doesn’t open out, as that would prevent qi rising.
Movements Two and Five are called Palms Push the Heavenly Gate. This movement should
be done in a continuous manner. When the hands push above the head you need to close
your eyes and observe the blue sky from the gap between the tips of the middle fingers.
The raising and lowering movements in Three and Six should be done freely and naturally.
When you lower the arms, the shoulders and elbows should go down first, then the wrists
and palms with the wrists flexed back naturally. When you raise up the arms, relax the
elbows and wrists; don’t hold the arms rigid and straight. When the body follows to rise
up, don’t use force to push up from the legs. Instead, use baihui to lift up, tuck in the chin,
and also lift from the base of the ears to pull dazhui, leading the whole body up then down.
‘Shen Guan Ding’ of the section name – Shen Illuminate from Top of Head – refers to this.
At the same time, the mind must focus on He Zui Jing (Crane Mouth Power).
Benefits
The purpose of this section is to return the entire body hunyuan qi to the centre [from
baihui to huiyin] so as to mobilise the hunyuan qi of lower and middle dantian to nourish
upper dantian. The movement of the four limbs also has this purpose.
Section Thirteen: Heaven And Earth Qi Return To Hunyuan

Hunyuan Yi Qi Lian Tian Di
1 Raise the hands to Hunyuan Palace; overlap the hands with the left on the right.
The tips of the thumbs just connect. In the old days this mudra was called Ding
Yin. (Fig. 4–118) Raise the hands to tanzhong, turn palms inward up to in front of
the forehead. Turn palms out to above the forehead. (Fig. 4–119) Open the hands,
lower to the sides into a line. Palms facing down, lower to the level of the hips. Draw
hands to in front of the lower abdomen. Overlap the hands into Ding Yin. Do this
movement three times. The last time the hands overlap, don’t form Ding Yin but
form Shuang Huan Ding Yin (Two Circles Ding Yin). (The thumbs and index fingers
make circles [as in Section One, Ding Tian Li Di Palms] and the tips of the thumbs
connect.) Then raise to Hunyuan Palace.
4–118 4–119
2 Turn the left hand over to face the right palm. The elbows lead the arms to open
out to the sides with the centres of the palms facing one another and connected.
Continue until the arms form a line and the palms face down. Continue to raise the
arms while the palms turn up and draw an arc. Cross the wrists above the forehead
and lower down, right hand in front of left hand. Continue to lower to in front of the
forehead, left palm facing towards the right and right palm facing downwards. (Fig.
4–120) Lower the hands along the middle line of the body to Hunyuan Palace, into
Ding Tian Li Di Palms. (Fig. 4–121) Turn right palm to face upwards, lower left hand
so the palm faces the right palm. The elbows lead the palms to open to the sides. Do
the movement sequence three times.
3 Open the mudra. Place your left hand on the right hand. Draw the hands out until the
middle fingers press on the base of the ring fingers, then curl the fingers into Hunyuan
Hands. (Fig. 4–122) Body centred and upright, breathe in naturally. As you breathe
out say ‘qing’. Do this five times. Separate hands to the sides to end the practice.
4–120 4–121 4–122

In Movement One, when you raise Ding Yin hands, don’t connect the thumbs with
pressure. At the same time, be aware of the connecting point of the tips of the thumbs.
When the palms open out from above the forehead, open your eyes and watch the
movement of the hands as you lower and raise them past the front of the body. When
you raise the hands, pay particular attention to their movement and posture. Do the
same when you do Movement Two. When the hands go in front of the forehead, pay
particular attention to their movements and posture. If necessary, lean your head back
a little but not too much or it will affect the flow of qi. Saying ‘qing’ can draw qi back to
Hunyuan Palace.
Benefits
This section can make qi flow well and return to Hunyuan Palace.
Return Inner Organs Pure Qi to Hunyuan Method

Zang Zhen Gui Yuan Fa
Place feet together, body centred and upright. Look straight forward, draw the vision
back, close the eyes gently. Press the tip of the tongue between the middle of the front
teeth. Relax the whole body. (Fig. 4–123) Raise the palms, fingertips forward, centres
of palms facing downwards. Press palms down, toes flexed up. Press down and raise up
three times. (Fig. 4–124) Palms and knees draw a circle at the same time, front, out, back,
in, three times. Do the reverse circle three times. The circle must be small, even and slow.
(Fig. 4–125) Relax the wrists, turn the palms, hold qi, raise up from the front to duqi
level. Draw the centres of the palms in a little to face duqi. Draw the hands back, send qi
to lower dantian. (Fig. 4–126)
4–123 4–124 4–125 4–126
Close the hands to near duqi, turn palms up, connect tips of middle fingers. Form
Hunyuan Zhi Huan (Hunyuan Finger Circle) [as in Sections One and Thirteen of Five
Hunyuan Form]. Raise to Hunyuan Palace (Fig. 4–127) Do three circular open and close
as the knees follow to draw three circles. (Move hands and knees to the front, out, back,
in.) Repeat three times in the reverse direction. (Fig. 4–128) Raise hands to xuanji energy
point. Open the mudra, lower the tips of the feet. (Fig. 4–129) Turn fingers forward. (Fig.
4–130) Push forward to shoulder height and width, fingers downward. Palms forward,
push the centres of the palms forward three times. (Fig. 4–131) Turn tips of fingers
out, up, inward; push centres of palms out three times. (Fig. 4–132) Keep pushing out
while you open the arms out into a line. Push out three times. (Fig. 4–133) Turn tips of
fingers up, back and down. Push out the centres of the palms three times. (Fig. 4–134)
Then turn tips of the fingers back, up, forward. Keep pushing, close the arms forward to
shoulder width. (Fig. 4–132)
4–127 4–128 4–129 4–130
4–131 4–132 4–133 4–134
Relax the wrists, turn the palms to face each other. Continue turning the palms to face
upward. (Fig. 4–135) Draw back the forearms to in front of the chest, close so that the
sides of the little fingers touch. Relax the shoulders, lower the elbows. (Fig. 4–136) Raise
the hands to yintang. (Figs. 4–137 and 4–138) Do three circular open and close of the
hands and knees (forward, outward, back and in). Repeat three times in the reverse
direction (out, forward, inward and back).
4–135 4–136 4–137 4–138

Open palms to the sides of the head. (Fig. 4–139) At the same time, turn fingertips back
with palms facing upward. (Fig. 4–140) Push the hands up as if holding the sky, arms
almost straight. (Fig. 4–141) Palms draw a circle forward, out, back, in, three times, then
in the reverse direction three times. Turn fingertips to face each other, push upward.
(Fig. 4–142) Connect tips of middle fingers, turn palms downward, lower to near the
top of the head. Press tips of middle fingers on the Heavenly Gate, with the backs of your
fingers touching each other. (Fig. 4–143) Turn the base of the fingers left, front, right,
back, to draw three circles. Turn the reverse direction to draw three circles. Press your
middle fingers deep into the head.

4–139 4–140 4–141 4–142 4–143
Form the Heart Mudra. (Curl in the index, ring and little fingers, press the tip of the
thumb on the line of the top joint of the middle finger.) (Figs. 4–144 and 4–145) Close
the backs of the middle fingers. Lower along dumai, press shangen energy point (Fig.
4–146) Turn the base of the palms left, up, right, down in three circles. At the same time
say “xing” three times. Repeat three times in the reverse direction.
4–144 4–145 4–146 4–147
Separate the fingers to the inner corners of the eyes. (Fig. 4–147) Press gently, draw three
circles to massage up, out, down, in. Repeat in the reverse direction three times. Close
the backs of the middle fingers to shangen energy point, lower to suliao energy point at
the tip of the nose. Press three times. (Fig. 4–148) Separate fingers to yingxiang energy
points at the sides of the nose. (Fig. 4–149) Turn three circles [and massage] up, out,
down, in. Repeat in the reverse direction three times. Close the middle fingers to the
tip of the nose with the backs touching, lower to renzhong energy point. Separate the
fingers to under the nostrils. (Fig. 4–150) Push the fingers up to against the base of the
central cartilage. Turn the fingers to rub outward nine times. Then rub from the outer
side inwards nine times.
4–148 4–149 4–150 4–151 4–152
Close the back of the middle fingers, lower along renmai to tanzhong. (Fig. 4–151) Press
the fingertips on tanzhong, rotate the base of the palms left, up, right, down, three times
while saying “xin”, then rotate in the reverse direction three times, saying “xin” three
times. Lower your hands to under the sternum. (Fig. 4–152) Press your fingertips in,
rotate the base of the palms, left, up, right, down three times while saying “xiang” three
times, then rotate in the reverse direction and say “xiang” three times.
Separate the Heart Mudra and turn it into the Kidney Mudra. Connect the tips of the
middle fingers, lower to duqi, press. (Fig. 4–153) Move the hands along the waist to
mingmen, press. (Fig. 4–154) Turn the palms out. (Fig. 4–155) Say “ei yü ying” five
times. Turn your palms inward, move the little fingers along waistline to duqi, press.
Raise your left hand to tanzhong. (Fig. 4–156) The left hand goes out and down while the
right hand goes straight up; the left hand goes in and up, the right hand out and down;
repeat this to rotate five circles in all. The last time, lower both fingers to duqi then raise
to Hunyuan Palace.
4–153 4–154 4–155 4–156

