Health Qigong – The Eight Silken Movements (VI)：Eliminate Diseases, Breathe from your Dan Tian

The Eighth Section：Stand on your Toes and stretch seven times to get rid of an Illness

This action can improve your calf strength and your ability to balance. The slight vibration caused by the heel lowering helps to relax and reset the muscles and relieve muscle tension.

Video 1

This is a simple and easy action that can be done anywhere. First you should lift your heels, stretch your neck backwards and keep your head up, looking straight forward. After a slight pause, lower your heels back to the ground. You should feel a slight vibration. Repeat seven times.

While doing this exercise, you should keep your shoulders relaxed and do not shrug. When lifting, raise the heel as much as possible, and maintain your balance when you pause at the height of the lift.

Cool Down

The function of this movement is to help your Qi return to dan tian, to relax your muscles, and to calm your mind.

Video 2

The cool-down can be divided into the following detailed steps:

Rotate your palms so that they face backwards, lift your arms from the side of your body to hip-height；
Bend your arms, placing your palms on your abdomen, the male should first place his left hand on the abdomen with the right hand on top of it, the female should put her right-hand underneath;
Lower your arms back down to the side of your body.

During this cool down exercise, the Laogong Temples (acupuncture points in Chinese medicine) of the two palms were stacked on the Dan Tian (see the red dot on the diagram above) so that your body relaxes and you start to breathe from your Dan Tian. It is generally believed that the benefits behind lowering your Qi back to your Dan Tian (often referred to as your energy center) are based on meridian theory. It is believed that the human body’s Qi and Blood, which are distributed along the meridians, run into your internal organs and arrive at your limbs. The Dan Tian is located in the center of the meridians. It can regulate your Yin and Yang, help to ease communication between your heart and kidney (the functions of both affect the other in Chinese medicine), increase Qi and blood production, activate and improve the functionality of the eight extra meridians, restore physiological functions and promote body regeneration.

That concludes our introduction to the eight silken movements! I wish you well-being and happiness every day!

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide!”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 13 years of solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we are well positioned to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and directly bring you finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion via ChineseFashionStyle.com, Kungfu Fashion, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speak English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!
If you have passion to write about Oriental Aesthetic in Fashion, Home Decor, Art & Crafts, Culture, Music, Books, and Charity, please contact us at bloggers@interactchina.com, we would love to hear from you!

Health Qigong – The Eight Silken Movements (V): Protect Your Waist，Increase Your Strength

Written by Gioia Zhang

Translated by Yuqing Yang

The Sixth Section: Reach down and touch your Feet to stabilize your Waist

This action will help to prevent and treat some chronic diseases of the genitourinary system by swiftly flexing and stretching and stimulating the spine, Du Meridian1 and related acupuncture points. At the same time, you give your kidneys, adrenal gland, ureter and some other organs a good traction massage, and can improve their functions and stimulate their production rates.

Video 1

This section can be divided into the following detailed steps:

Stand with both knees upright, point your fingertips forwards and raise your arms upwards. Straighten your elbows, have your palms facing forwards and look straight in front of you
Bend your arms，lower your palms down to the front of your chest, your palms should be facing downwards and your fingertips should be facing each other;
Turn your palms to face upwards, then move your hands outwards and pass them below your armpits.

4．Press your palms on the sides of the spine and move down to the buttocks. While bending down with your upper body, move your hands downwards along the rear sides of your legs and then slowly around to the front so that they end on your feet. Raise your head and look slightly ahead of your feet. Pause in this position for a few seconds. Try not to bend your legs at any point.

Move your palms forwards along the ground, and then use the arms to drive the upper body up, straighten up your elbows with your palms facing forwards.

One repetition includes one complete movement upwards and downwards. Repeat the complete movement 6 times.

After six repetitions, bend your legs slightly and then lean forwards with your palms in line with your abdomen, face your palms downwards with your fingertips facing forwards, look straight ahead.

Tips：Apply proper force when you move your palms down along the back of the body. Loosen your shoulders when leaning forwards. Keep your knees straight. Let your arms drive the upper body up.

