Chi Kung. Lily Siou
and closing is the key to regulating the unseen life force. One can control (have access to) inner strength and outward power. The art of Ch'i Kung teaches one the process of opening and closing.
One is born with the unseen life force, and it is this which gives us life. By understanding what it is, and by being able to control it, one is able to enrich one's life. Life becomes harmonious; because one lives closer to the Tao, or the Way of Nature.
Chapter 2: Chinese concept of ch'i and kung
By understanding what "the unseen life force" is, we can readily grasp the concept of Ch'i." In Chinese, Ch'i means the flowing of the unseen life force. Because of the differences between Western and Eastern culture, there can be no exact translation of the Chinese character, Ch'i ( ). In Chinese, the character for Ch'i symbolizes the original mentality and vitality of the individual. These two sources conjoin to create a nurturing energy which is best defined in English as the internal body energy or the unseen life force.
In Chinese biological terms, Ch'i is the main influence in bringing greater physiological vitality and psychological stability.
In Chinese, "Ch'i" literally means: breath, health, steam, air, and weather. The character for Ch'i is often seen on Taoist "good luck" charms to bring good health or hygiene.
The character, Ch'i, is widely used in combination with other characters to form new words. "Ch'i Fa" means vaporization or successive changes. "Ch'i Hou" is a solar term meaning weather or climate. In ancient China, an "hou" ( ) was a five day unit. Three "hous" constituted a "chiai", and a "chiai ch'i" ( ) was one of the 24 calendar divisions in a year.
In Chinese philosophy, the "Er ch'i" ( ) means the dual powers of the Yin and the Yang. The literal meaning of "Er ch'i" is "double original force."
Most of the Chinese martial arts depend on the cultivation of the Ch'i, or body energy. By doing so, one is in harmony with the universe. One is more powerful and more aware. "liang ch'i" ( ) is one of the Taoist breathing control exercises that help to develop the Ch'i.
Ch'i also means manner, demeanor, constitution, temper, or life-giving force. "Li ch'i" means strength, power, or vigorous constitution. "Yuan ch'i" means inherited constitution.
In Chinese religion, Ch'i is the soul or the spirit. If the Ch'i leaves the body, then man would be just a body without life or the will to live. Ch'i is the source which nourishes the existence of life. Man is born with Ch'i, or the unseen life force. Without Ch'i, man is an empty body. The Taoists believe that man is made up of three "Ch'is: (1) the principle of constitution, (2) the original constitution, (3) the true spirit of constitution.
Ch'i has great significance in every field of human endeavor. A writer is said to need "Wen ch'i" or a literary or scholarly disposition. A calligrapher needs a special characteristic or style of brush control called "pi chi." A hero needs heroic style or heroic comportment called "Ch'i Tzu." A professional speaker needs a charismatic and expressive style of speech called "Yu Ch'i." And the average person needs proper understanding of his natural capacity to deal with people called "Ch'i Liang."
In this book, Ch'i means the flowing of the unseen life force. In instances where Ch'i means something else, the usage of the term will be explained.
The Chinese character Kung symbolizes physical power and the manifestation of this power in the natural movements of the body. The unity or natural integration of physical power and movement is the technique and power of Art. This Art is the means to nurturing the Ch'i or the flowing of the unseen life force. And this is called Kung.
In Chinese literature, Kung means: merit, achievement, efficacy, and good results. "Kung Hsi" ( ) means successful undertaking, or a great stock of merit and ability. In everyday language, Kung means action. "Kung Yung" ( ) means power in action or the beneficial result of an operation or function. When "Kung" is used for right action, it has beneficial results. When an acupuncturist uses one small needle to cure a big illness, we say that the operation was "Kung Yu" ( ) or a divine efficacy.
In this book, Kung means the power of action and movement. This is like the movement of the Ch'i Kung sequence.
Ch'i and Kung have been explained separately to give a fuller understanding of what these terms mean. The two characters are applied in many different ways with different meanings.
Ch'i signifies the flowing of internal energy which is manifested in the sequence shown in the pictures. The flowing sequences suggest how the internal energy should be flowing inside.
Kung signifies the external power of Art. This is shown by the hand, body, and feet movements in the pictures.
Through the practice of Ch'i Kung, one gains the Art of internal and external power and strength.
With this knowledge of internal force and external power, we can apply ourselves more efficiently in our daily living. Our ancestors learned to use trees for building houses and other things. In the same way, man can learn to use the unseen life force to live a more fulfilling life.
Chapter 3: Theory and Philosophy behind the art of ch'i kung
China is one of the oldest nations in the world. She is the cradle of a very ancient civilization; older, perhaps, than the civilizations that grew up in Egype, Babylonia, and Assyria; and also, these ancient cultures passed away long before the birth of Christ while China continues to grow and flourish.
It is not known who the first Chinese were, or where they came from. They were not the original inhabitants of the area which became China. Some believe that the Chinese originated in the rich basin of the Euphrates, the mother of all races. They migrated eastward to the Shansi province in the Yellow River Valley around the 23rd century, B.C. Like the Chaldeans and the Israelites, they were a pastoral people. But after the Chinese had wrested possession of the land from the aboriginal tribes, they became an agricultural people.
The legendary Emperor Shen Nung was believed to be the founder of agriculture. "Shen" means spirit or god, and "Nung" means agriculture. Shen Nung was revered as the patron god of agriculture. He is associated with the Way of Nature as farming is a livelihood that depends on harmony with nature. He showed the Chinese that one must break ground, plant, cultivate, and harvest in accord with the natural passing of seasons.
The early history of China abounds in myths and legends. By these tales, man was able to explain things he didn't understand. But as time passed, experiences gave him empirical knowledge. Many old arts were developed by our ancestors through trial and error and the passing of many centuries. Ch'i Kung, the art of breathing control, is one of the oldest arts in China and it was developed in this way. It began long before written history, and reached its golden age of development during the Chou Dynasty, 1122-255 B.C. Each succeeding dynasty, up to the communist takeover, sustained and practiced this art.
According to the old tales, everything began from Chaos, or the Great Void. Within Chaos, there existed the three primary elements of the universe—form, force, and substance. But they were still undivided and existed as one. The early tales of cosmology explain that force was first to separate from the Great Void. It was followed by form then substance. The last stage, when substance appears, is called the Great Homogeneity. The universe was complete, but there was no distinction between heaven and earth. Then the lighter and purer substances rose up and created the heavens, and the coarser and heavier substances sank and produced the earth. The division of substance into lighter and heavier parts manifest the Chinese belief in dual power. The Way of Nature is accomplished by the interaction of dual power, and not by the will of a single power such as the Christian God.
The sequences of Ch'i Kung were formulated according to the concept of dual power. Action, or movement, is made up of a gentle part and a forceful part. One may move slowly and gracefully, or one may move quickly and forcefully. Ch'i Kung brings the dual power of movement into harmony. As an example, one begins Ch'i Kung practice with the gentle movements of the Yin and progresses to the forceful movements of the Yang. Each part is essential to each other, and each must be practiced at the right time in order to maintain harmony.
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