Open the Kidney Mudra, then form the Pancreas Mudra. The hands overlap with the
left hand inward and the right fingers on the back of the left hand, with the thumbs both
pressing on the base of the middle fingers of the left hand. (Figs. 4–157 and 4–158) Say
“zhong” five times. Raise your left hand past tanzhong to above the left breast, fingertips
upwards. Press yunmen energy point with the tip of the middle finger. The left elbow is
against the ribs. The right hand goes past the right ribs to the back. Press mingmen with
tip of middle finger. The right palm presses on the right side of the lower back. Massage
in three circles. (Figs. 4–159 and 4–160)
4–157 4–158 4–159 4–160
Return the hands to Hunyuan Palace, into the Pancreas Mudra. Say “zhong” five times.
(Fig. 4–157) Separate the hands; right hand goes past tanzhong to right yunmen, left
hand past left ribs to the back, press mingmen with the middle finger. Press the palm on
left side of your lower back, massage, rotate three times. (Figs. 4–161 and 4–162) Return
hands to Hunyuan.
4–161 4–162
Change the hands into the Liver Mudras. Palms inward, connect tips of the index fingers.
(Fig. 4–163) Raise the hands to the base of the sternum. Separate the hands to qimen
and riyue energy points. The tips of the index fingers point downwards. Place Tiger
Mouth against the ribs. (Fig. 4–164) Push left hand and arm forward to shoulder height,
palm upward. Bend the wrist towards you and point index finger up to the sky. Press the
thumb on the line of the top joint of the index finger. (Fig. 4–165) Focus your eyes on the
tip of the index finger. (Fig. 4–166) Say “tü, jü” five times. Lower elbow, draw left hand
back, place on left ribs. (Fig. 4–164)
4–163 4–164 4–165 4–166
Open the Liver Mudras and form the Lung Mudras. (Fig. 4–167) The upper arms are
against the ribs. Turn the palms inward. Connect the tips of the ring fingers. Raise the
hands up the body to tiantu energy point, while turning your fingertips upwards. Open
out to yunmen energy points. (Fig 4–168) Bend the wrists and raise the arms. Rotate the
palms and arms, back, down, forward, up; say “sang, si, song” twice, then repeat in the
reverse direction twice. (Fig. 4–169)
4–167 4–168 4–169

Open the Lung Mudras. Close the hands to under tiantu energy point. Form Hunyuan
Hands. (Fig. 4–170) Lower along renmai to guanyuan energy point. (Fig. 4–171) Rotate the
hands, left, forward, right, back, to draw a circle three times, then the reverse direction three
times. (Fig. 4–172) Raise the hands up along the left side of the body to in front of the left
shoulder. (Fig. 4–173)
4–170 4–171 4–172 4–173
Go past the Adam’s apple to in front of the right shoulder. (Fig. 4–174) Lower the hands
down the right side of the body and along to guanyuan. Rotate this circle three times, ending
at guanyuan energy point. Then rotate Hunyuan Hands to circle right, forward, left, back,
three times, then the reverse direction three times. Raise the hands along the right side of the
body to in front of the right shoulder. (Fig. 4–175) Hands continue past the Adam’s apple to
in front of the left shoulder. (Fig. 4–176) Lower along the left side of the body to guanyuan
energy point. Do this circle three times ending at guanyuan. Press the lower abdomen with
the left thumb, draw qi inside the body. (Fig. 4–177)
4–174 4–175 4–176 4–177

Raise Hunyuan Hands to yintang. (Fig. 4–178) Draw an arc forward, down, in just below
duqi, up to xuanji. (Fig. 4–179) Go forward, down and in to a little above duqi, then raise
to just under the sternum. Go forward, down and in to Hunyuan Palace. (Fig. 4–180) Say
“qing – he li” five times. Lower Hunyuan Hands to guanyuan. (Fig. 4–181)
4–178 4–179 4–180 4–181

Press the left thumb on guanyuan, send qi inside. Gather and nourish qi quietly. Separate
your hands to the sides. Open the eyes slowly. End the practice. (Fig. 4–182)
4–182
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER FOUR
Five Hunyuan Form contains a wide range of elements and material

Five Hunyuan Form is the Third Level of Zhineng Dynamic Methods. The practice is
the most complete and the content the most complex of the Zhineng Qigong methods.
The practice includes using the mind to mobilise qi to practice external hunyuan, using
movement to mobilise qi to practice body mind hunyuan, and using sound to practice
inner organs pure hunyuan qi.
Benefits of Five Hunyuan Form:

• It opens the pathways between human and nature.
• It improves the transformation between body hunyuan qi and inner organs hunyuan
qi.
• It makes inner organs qi transform more easily and also increases the ability of the
mind to control inner organs qi.
The main requirements of the practice are that the body should be relaxed, the mind
focussed, the posture correct, the mudra natural-feeling and relaxed, the sounds clear
and pure.
The important elements of Five Hunyuan Form are the use of sound and of mudra to
mobilise qi
When we practise we must hold the mudra correctly and ensure the sounds are said
correctly. In particular, be aware in your practice of the importance of using the mudra
to press on an energy point, along with the use of sound. When you press the energy
point, your mind needs to penetrate deep inside and experience inner change while
you say the sound. Initially you should practice saying the sounds independently of
the method itself. When you first practice the sounds, don’t combine this with the
movements or the mudra. Initially say the sounds out loud. Once the sound itself is
relatively correct in terms of the form of the mouth and the pronunciation, you should
recite it silently, ensuring you maintain the correct form of the mouth but without any
sound. The third stage is use of the mind to visualise the sound. You should combine
sound and movement once you have reached the second level of reciting silently. After
you are skilled in combining sound and movement, practice aloud again. After a period
of time doing this practice, you can use the mind to recite during practice.
When you say the third sound of each organ, you need to use the mind actively to
think about the meaning and effect of the word, so as to activate its effectiveness. At the
same time, consciously mobilise and visualise the particular emotion, and create the
appropriate state for that organ.
Practitioners should develop awareness of the opening and closing, gathering and dispersing
of qi in Hunyuan Palace
Hunyuan Palace is a subtle and profound palace in traditional qigong, used for combined
shen and qi practice. Zhineng Qigong also uses this place to merge shen and qi. So
the experience of Hunyuan Palace is a very important practice. You should not only
experience Hunyuan Palace during practice of the method but also experience it in
daily life through reciting “ling”. First experience the place of the vibration when you
say “ling”, then experience that inside that place is empty with no boundaries, very even,
with no form. Following this, you should mobilise external qi to open, close, gather and
disperse in Hunyuan Palace. Carefully feel how the qi goes in and out. If your mind can
connect really well with the qi, you can directly arrive at a high level.
In addition, you should experience the state of the five inner organs pure qi merging
in Hunyuan Palace. When one first practices Five Hunyuan Form one can also use the
mind to mobilise qi to open, close, gather and disperse in Hunyuan Palace. This is an
excellent way to gather and supplement qi. It can reduce qigong reactions coming out of
the practice, most notably those that come from the clearance of illness from the body.
Practice of Five Hunyuan Form without first doing Levels One and Two
One can directly practice Level Three Five Hunyuan Form, but most people cannot get
the expected benefits. Of course, some people with very good body and mind quality
can gain appreciable benefits because the practice of Five Hunyuan Form can mobilise
different levels of qi. People whose qi is too weak will find the practice tires them, but for
some robust people the direct practice of Five Hunyuan Form can speed up the process
of improvement. The practice of Zhineng Qigong can start from any level but it is more
appropriate to begin with Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down, and practicing external hunyuan is
more appropriate.
The first three levels of Zhineng dynamic methods contain a lot of movement to
combine changes of posture, the mind and qi. On the one hand, all the postures work
very effectively to increase qi and help it flow well; on the other hand the movement of
the body can draw the mind to focus on the body, which helps the monkey mind be
focussed and quiet. This brings body, shen, qi and mind to merge together towards a
higher level.
Xin xiang shi cheng
Xin means heart and mind

Xiang means think or send information
Shi means things or events
Cheng means successful
Together these mean that whatever one thinks

is what will happen. This meaning is hidden inside
Hun yuan ling tong.
Chapter Five
Zhineng Static Methods and Simple Methods
Zhineng static methods are made up of standing, sitting and lying postures. They all
begin with very simple movement to adjust the body, adjust posture to mobilise qi, then
the posture becomes static, only using pure mind activity to practice. Static methods
practice mainly refers to methods that use the mind to practice in a static body.
Three Centres Merge Standing Form