Please be aware of the following mistakes:

When you move your hands down, do not bend your knees and do not bow your head;

Do not raise your upper body before your arm

The Eighth Section： Clench your Fists and Open your Eyes wide in order to boost your Qi

In traditional Chinese medicine, the liver is associated with the eyes. In this section, the movement of the eyes stimulates the liver. At the same time, the cooperation between the movements in this section stimulates the body’s major meridians. If done on a long-term basis, this exercise can strengthen the muscles and bones throughout the entire body.

Video 2

This section can be divided into the following detailed steps:

Step to the left with your left foot, half squad your legs，and meanwhile，clench both hands into fists and place them in line with your waist you’re your thumbs inside and the eyes of the fist facing upwards，look straight in front of you.
Punch your left fist forward at shoulder height，with the eye of the fist facing upwards，and then look at your left fist.
Open your left fist，rotate your palm so that it is facing outwards and your thumb facing downwards，and then look at your left palm.
Rotate your left arm outwards, bend your elbow slightly, and at the same time, rotate your left palm towards the left. When your palm is facing upwards make your left hand into a fist with your thumb inside. Look at your left fist.
Retract your left fist to your waist side with the eye of the fist facing upwards, and look straight in front of you.

• The movement to the right should be the same as the movement to the left. Doing the movement once to the right and once to the left counts as one repetition. You should complete three repetitions in total.

Video 3

Once you have completed three full repetitions, shift your center of gravity to the right, pull your left in so that you return to the original stance, your feet should once again be shoulder width apart. Meanwhile，unclench your fist，lower your palms to the side of your body, look straight in front of you.

Tips: when you extend your fist to punch, fix your eyes on it. At the same time, you should hold onto the ground with both feet. Adjust the height of your squad depending on the strength of your legs；when you retract your fist, clench your fist tightly.

Please be aware of the following mistakes:

*do not bend your upper body forwards when you punch

*do not shrug your shoulders when you punch

when you retract your fist，please rotate your wrist and clench your fist tightly

Well, we are almost done with our introduction to The Eight Silken Movements. Have you been exercising in your spare time? How are you feeling? We would be delighted to hear from you in the comments!

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Health Qigong – The Eight Silken Movements (IV): Relax Strained Organs and Reduce Your Heart Fire* 

Written by Gioia Zhang

Translated by Yuqing Yang

Now it is time to introduce the Fourth Section: “Stretch Backwards for Physical Weakness and Sickness”

Physical weakness and sickness (五劳七伤, the Five Lao and Seven Shang) refers to strains on your heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys and any one of the following seven emotions being impacted in a negative way: happiness, sadness, grief, fear, shock and longing. This section helps to stretch your chest and belly by rotating your upper limbs. Turning your head to the left and right can stimulate the Da Zhui acupoint and various acupoints on the back, which helps prevent physical weakness and sickness. In addition, it also improves blood circulation in your neck and brain and strengthens your central nervous system.

Video 1

This section is divided into the following steps:

Straighten your legs and stretch them, lift your center of gravity while straightening your arms, fingers pointing downwards, eyes straight ahead.
Open your arms out to the sides, palms facing outwards, turn your head to the left, pause for one second and look to the left behind your back.
Bend your knees slightly, bring your arms back in and keep them by your hips, fingers pointing outwards, eyes straight ahead.

Doing this section once to the right and once to the left counts as one repetition, three repetitions in total.

Video 2

At the end of the third repetition, bend your knees slightly

Tips: keep your chin tucked in, correct your head posture, relax and lower your shoulders, try to keep your body still during the head movement, make sure your arms go all the way back when stretching them out to the sides in order to get a full stretch.

Try to avoid the following mistakes:

Do not move the center of your upper body backwards and keep your head as still as possible during the body movement
Try to move your head and open your arms to the fullest.

We will now move on to discussing the Fifth Section: Move Your Head and Legs to Reduce Heart Fire 

Heart Fire is the result of excessive fire elements in your heart. This section intends to simulate your spine and governor meridian to purge this heat and reduce heart fire. At the same time, it will increase the flexibility of your neck, waist and hip as well as strengthening the muscles in these areas.