San Xin Bing Zhan Zhuang
Three Centres Standing Form is a foundation method of Zhineng Qigong. It is largely a

static practice but with some dynamic aspects; the opening and closing are dynamic but
the main practice is static.
Movement and Posture Requirements

Phrases important for the practice:
• Close the seven sensory organs; the nose connects with the sky.
• Step qi, hands beside the energy point [the navel] to gather qi.
• Three centres gather qi to merge where the mind stays.
• The body is light, qi flowing well, a smile on the face.
Preparation
1 Place feet together, body centred and upright, hands hanging down naturally. Look
straight forward to the horizon. Draw the vision back, close your eyes gently, close
the mouth gently. Use the nose to breathe naturally. With your mind, connect your
nose to tongtian energy points. (These are a half cun in front of baihui and one
and a half cun out from the centerline, i.e. about 1.5 cm and 4.5 cm for the average
person.) (Fig. 5–1)
2 Step qi: without moving your heels, open the tips of your feet out 90°. Move your
weight to the tips of the feet, open the heels out along the ground 90°. This movement
makes qi go through the yang channels of the outer legs, while the three inner channels
are relaxed. This makes yang channels’ qi flow down and yin channels’ qi flow up. In
the old days this movement was called stepping qi. [The angle of the feet was altered
at a later date. For beginners, the distance between the tips of your feet should be a
little narrower than the distance between your heels. The more your sacroiliac joints
are opened, the more you can angle your feet.]
C HA P T E R F I V E : Z H I N E N G STAT IC M E T HO D S A N D SI M P L E M E T HO D S 167
3 Opening: the hands’ movements and the mind activity are the same as the opening
of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down, until reaching Heshi Hands in front of the chest. (Fig.
5–2 to Fig. 5–9)
5–1 5–2 5–3
5–4 5–5 5–6
5–7 5–8 5–9

Adjusting the Posture in Three Centres Standing Form

1 Open the base of the palms, lower the hands to in front of duqi. Hold a qi half-ball
between the hands. Separate the fingers but keep them nearly connected. Bend the
knees, squat down, knees not past the tips of the feet. Hollow the hip joints backwards,
mingmen backwards, sitting but not sitting. (Figs. 5–10, 5–11) How high or low one
stands depends on the state of the practitioner’s body [depending on how it feels for
the practitioner]. A beginner should practice for about half an hour, but the longer
the better.
5–10 5–11
2 Detailed requirements of the posture: The head should be centred and lifted up as if
hanging in space. The eyelids close down and base of the eyes up; the vision and the
mind together draw in. The tip of the tongue touches the upper palate. Open yintang.
Relax the cheeks, smiling but not smiling. Draw the chest in lightly; at the same time
open it a little and relax the centre of the chest. Draw up the upper back from dazhui
to baihui to straighten the spine. At the same time, relax and lower the shoulder
blades. The purpose of drawing in the chest and pulling up the upper body is to open
the chest cavity and relax the chest and upper back. Relax the shoulders, hollow the
armpits. The elbows are dropped down and suspended up. The wrists have shenmen
opened, so the outer front of the wrist is opened out and the wrist flexed back very
slightly. Slightly draw in the centres of the palms, stretch the fingers out gently.
Relax the lower back, including the lumbar vertebrae, ligaments and muscles. The
lower back should go backwards or be straight. Relax the hips, including the hip and
sacroiliac joints. Weilu hangs down to point towards the ground. If one draws an
equilateral triangle from the heels back to a point behind the feet, weilu should point
to the centre of the triangle. Close huiyin up. Relax the knees, bend them and turn
them inward slightly. The kneecaps should be drawn up slightly. Relax the ankles,
soles of the feet evenly on the ground.
Closing
Lift baihui, stand up slowly. Close the feet, stepping on qi. Turn the fingertips up, close
the palms and raise in front of the chest into Heshi Hands. Raise to above the head; think
you raise the palms to the top of the sky. Turn the palms forward, lower from the void to
shoulder height; turn the palms up, close forward along the horizon to shoulder width.
Draw the palms and arms in a little; mirror yintang with the tips of the middle fingers.
Lower the elbows, draw the arms back. Press dabao with the tips of the middle fingers,
send qi to middle dantian. Push the hands back; open the arms out to the sides; turn the
palms forward, draw qi to the front, overlap the palms on duqi. Men place the left hand
on duqi, women the right. (Figs. 5–12 to 5–15)
Massage the abdomen anticlockwise nine circles then clockwise nine circles. Gather and
nourish qi quietly for a while. Separate the hands to the sides, open the eyes slowly.
5–12 5–13 5–14 5–15
Mind Activity
When practicing this method, one mainly keeps one’s awareness in lower dantian. This
is done by gathering the mind from the whole body, everywhere, to lower dantian. Go
from the centre of the head down, from the centres of the feet up, from the centres
of the hands inward, together merging into lower dantian. Beginners should think of
going from each one of these after another, to merge in lower dantian; after merging in
lower dantian, one needs to relax and quiet the mind. When the mind strays from lower
dantian, one should again merge into lower dantian from the three centres.
Benefits
Practice of this method will quickly mobilise inner qi to strengthen the body. Some
people will almost immediately have reactions, such as the body shaking or vibrating,
feeling hot, feeling that a force between their hands means they cannot open or close
them, etc. The standing form is not only good for patients to practice but also is a
foundation gong for martial arts practitioners. It’s a shortcut for relaxing and opening
the lower back, sacroiliac joints and weilu. During practice, gentle shaking or vibration
are manifestations of the body relaxing and are different from spontaneous movement
methods. If one’s posture is correct one will not develop spontaneous movements, but
one must know to avoid concentrating on any shaking or vibration, otherwise the mind
may intensify the movements, which will cause spontaneous movement.
How to Practice Three Centres Standing Form Well

Understand and practice the phrases correctly
Use the phrases to adjust the mind state and take yourself into a good practice state. This
state should be maintained throughout the practice. The phrases are:
• Close the seven sensory organs, nose connected with the sky.
• Step qi, hands beside the energy point [the navel] to gather qi.
• Three centres gather qi to merge where the mind stays.
• The body is light, qi flowing well, a smile on the face.
• From the centre of the head down to dantian;
• From the centres of the hands in to dantian;
• From the centres of the feet up to dantian;
• Three centres merge in lower dantian.
When you start the practice, you need the body centred and upright, the whole body
relaxed. Look straight forward to the horizon. Close the eyes gently, draw the vision evenly
back. Look inside and hear inside. Eyes, ears, nose, mouth follow the mind to focus inside.
Draw the vision back to the intersection down from baihui and in from yintang. The ears
don’t hear outside sound but hear, look at and feel changes in this meeting place. The tip of
the tongue touches the upper palate. Close the teeth and the lips lightly. How does the nose
turn inwards? Use your mind to go from the nose to huiyin, then from huiyin past weilu
and through the spine to the head. Then draw the eyes, ears and tongue together to tongtian
energy points and from there go out like two antennae, connect above the head then draw
back down into it. This can draw shen into the head and make qi and blood abundant. This
is the meaning of ‘close the seven sensory organs, nose connected with the sky’.
Step qi refers to the feet stepping qi to separate to shoulder width, heels a little wider than
the front of the feet. Placing the feet like this can make qi descend the yang channels on
the outer legs and come up the yin channels on the inner legs. This makes the legs’ qi
plentiful and free-flowing. It also connects qi of the head and feet to move through the
whole body and form an entirety balance.
Our hands are at the middle of the body, like a ball on the navel, to make it easy to gather
qi. Zhineng Qigong mainly works on middle and upper dantian but because we already
form an ordinary jing, qi, shen balance in daily life, if we overlook lower dantian and
only practice middle and upper dantian, lower dantian qi cannot retain jing (essence).
So initially we place our palms at duqi, connect the head and feet, and use the mind to
gather qi from the head, hands and feet, and from all directions, into lower dantian.
Qi merges in lower dantian from three directions. Generally speaking, one should start
from the centre of the head to merge to lower dantian. One thinks of the top of the head,
then directly thinks of inside lower dantian, like a torch shining down. Don’t think about
the particular route the qi takes; doing this can cause problems. In other words, when we
practice qigong we only focus on the mind and pay no attention to qi. Done like this, one
can gather pure hunyuan qi and not impure acquired qi.
When one merges into lower dantian from the centres of the palms, beginners can
draw in the centres of the palms and then quickly think inside lower dantian. This can
integrate mind and body qi through the arms to come directly into lower dantian. Don’t
use your mind to go from the space between the palms and duqi into lower dantian. [Use
your mind to go through the arms directly to duqi.] Beginners can think one hand and
then the other. Once experienced in the practice, one can think from the centres of both
hands together to lower dantian.
‘From the centres of the feet’ is the same as with the hands. Once familiar with the
practice, extend out from the centre of the head, hands and feet to the infinite void. Draw
qi from the infinite void through to lower dantian.
Dantian is located in the space between duqi and mingmen. When we practice Three
Centres Merge Form we keep the mind in lower dantian and draw outside qi in to it.
When one’s posture is correct, the qi flowing well with no distracting thoughts, aware of
lower dantian, the body will feel comfortable and the heart will be happy, with a smile
coming naturally to the face. This is the meaning of the fourth phrase: ‘The body is light,
qi flowing well, a smile on the face’.
There are three ways to merge from the three centres to lower dantian. One is internal
hunyuan, merging into lower dantian directly from the three centres. The second is
using external hunyuan. Think that a qi column from the qi centres extends far away to
infinite space, then from that space go through the five qi columns and merge into lower
dantian. The third way is to use one’s breathing. Breathe in from the three centres and
merge to lower dantian, breathe out from lower dantian to the three centres. This can be
combined with either of the first two ways.
At different levels of practice, one’s position is different. When we start to practice
Five Hunyuan Form, the three centres should merge into Hunyuan Palace. When
we practice the middle channel (Level Four) the three centres should merge into the
centre of the brain.
Correct Posture is the foundation for practicing Three Centres Merge Form well
The most important aspect of the posture requirements is the adjustment of the lower
back and weilu. We cover it in detail again here.
• Relax and open the lower back. Relax and open the lumbar vertebrae, the tendons,
ligaments, muscles and the area of the lower back. Lift baihui up and hang weilu
down to stretch and open the lower back. At the same time, gently push back from
inside lower dantian. Don’t contract the abdomen. Generally speaking, if one’s lower
dantian qi is abundant, one is strong and one’s lower back is straight. If lower dantian
qi is weak, the body is also weak and the lower back goes forward more because
it lacks qi to support the spine and thus cannot keep the body straight. So if our
practice makes lower dantian qi abundant, the back will naturally become straight.
Three Centres Merge Standing Form is a good way to relax and open the lower back.
Wall squats can be used in conjunction with it as an auxiliary way to do this. The tips
of the feet close to the wall, place the feet together, relax the lower back backward,
draw in the chest, squat down as low as possible. Lift from baihui, raise the body up.
Qigong practice should relax and open the lower back so that the whole body qi flows
well. If the lower back cannot be relaxed and opened, the body’s yang qi will rise too
much and lower too little. This can lead to high blood pressure, cerebral haemorrhage,
hemiplegia, etc. Innate qi is housed inside the lower back; this qi supports and
nourishes the whole body. [This is the qi inherited from one’s parents at the moment
of conception plus that coming from the mother during pregnancy. After birth, it
continues to increase through the transformation of acquired qi.] In addition, the
lower back is the main support for our entire body weight. So relaxing and opening
the lower back is a very important aspect of Three Centres Merge Standing Form.
• Relaxing weilu is another important requirement in Three Centres Merge Standing
Form. Ordinary people who don’t practice qigong have several curves in their spine;
the cervical vertebrae curl forward, the chest backward, the lower back curls forward,
the sacrum backward, the tailbone forward and the tip of the tailbone backward.
Weak people have inadequate lower dantian qi. Consequently their lower back goes
forward more, because they lack the lower dantian qi needed to support their body
and keep their balance. Practice of Three Centres Merge can correct abnormal curves
and make the qi flow well and the body be strong.
Weilu needs to hang down. Separate the feet to shoulder width, heels a little wider
apart than the front of the feet. Weilu points to the centre of an equidistant triangle
drawn back from between the heels. Beginners practicing the Standing Form can
stand quite high. If the tip of weilu points to the centre of the triangle, their buttocks
may curl back. Once the lower back is thoroughly relaxed and is able to move
backwards, the buttocks will no longer curl back. Draw the hip joints back and sit
without sitting. This allows the whole body to relax down.
If the lower back isn’t relaxed and opened, it is difficult to point weilu down as
required. At the same time, one also needs to open the sacroiliac joints. Turning
the feet inward makes the hip joints rotate out at the back. This posture transmits qi
and inner force to open the sacroiliac joints. Section Seven of Body Mind Form also
has this effect. Weilu cannot be moved unless the sacroiliac joints are relaxed and
opened. Here again, the lower back and weilu are very important in the Standing
Form.
Those who wish to do the Standing Form correctly need to resolve two contradictions.
• You must push back the lower back but not contract the muscles of the lower abdomen.
• The hip joints go back and weilu points to the centre of the triangle, but the buttocks
aren’t curled back. The solution to these contradictions is to lift baihui up with weilu
hanging down, and to stretch the spine from the top and the bottom to make it
straight. Use lower dantian qi to push the lower back to go backwards and relax.
Move the buttocks backwards a little, hollow the hips, lengthen the spine. Contract
and lift up the anus while weilu points down, to avoid qi descending too much and
causing varicose veins or a hernia.
Four Steps for Relaxing and Opening Weilu for Standing Forms
The movement of weilu can mobilise the yang qi of the entire body. If weilu is not relaxed
and well opened its qi cannot flow fully and freely. There is an energy point between the
tailbone and the sacrum called yaoshu. It is the place where qi is transmitted from the
upper body to the lower body. That’s one reason we open weilu. All the Masters said one
cannot open the lower back and sacroiliac joints if one overlooks weilu. The four steps
for opening weilu are described below.
• Hang down weilu
As described above, in Three Centres Merge Standing Form weilu hangs down when
one is sitting but not sitting. The key point in placing weilu correctly is whether the
tip of weilu points down to the centre of the triangle. For beginners, because they
lower the body only a little, weilu connects with the centre of the triangle at an angle.
Gradually as one squats lower and lower, the line from weilu comes closer and closer
to vertical. Once it is vertical, begin to practice the second step.
• Open the buttocks, feet parallel at shoulder width. Keep the upper body stable, turn
the knees inward slightly. Relax the inner hips and at the same time turn the inner hip
joints inwards and push out from inside. The force from this will naturally transmit
to the sacroiliac joints and open them. The buttocks go back but are not curled up.
Ordinary people cannot move their sacroiliac joints except in late pregnancy. Once
one can move the sacroiliac joints, begin practice of the third step.
• Curl weilu
As the sacroiliac joints open well and one squats lower and lower, weilu will no longer
point vertically down to the central point of the triangle. It will naturally point further
forward until eventually it points to the centre of the line that runs between the heels.
When the thighs are parallel with the ground one can begin practice of the fourth step.
• Rotate weilu or Weilu draw a circle
Open the tips of the feet a little wider than the heels. Push hands straight forward
or to the sides into a line. First weilu draws an arc forwards and backwards. After a
period of practice, change to drawing an arc to the left and right. The third stage is
to draw a circle with weilu. This differs from Section Six of Body Mind Form: Turn
Waist Swirl Hips uses inner strength to push the body and rotate the whole pubic
bone. However, in this practice dantian qi is moving but the rotation is only in weilu.
In the old days practitioners used the analogy of a clock weight to describe this. This
shows the importance of weilu in olden day practice, and it was also a secret.
This step is the practice that follows opening the sacroiliac joints and lower back.
Weilu moves very freely and qi flows well with no blockage anywhere in the body,
unifying as one. The mind merges into qi and the body, to become an entirety. This is
totally different from only using the mind to mobilise qi.
SITTING AND LYING METHODS
Natural Sitting Method

The name of this method shows that one sits naturally and thinks nothing. Previously
this was known as Sitting Stupidly and Quietly Waiting. It’s a foundation Zhineng
Qigong sitting method.
Posture
Any seated posture can be used. Relax the whole body, the head naturally relaxed
forward and down. Close the teeth and mouth. The tongue is in its natural position; you
can touch the upper palate or the gap between the teeth. Tuck in the chest slightly. The
back goes backward a little, relaxed naturally. You can form Hunyuan Hands or can leave
them in a natural posture.
Mind activity
Connect the mind with the void; think nothing. But don’t send all the mind out, put
part of it in Hunyuan Palace. Inside Hunyuan Palace is empty; from Hunyuan Palace,
connect with the void. Go out like a kite from Hunyuan Palace. This means the mind
connects with the void, thinking nothing but not forgetting Hunyuan Palace. Hunyuan
Palace is the centre of the void.
Benefits
This method was at the highest level of practice in traditional qigong. It is a very safe
practice. Good quality practitioners can directly reach the source [i.e. realise the true self
and original hunyuan qi]. They will then experience the empty, endless, infinite, very
pure, very even state of Hunyuan Palace. If they can keep their mind stable, they can
experience external void hunyuan qi come into Hunyuan Palace. If they can use their
mind actively to draw external hunyuan qi in to merge with the shen and qi of Hunyuan
Palace, they can directly achieve a high level.
Generally speaking, if you relax the body and quiet the mind, inner qi will naturally
start to flow well and become plentiful. Before long there will be a snoring sound from
the throat as if sleeping, but the mind and heart are not asleep. At the moment that you
become aware of this sound, your mind is also in a state of awareness. Instantly focus
your mind on the aware state and stay in it. Olden day people said, “Respectfully hold
that state, don’t lose it.” In this way we can improve our gongfu level.
Most people are unable to capture this state but they can still benefit from it. Practice
over a period of time will make inner qi abundant, and the upper body and head will
naturally become upright. Following this change one should sit straight and can then
begin the practice of the Hunyuan Sitting Method.
Closing
Use your mind to send instructions to yourself: “End the practice, end the practice”.
Observe inside the whole body, everywhere. After this, slowly open your eyes and finish
the practice.
Hunyuan Sitting Method

This is the main practice of Zhineng static methods. It has three stages: external hunyuan,
internal hunyuan and middle hunyuan. Dynamic methods have different methods for
different stages, but in static qigong the only differences are that the mind is adjusted
differently at different levels.
Posture
Preparation
Any sitting posture can be used. Sit straight, baihui up, chin tucked in. Close the eyes or
leave them open only a slit. Draw in your chest, pull up the upper back with your lower
back forward. Place Hunyuan Hands in front of the abdomen. [See Figure 4–8] After
adjusting the body, recite silently “Start the practice, start the practice”.
Form Ding Tian Li Di Hands
Open Hunyuan Hands, palms facing each other. Push arms forward until almost straight.
Lift qi up to above the head, stay one cycle of breathing above the head, your mind pouring
qi down; while doing this, feel whether there is a pulse on the top of the head. If you have
no feeling, you can contract the tissues at the top of the head several times to create a
feeling of qi. Then lower your hands down to in front of the forehead, cross the wrists, left
palm above right hand and facing your right side, the right palm facing down. Now form
Hunyuan Zhi Huan Mudra [See Figure 4–6] and lower down along the middle line. The
circular finger on the right hand is at Hunyuan Palace. The circular finger of the left hand
is at tanzhong energy point. This is Ding Tian Li Di Hands. [See Figure 4–7]
Tap the teeth, stir the tongue
First tap the front teeth nine times, then the left nine times, then the right nine times,
then the front again. The tip of the tongue goes from the mid-point of the upper teeth
along behind the upper left teeth then down to behind the lower left teeth, along the
right lower teeth and the right upper teeth, back to the middle of the upper teeth. Stir
three circles. Then stir three circles in the reverse direction. The tip the of tongue presses
the upper palate three times, the lower palate three times, the gap between the front
teeth three times. Relax the tongue naturally in the mouth. Draw the tip of the tongue
downward slightly; in your mind the tip of the tongue points to Hunyuan Palace. Then
go into the static practice state.
Mind Activity
External Hunyuan Practice
Use your breathing to mobilise internal qi to go out and external qi to draw in. There are
two ways to do this:
Mobilising from two directions:
The qi movement takes place from two directions. For internal qi, breathe in; qi opens and
rises up; breathe out, qi closes and lowers. For external qi, breathe in, qi going inside; breathe
out, qi opening out. In this practice, mobilising internal and external qi together in these
two ways, use abdomen breathing. When you breathe in, open the chest and abdomen.
The mind expands from Hunyuan Palace to the skin of your trunk. When familiar with
the practice, you can extend to the four limbs. At the same time, think of external hunyuan
qi gathering into the skin. When you breathe out, the chest and abdomen close, the mind
follows and from the skin gathers to Hunyuan Palace. At the same time think of hunyuan
qi dispersing from the skin to the void. So the qi goes in two opposite directions at the
same time. When you breathe in, your mind leads internal qi to open to the skin’s surface
and also leads external hunyuan qi to gather to the surface of the skin. When you breathe
out, body qi gathers deep inside and the qi around you opens out. Practicing in this way
can not only make your skin qi abundant, but also improve the process of qi gathering in
and going out. But this is not an easy method to master.
Mobilising in one direction:
When you breathe in, your mind comes in to Hunyuan Palace from the void. When you
breathe out, your mind goes from Hunyuan Palace to the void in six directions [i.e. in
all directions].
Internal Hunyuan Practice
When you practice external hunyuan you can feel qi follow the mind, go out and come in
through the surface of the skin. Once you able to feel this you can start internal hunyuan
practice. The mind activity follows.
Use the mind to contract and lift up huiyin. This is called ‘close the ocean’s floor’. Don’t
use force, just use the mind to gently illuminate there. As you breathe in, using abdomen
breathing, open daimai energy points (these are under the tip of the 11th ribs at the level
of duqi) and connect them to huiyin to form a triangle. Breathe out from daimai energy
points, gathering to Hunyuan Palace. Take three breaths in this way.
Breathe in to open dabao energy points, to connect them with and open Hunyuan
Palace. Breathe out from dabao, gather to your Adam’s apple. Do this three times. Then
breathe in, open the tips of the ears and near tianchong energy points to connect with
and open the centre of the upper palate where the hard and soft palate meet. Breathe
out from tianchong and close to the Heavenly Gate. [Tianchong are two cun above and
behind the ears.] Do this three times.
Breathe in, the mind opening from Hunyuan Palace to the centres of the head, hands
and feet. Breathe out from these and close to Hunyuan Palace. Practice this continuously.
Some people’s breathing will stop after practicing for a while; don’t worry or take any
notice, go with this natural change. After a while your breathing will change again
naturally, or foetus breathing will start.
(Middle hunyuan practice is not yet taught.)
Closing
Turn Ding Tian Li Di Hands into Hunyuan Hands. Recite silently “end the practice, end
the practice, hun yuan ling tong”. Then turn the eyeballs to observe inside the whole
body. Turn Hunyuan Hands into Heshi Hands, raise to in front of the head. Separate the
hands, turn palms inward and raise up along the face, forehead, top then back of head,
down behind the ears then the sides of the neck. Continue down to the chest; palms
facing the chest, lower and turn so the fingertips face each other; lower to duqi. Separate
hands to the sides, open the eyes, finish the practice.
Lying Methods
Lying methods are usually done lying on one’s back. Use a thin pillow about 3 cun thick.
Posture
Lie on a bed on your back. Place your arms beside your head, palms above the head and
out a little, the centres of your palms facing the top of your head, as when pouring qi in
Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down. Bend your legs a little, the soles facing each other at about 15
cm distance.
Mind Activity
• Use your mind to direct your whole body to relax. The sequence is the head, neck,
shoulders, elbows, wrists, palms, fingers. Return to the head, then neck, chest, upper
back, abdomen, lower back, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, feet, toes. Do this three times
to relax the whole body.
• There are two ways to do the mind activity in external hunyuan practice.
° Think of the infinite void and at the same time think of the depths of Hunyuan
Palace. Connect these two. Some people will feel as though they think and feel the
infinite void from the depths of Hunyuan Palace. By doing this we can experience
the empty, subtle state of the Palace. It’s a high-level state. But don’t seek it and
create it yourself – if there is any such desire in your mind it won’t work properly.
This can be done using any posture, not only a lying posture.
° Use a particular way to connect inside and outside to become one. Use the mind to
connect Hunyuan Palace with the North Star (Polaris). Recite silently “ling, xing”.
Breathe out as you say ling and think of Hunyuan Palace. While you say xing, breathe
in and think of the North Star. Your breathing should be natural and unforced.
• Internal hunyuan practice has complicated mind activity. The mind needs to go along
14 energy points one at a time: the centres of the hands, the middle points of the
elbow joints, the Adam’s apple, ruzhong energy points, fushe energy points, huiyin,
the centre point of each knee, the centres of the feet. These different energy points are
used in four different combinations and sequences.
° Left hand sequence: (1) centre of left palm; (2) centre of left elbow joint; (3) Adam’s
apple; (4) right ruzhong; (5) left ruzhong; (6) left fushe; (7) right fushe.
° Right Hand Sequence: (1) centre of right palm; (2) centre of right elbow joint; (3)
Adam’s apple; (4) left ruzhong; (5) right ruzhong; (6) right fushe; (7) left fushe.
° Left Foot Sequence: (1) centre of left foot; (2) centre of left knee; (3) huiyin; (4)
right fushe; (5) left fushe; (6) left ruzhong; (7) right ruzhong.
° Right Foot Sequence: (1) centre of right foot; (2) centre of right knee; (3) huiyin;
(4) left fushe; (5) right fushe; (6) right ruzhong; (7) left ruzhong.
Each sequence is like the seven stars. When we practice, the mind goes along the sequence
of points and gives instructions to relax the area of that point, while at the same time silently
counting its number. For example, when the mind focuses on and relaxes the centre of the
left palm, you say “one” to yourself. At the inside of the left elbow, focus and relax there and
say “two”. And so on for the others. Practice each sequence independently. Start from the
arms, then from the legs. Men start from the left hand and women from the right.
The sequence for a man is as follows, starting from the left hand: 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. This counts as one cycle and one should do three cycles. Then
do the sequence beginning with the right hand. Do it three times. Next start with the left
foot, three times, then the right foot three times, using the above sequences. After doing
the four sequences, quietly observe and feel these fourteen energy points.
[The series for a woman is the right hand, the left hand, the right foot then the left foot,
with the same sequences as above, each done three times.]
If you practice this method before sleeping you will be unable to complete all four
sequences without falling asleep. If you fall asleep doing the practice, you needn’t worry
about closing the qi field. If you want to close the qi field, just focus your mind on
Hunyuan Palace for a short while, just think of closing the qi field.
INTRODUCTION TO SOME SIMPLE METHODS
Press Weilu Seated Posture

Posture
• Sit straight. Gently close the mouth and teeth. The tip of the tongue touches the gap
between the front teeth.
• Choose between a cross-legged, single lotus or full lotus posture.
• Use a hard round object the size of a ping pong ball. Place it under changqiang energy
point. (This is behind the anus against weilu.)
• The tip of the left hand thumb presses the tip of the middle finger while the right
hand thumb presses on the line at the base of the left-hand ring finger. Place the
hands in front of your lower abdomen or on your legs. (Fig. 5–16)
5–16 5–17
You can also do this method sitting on a chair. The upper body is as above, the legs are
at shoulder width, feet placed on the ground with thighs parallel and calves vertical. Sit
with the tip of the tailbone on the corner of a chair. The tailbone should support the
weight of the upper body. (Fig. 5–17) Beginners shouldn’t sit for too long; start with one
or two minutes and gradually increase the time. If you sit for long, the pain in weilu will
make it difficult to continue. Practice it repeatedly every day, as it comes to mind.
Mind Activity
Keep the mind aware of changqiang energy points.
Benefits
This method is excellent for building pure yang qi. Pressing changqiang energy point
activates yang qi to rise up. Failure to use the mudra can lead to spontaneous movement.
The method is good for curing some qi depletion problems.
Roufu Lying Method (Massage Abdomen Lying Method)

Posture
• Lie on the bed on your back with your legs straight.
• Place your right hand on your upper abdomen, your left hand on the back of the
right one.
• Rotate the hands clockwise, right, up, left, down,

to massage the upper abdomen. The hands must stick
to the upper abdomen and move the skin. Gradually
increase the pressure of the hands from light to heavy.
The movement should be slow and even, stable. The
5–18 area the movement covered begins small and becomes
bigger. (Fig. 5–18)
Mind Activity
The mind follows the hands to rotate. Be aware both of the movement and of inside the
abdomen; feel the rotation in the abdomen.
Benefits
Practising this method will increase middle qi. It’s an important method for practicing
the qi of the membranes in Shaolin gongfu. It is used in the martial arts to build inner
strength. After practicing it for about a week one can feel the qi follow the hands to
rotate in the abdomen. After practicing for one to three months, middle qi will increase
a lot and one will feel inner qi abundant and vigorous. One’s voice will become louder,
coming strongly from middle dantian. The upper abdomen becomes rounded and the
muscles of the upper abdomen merge together into one. This phenomenon is a result of
the membranes growing and merging together.
This method is good for people with stomach and intestinal problems, to build their
middle qi, and for martial arts practitioners who want to build internal strength.
Dun Qiang Gong – Wall Squats

Face the wall. Place the feet together (beginners can separate their feet to shoulder width).
The tips of the feet are close to or touching the wall. The body centred and upright, the
hands hanging down naturally, relax the whole body then squat down. As you squat
down, your shoulders go forward and you draw in your chest, your nose near the wall
– don’t hold your head back. Push your lower back backward, not forward. Squat until
the thighs are horizontal; you can stop there a short while if you wish, then continue to
squat down as low as possible. Slowly stand up, lifting from baihui. The lower back must
go backward. Repeat this movement, the more the better.
When you lower the body, your mind is in lower dantian. To stand up, lift from baihui
with the mind in baihui.
Benefits
This method is a secret way to relax and open the lower back. Once the lower back is
opened, the qi and blood of the entire body will flow smoothly and well. It will not only
strengthen the body but also is a good way to adjust the balance of one’s overall body qi
to resolve disordered qi conditions [qi abnormally distributed in the body]. Wherever qi
is blocked, anyone can use this method to adjust it. If practiced daily one should do 100
squats at a time. This can resolve all problems of any sort, with the exception of mental
illness.
The Translators
When I began working with Westerners I became aware of the limited amount
of material translated into English. My work in Europe made me especially
aware of Westerners’ need and desire for clear information on the methods
of Zhineng Qigong. While this book is about the methods, I strongly hope
practitioners will also learn Zhineng Qigong theory, to go beyond the technical
level and understand Zhineng Qigong science, culture and aims.
Very fortunately I met Patricia, who has a good understanding of Zhineng
Qigong and the ability to express this in English. Thank you Patricia. The
teachings of Teacher Pang to the two-year class helped me understand many
things and I thank him from deep in my heart for everything he gave me.
Liu Jianshe gave me the opportunity to improve my English, and the earlier
writings of other Zhineng Qigong teachers also helped me with my English,
especially Liu Yuantong and Mingtong Gu. I also thank those Western students
who encouraged me to do this work. Thanks also to my wife, Teacher Huang
Yu Le, for her support in all my work.
Wei Qi Feng
My part in this book results from a long-held desire to better understand the
theories upon which Zhineng Qigong is based, and a friendship Wei and I
developed a few years ago. A common passion to make Pang Laoshi’s writings
available in English led to our collaboration on this book.
I wish to thank my teacher Wei for all I have learned from him, and for his
support and inspiration. Thanks also to my first Zhineng Qigong teacher, Fan
Baozhen, for instilling in me a deep respect for Pang Laoshi and a longing to
better know his teachings.
Patricia Fraser
This translation and accompanying text has also benefitted from the input of
a number of high-level practitioners. During the initial three months spent
working intensively together in 2011, there were always several graduates of
the two-year class living alongside us. Out of the sixteen in total, nine were
graduates of the two initial intakes of the two-year teacher training classes,
taught extensively by Dr Pang himself. We are grateful for their help in ensuring
the quality of this publication. We especially appreciate the extensive editorial
assistance subsequently provided by Huang Yu Le.
T R A N SL AT O R S 183
Biographies
Wei Qi Feng
Wei Qi Feng is superbly qualified to undertake this translation of The Methods of
Zhineng Qigong Science. His understanding of the material is based on over twenty
years of dedicated practice and teaching, along with in-depth study of the theories
behind the methods.
Wei was one of around 800 students who undertook the intensive two-year teacher
training course set up by Dr Pang in 1992. He was in the second intake, and therefore
fortunate enough to be taught by Dr Pang himself. During his usual half-day lectures,
Dr Pang passed on to these students considerable information (both spoken and using
paranormal abilities) that was not recorded and has been largely inaccessible to others.
After graduating Wei joined the staff of the Huaxia Zhineng Qigong Centre. Due to
the quality of his written work, he was assigned to the Editorial Department. He was also
one of three chosen to lead the daily practice of the 500–600 staff, including the teachers.
Because of his ability, he generally led both morning and evening practice during his
years working in the Editorial Department (1995–1999). During this time he also was
part of the small group chosen to teach new methods and any modifications to methods
that were developed by Dr Pang. This means he was able to incorporate such changes
into this translation.
Wei has dedicated his life to Zhineng Qigong since he first learnt it in 1991 at the age
of 17 (when it was known as Flying Crane Form). Some years ago he developed a desire
to help spread Zhineng Qigong more widely and began to teach himself English. In
2010 he established his own qigong centre at the foot of the Wudang Mountains where
Daoist taiji was first developed. He holds retreats in the Wudang Mountains and at the
Centre, along with fellow high-level teachers who have gathered around him. He also
holds workshops internationally.
Patricia Fraser
Patricia discovered Zhineng Qigong in 1999 and it has been central to her life since
then. From early on she felt a strong desire to understand the theory underlying the
practice, at a time when very little had been written in English about Zhineng Qigong.
She has taken every opportunity to extend her knowledge of Zhineng Qigong methods
and theory in both New Zealand and China. In the last seven years she has visited China
six times to study and practice.
Patricia holds an MA in Sociology from the University of Canterbury. Her thesis
was on the education and upbringing of children in China. Her BA degree included a
major in Religious Studies, with an interest in Buddhism and in Chinese religious and
philosophical beliefs. Traditional Chinese Medicine was her main form of health care
from 1976 and led her to the practice of qigong.
Harmonious Big Family and Zhineng Qigong
Dr Pang, the founder of Zhineng Qigong, used his extraordinary abilities to experience
and research the essential elements of many religions and philosophies, types of qigong,
the martial arts, Chinese and Western medicine, and modern science.
He took from these what he found most valuable, then used his understanding of them
to develop an integrated broad theoretical system that he called Hunyuan Entirety
Theory. This theory directly and simply illuminates the laws of life. These include the
laws of individual human life, and the laws of the relationship between individual lives
and the natural world, as well as between individuals and society. Hunyuan Entirety
Theory especially illuminates the laws of consciousness. Knowledge of these can help
people move beyond blind faith, superstition and ignorance, to develop a clear scientific
understanding.
At the end of the 20th century, Dr Pang foretold that the 21st century would be the
century in which human consciousness would awaken. He said people’s goals would
change from collecting material goods to working to actively know, change and rebuild
their consciousness. Individuals will cast off selfishness and greed to become their own
healthy and free master.
Dr Pang’s scientific theory and the work he undertook will greatly advance the freedom
and liberation of mankind.
In the late 1990s Dr Pang gave several important lectures about harmonious culture
and how to create a harmonious world. In it he described the new way of life, the new
consciousness and the new model of production that were needed to create such a world.
This is a common goal and dream of mankind: a happy, peaceful, equal and healthy
world filled with universal love. At that time Dr Pang began building Beijing Qigong
City to realise this great ideal. The intention was for this Qigong City to receive people of
different races and countries to create a model of a harmonious world.
Although the building of this Qigong City was stopped, Dr Pang’s ideas and the cause he
promoted have spread throughout the world, bringing health of body and mind for many
people. While people may not even be aware that Dr Pang is doing something for them,
his spirit surpasses time and space, sending powerful information to all Zhineng Qigong
practitioners. Through this and through the spread of his knowledge and methods, the
Zhineng Qigong qi field all over the world is integrated into one and becomes stronger.
In 2007, Teacher Wei and several qigong friends had the idea of creating a harmonious
big family based on Dr Pang’s ideas. People from different nationalities, races and
countries would be welcome, living as a big family, happily sharing life and experience,
like a small international village.
HA R M O N IOU S B IG FA M I LY A N D Z H I N E N G Q IG O N G 185
Here beginners will learn methods to make their body strong and develop their abilities.
More experienced practitioners will find their practice becomes deeper and deeper.
Eventually everyone will walk on the path of liberation and freedom in life, becoming –
like the saints and sages – masters of the laws that bring peace, happiness, health, purity,
equality, power, and wisdom in every moment.
In order for this to happen, a qigong centre has been established at the foot of the Wudang
Mountains, to prepare everything we need including a core group, funds and a beautiful
place. Once the model of the Harmonious Big Family is successful, other centres will be
built all over the world.
We believe this great cause will advance human life to a new level. As long as we work
hard on the ideal of mankind’s liberation and freedom, as long as we act according to the
scientific laws of life, our wishes will surely come about.
The Harmonious Big Family holds retreats in the Wudang Mountains, including Healing
Retreats and teaching of the different methods. Teachers also travel internationally to
give workshops. Further information is available at daohearts.com or see our Facebook
page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harmonious-Big-Family/158633647485019)
and blog (http://harmoniousbigfamily.wordpress.com).
Diagrams
view from back

dumai
(Governing Vessel) dazhui
taodao dazhu
fengmen
shenzhu
feishu
gaohuang
xinshu
jizhong
jingmen
mingmen
yaoyangguan yaoyan
yaoshu
changqiang
bladder channel
D IAG R A M S 187
view from front
Atlas (C1) xuanji

Axis (C2) qihu tiantu
huagai
Cervical yutang
Vertebrae yunmen zigong
C1–C7
C7 zhongfu
T1
ruzhong
Thoracic
Vertebrae
dabao tanzhong
T1–T12
qimen zhongting
riyue jiuwei
T12
juque
L1
zhongwan
Lumbar jianli
zhangmen
Vertebrae
L1–L5
tianshu duqi
L5
qihai
Sacrum
S1–S5 guanyuan
fushe
Coccyx
(weilu)
renmai
(Conception Vessel)
renmai
huiyin
gall bladder channel pancreas channel

bladder channel stomach channel
huantiao liver channel
kidney channel
xuehai
heding
zusanli
yangling
quan
sanyinjiao
taixi
qiuxu taixi kunlun nuxi
zhaohai
triple burner channel

lungs channel large intestine
pericardium
channel
channel sole of foot
heart channel jianyu
small intestine
channel
binao
quze
chize
quchi yongquan
kidney channel
neiguan
waiguan
daling shenmen
yangxi
laogong yangchi
zhongchong
D IAG R A M S 189
tianmen area xinmen area

baihui shangxing
tongtian shenting
tianchong
yintang
shangen
jingming
yuzhen
tongziliao suliao
yuzhengu xia yingxiang
renzhong
fengchi
fengfu
tianzhu
dumai
tiantu
renmai
foot from above
bladder channel
qiuxu
kunlun
gall bladder channel
stomach channel
taixi
liver channel
pancreas channel
zhaohai
Energy points
(Note: Cun – a traditional Chinese unit of measurement. One standardised cun is 3.3̇
cm. However the traditional cun allows for differences in body size and is still used in
qigong and to chart acupuncture points. To measure for your own body, bend the joints
of your middle finger. One cun is the distance between the end points of the lines that go
up the sides of your finger from inside the joints.)
Baihui – go up from the tips of the ears to the middle line of the body, then back 1 cm
Binao – at the tip of the deltoid muscles (which run down from the shoulders in an
inverted triangle) then towards the inner arms a little
Changqiang – between the anus and weilu, against weilu
Chize – a hollow can be felt on the outside of the inner elbow right on the joint
Dabao – below the armpits on the midline of the sides of the body between the 6th and
7th ribs; with the arm hanging down, insert four fingers under the armpit and dabao is
directly beneath
Daimai – below the tips of the 11th ribs at duqi level
Daling – the mid point of the line that runs across the base of the palms at the wrist joint
Dazhu – between T1 and T2, 1 ½ cun out from the centreline
Dazhui – between C7 and T1 (i.e. 7th cervical and first thoracic vertebrae; C7 is the bone
that sticks out most at the base of the neck)
Duqi – the navel or bellybutton
Feishu – between T3 and T4, 1 ½ cun to each side
Fengfu – a big hollow above C1 just under the skull
Fengmen – between the second C2 and C3, 1 ½ cun to each side
Fushe – Below the navel by 4 cun and out to the sides 4 cun near the groin
Gaohuang – between T4 and T5, 3 cun either side
Guanyuan – 3 cun below duqi
Heding – a hollow at the midpoint just above the kneecap
Huagai – on the midline of the chest at the level of the 1st ribs
Huangshu – either side of duqi by ½ cun
Huantiao – behind the hip joints there are hollows in the buttocks with huantiao in the
centre of them
ENERGY POINTS 191
Huiyin – midway between the two yin orifices (anus and urethra), 1½ cun up from the
skin of the perineum
Jianjing – midway between dazhui and the edge of the shoulder-bone just behind the
collarbone
Jianli – 3 cun above duqi
Jianliao – about 1 cun behind jianyu
Jianyu – at the top of the shoulder on the centreline of the outer arm, just below the joint,
a hollow can be felt when the arm is horizontal
Jingmen – just under the tips of the 12th ribs
Jingming – at the inner corners of the eyes
Jiuwei – on the centreline 1 cun below the base of the sternum
Jizhong – between T11 and T12
Juque – 6 cun above duqi
Laogong – make a fist; it is where the tip of the middle finger touches the palm
Mingmen – between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebrae
Neiguan – from the centre of the crease at the base of the palm go up 2 cun up to
between the tendons
Nuxi – just below where the Achilles tendon connects to the heel
Qihai – 1 ½ cun under duqi
Qihu – just under the middle of the collarbone, above the nipples
Qimen – under the nipples between the 6th and 7th ribs (between the same ribs as dabao)
Qiuxu – on the foot down from the front of the outer ankle bone and up between the
tendons of the 4th and 5th toes, there is a hollow a little way down from the joint
Quchi – with the lower and upper arm at 90 degrees to each other, it is on the outer arm
in the hollow inside the bone of the elbow
Quepen – the centre of the hollows above the collarbones
Quze – around the middle of the inner arm at the elbow crease, just inside the tendon
Renzhong – on the mid line of the philtrum (medial cleft), one third of the way down
from the base of the nose to the upper lip
Riyue – under the nipples between the 7th and 8th ribs
Ruzhong – the middle of the nipples in a man, between the 4th and 5th ribs
Shangen – on the centreline, at the midpoint between yintang and a line across between
the inner corners of the eyes
Shangxing – on the centreline of the forehead 1 cun above the hairline of the average
person
Shenmen – on the inner wrist, on the inside of the tendon of the little finger, right on
the joint
Shenque – duqi
Shenting – on the centreline of the forehead ½ cun above the hairline of the average
person
Shenzhu – between T3 and T4 (lower border of T3)
Suliao – the midpoint of the tip of the nose
Tanzhong – the mid point between the nipples in men, between the 4th and 5th ribs
Taodao – between T1 and T2
Tianchong – go up from behind the ear where it joins the skull 2 cun into the hairline
Tianmen – a large energy gate on the crown of the head including xinmen and back to
baihui; tianmen means Heavenly Gate
Tianmu – on the centerline at the meeting point of an equilateral triangle drawn with
the base between the corners of the eyes, also called yintang (but in Zhineng Qigong
sometimes deeper in the head)
Tianshu – 2 cun either side of duqi
Tianzhu – at the back of the neck at the hairline, 1.3 cun either side of the centreline, just
outside the tendon that runs next to the cervical vertebrae
Tiantu – the hollow at the base of the neck at the midpoint between the collarbones
Tongtian – a half cun in front of baihui, 1½ cun each side of the centreline
Tongziliao – beside the outer corners of the eyes
Waiguan – on the back of the forearm 2 cun up from the wristline on the joint between
the two bones
Xiawan – 2 cun above duqi
Xinhui – 3 cun in front of baihui
Xinmen – the area of the fontanelle at the front of the top of the skull
Xinshu – between C5 and C6 1 ½ cun either side
ENERGY POINTS 193
Xuanji – 1 cun under tiantu (which is in the hollow at the base of the neck at the midpoint
between the collarbones)
Xuehai – on the inner thigh 2 cun above the inner top of the kneecap
Yangchi – the midpoint of the back of the wrist on the joint
Yangxi – on the back of the wrist joint in the hollow when you raise your thumb, between
the thumb tendons
Yaoshu – between the tailbone and sacrum
Yaoyan – between L4 and L5, 3½ cun out either side
Yaoyangguan – between L3 and L5
Yingxiang – at the base of the nose, just beside the base of the nostrils
Yintang – on the centerline at the meeting point of an equilateral triangle drawn with
the base between the corners of the eyes
Yongquan – the centre of the hollow on the base of the foot, 1/3rd of the way back from
between the base of the 2nd and 3rd toes to the heel
Yunmen – under the collarbone out from qihu on the other side of the hollow against
the shoulder bone
Yutang – on the midline of the chest, between the 3rd and 4th ribs
Yuzhen – go up 2½ cun from the hairline at the back of the head, then out from the
centreline 1.3 cun
Yuzhengu – the bone that sticks out on the lower back of the skull (in Lift Qi Up Pour Qi
Down we press the point just under the bone at about the level of yintang)
Zhangmen – at duqi level just under the tips of the 11th ribs
Zhaohai – a hollow directly under the inner ankle bone
Zhongchong – the centrepoint of the tip of the middle finger
Zhongfu – between the 1st and 2nd ribs, following the line of the arm up from the
armpit
Zhongkui – the middle of the middle joint of the middle fingers on the palm side
Zhongting – 1.6 cun below tanzhong
Zhongwan – 4 cun above duqi, at the midpoint between duqi and the base of the sternum
Zhouliao – 1 cun above quchi (with the lower and upper arm at 90° to each other, quchi
is on the outer arm in the hollow inside the bone of the elbow)
Zigong – on the midline of the chest between the 2nd and 3rd ribs
Glossary
Important Chinese words and concepts
Chinese tones – There are four tones in Mandarin Chinese: 1st high 2nd rising
3rd falling then rising 4th falling . In Zhineng Qigong some sounds used to work
on the body, qi and shen can change between tones or can be said differently from usual.
It is important to learn these sounds from a teacher who has been properly taught.
Cun – a traditional Chinese unit of measurement. One standardised cun is 3.3̇ cm.
However the traditional cun allows for differences in body size and is still used in qigong
and to chart acupuncture points. To measure for your own body, bend the joints of your
middle finger. One cun is the distance between the end points of the lines that go up the
sides of your finger from inside the joints.
Dantians – major qi centres in the body where qi gathers. There are three dantians in the
body: lower, middle and upper, which have different functions and levels of qi.
Lower dantian – the centre in which bodily hunyuan qi gathers, located between duqi
and mingmen
Middle dantian – in traditional qigong this is located inside the chest behind tanzhong.
When one presses dabao in Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down, one sends qi there. Zhineng
Qigong locates middle dantian lower and calls it Hunyuan Palace.
Upper dantian – the centre in which hunyuan qi of the shen gathers, located between
yintang and yuzhen.
Dragon Horns – where the head curves in at the top of the bulge above the tips of the
ears, out from baihui.
Hun hua – hun means merge and hua means transform.
Hunyuan (noun) – hunyuan qi as written about in Chapter One.
Hunyuan (verb) – to merge and transform to become one.
Hunyuanqiao – Hunyuan Palace (qiao means Palace); the centre of the hunyuan qi
of the inner organs, located between zhongwan and jizhong energy points behind the
stomach.
Information – a term used in a specific way in Zhineng Qigong, as mentioned in the
Introduction to this translation.
Jing – an ancient Chinese term with several meanings:
(i) a person’s essence, used in Daoist practice and Traditional Chinese Medicine; it
mainly refers to sexual fluids, hormones, sperm and eggs;
G L O S S A RY 195
(ii) the physical, visible body (also called xing);

(iii) very pure qi.
Jingmai – the main channels of the body, through which qi flows.
Luomai – the collateral channels, which link the main channels.
Mudra – an Indian term for hand postures that are used in one’s practice to activate
inside qi and adjust the state of the mind and heart. The Chinese have several different
terms for mudra, which are used in Daoist and Buddhist practices and in qigong.
Ordinary people – a term often used in China to describe non-practitioners; it refers to
the majority of the population, who focus on the material world, do not practice qigong
or other similar disciplines, and who don’t have paranormal abilities, experience of qi
and the mind, etc.
Qi – in the broad sense this refers to all existence in the universe because everything is
a form of qi; it is also used in a more narrow sense where it refers to invisible qi at the
level that includes energy.
Shen – sometimes this is used to mean the mind but it usually refers to the soul or spirit.
In this book it sometimes refers to an integration of the two. Where the meaning is only
the mind, we have used this word, but we have otherwise retained the original Chinese
word.
Shenji Palace – the centre of the head; the centre of upper dantian; if you say ‘shenji’ you
can feel a slight vibration there, through which you can experience that place.
Tiger Mouth – when the thumb and index finger are opened, the space between them
is called Tiger Mouth.
Xing – the physical body (also called jing).
Yishi – the mind and/or the consciousness.
Yiyuanti – a term created by Dr Pang and used in Zhineng Qigong to refer to the source
of yishi.

Methods of Zhineng Qigong

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THE METHODS

ZHINENG QIGONG SCIENCE

This edition translated from August 1994 edition.

Printed by PrintStop, Wellington, New Zealand

One: Methodological Summary of Zhineng Qigong Science

Two: Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down

Three: Body Mind Form

Four: Five Hunyuan Form

Five: Zhineng Static Methods and Simple Methods

Wei Qi Feng Patricia Fraser

Chapter Two: Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down 22

Chapter Three: Body Mind Form 52

Lead Qi along the Channels 101

Chapter Four: Five Hunyuan Form 108

Ke ku lian gong means practice qigong

This embodies the process in Zhineng Qigong

SUMMARY OF THE METHODS

Zhineng Dynamic Methods

Zhineng Static Methods

Zhineng Static/Dynamic Methods (spontaneous methods)

THE THREE STAGES OF ZHINENG QIGONG PRACTICE

External Hunyuan Stage

Internal Hunyuan Stage

° Yiyuanti’s functions can be developed so one can experience the exchange of

Middle Hunyuan Stage

° Practitioners achieve a state of paranormal ability.

DIFFERENT WAYS OF PRACTISING BODY, QI AND MIND IN ZHINENG

We cannot separate the practice of body, qi and mind in Zhineng Qigong.

Combined Shen and Qi Practice

Observing internal qi is usually built upon the observation of external qi because it is

Combined Shen and Xing Practice

Shen guan xing (Mind observes the body)

Shen xing he and Shen xing miao

This describes a good qigong state,

Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down

SUMMARY OF LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN METHOD

Explanation of the name Peng Qi Guan Ding Fa

Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is an external hunyuan practice

The Characteristics of Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down Practice

Benefits of this Method

THE MOVEMENTS OF LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN

2–1 2–2 2–3

2–4 2–5 2–6

2–7 2–8 2–9

2–10 2–11 2–12

2–17 2–18 2–19

2–23 2–24 2–25 2–26 2–27

Section Three: Lift qi up diagonally

2–30 2–31 2–32

2–33 2–34 2–35

2–38 2–39 2–40 2–41

HOW TO PRACTICE LIFT QI UP POUR QI DOWN WELL

Use the consciousness correctly

Do the movements well

described in Essence of Zhineng Qigong Science; here it is only covered in a simple

Flexibility using Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down

BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWO

Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down is a foundation Zhineng Qigong practice, working on external

The Practice of External Hunyuan

The Benefits of External Hunyuan

The Process of External Hunyuan Practice

Simple Ways to do External Hunyuan Practice