Video 3

This section is divided into the following steps:

Move your center to the left, step to the right with your right foot while raising your  hands above your head. Bend your fingers, fingertips facing each other, eyes straight ahead.
Bend your knees and do the horse stance while lowering your arms. Rest your hands on your thighs slightly above your knees.
Raise you center of gravity slightly, then move it so that your upper body leans towards the right. Bend over and look towards your right foot.
Move your center of gravity to the left while moving your upper body to the right. Turn left, bend over and look down towards your right heel
Move your center to the right and get into the horse stance while tilting your head backwards; straighten your upper body, tuck your chin in, eyes straight ahead.

Repeat the section to the right. Doing this section once to the right and once to the left counts as one repetition, three repetitions in total.

Video 4

After three repetitions, move your center to the left, take back your right foot, stand with your feet shoulder width apart, at the same time, lift both your arms above your head, palms facing each other. Bend your knees slightly, place your hands in front of your stomach, fingertips facing each other, eyes straight ahead.

Tips: when doing the horse stance, your upper body should be straight; when you turn your body, make sure to stretch it lightly.

This movement is very difficult, and you will exercise many joints and muscles. Please study the steps carefully and practice them multiple times.

The human body is a marvelous system that links the heavens and nature. Regulating your meridians is crucial for your health, so try to do some stretching exercises during your work breaks. You can even do them while sitting on your chair at your desk! It will help to relax your muscles.

*Heart Fire is a term used in traditional Chinese medicine and is used when someone is diagnosed with an excess of energy which can lead to disruptions in the patient’s health, be that physically, psychologically or spiritually. Emotional tension is the most common underlying factor in this condition. Click the following link for a fuller explanation of heart-fire, the causes and symptoms – https://healingpointacupunctureclinic.com/blog/heart-fire-summer-element.

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Health Qigong Eight Silken Movements (III): Fix your Shoulders and Back, Improve the Functionality of your Stomach and Spleen

Written by Gioia Zhang

Translated by Yuqing Yang

Today I will introduce to you the second and third stages of the Eight Silken Movements series. If you want to know more, please click the link below:

The second section: Stretch on both sides as if shooting a bow and arrow

This movement is similar to shooting an arrow. You have to open your shoulder joints and chest outwards to activate the governor meridian and acupuncture points on the back. This helps to regulate the lung meridian (hand greater Yin), improve the functionality of the lungs and intestines, strengthen the muscles found in your lower body, improve coordination and balance, strengthen your forearms and hand muscles, and exercise the joints in your fingers and wrists. This exercise can also help to fix a hunched back and your shoulder posture to lessen neck and back pain.

Video 1

This section can be divided into the following steps:

Move your center of gravity to the right, step to the left with your left foot and stand up straight, slowly straighten your legs and at the same time, cross your arms in front of you, with your left palm facing outwards and your eyes looking straight ahead.
Bend your fingers on your right hand and pull your right hand to your shoulder, your left hand should form a Ba Zi palm, rotate your left arm inwards and push out to the left until you reach the height of your shoulder. At the same time, bend your knees until you are in the horse stance, hold this position for a while, look to your left.
Move your center of gravity to the right, relax your hands, draw a circle with your right hand at shoulder height, push your palm obliquely.
Move your center even further to the right, take a step backwards with your left food and stand up straight, at the same time, hold your hands in front of your stomach, palms facing up, eyes looking straight ahead.

Video 2

The movement to the right should be the same as the movement to the left. Doing the movement once to the right and once to the left counts as one repetition. You should complete three repetitions in total.

Video 3

At the end of the third repetition, keep moving your center to the left, take back your right foot and stand straight. Bend your knees slightly and at the same time, lower your hands and hold them in front of your stomach, eyes looking straight ahead.

Tips: When you pull your hand to your shoulder, bend your fingers and close the gaps between them while straightening your shoulder. When you hold your hand in the Ba Zi posture, drop your shoulder and elbows, bend your wrists and straighten your fingers.

Please be aware of the following mistakes:

Do not raise your shoulders.

Make sure that your waist is straight.

Do not spread your feet too wide in the above posture.

The third section: to heal your spleen and stomach, you have to raise your arms

This sequence of movements helps to improve the functions of one’s stomach, spleen, liver and gall bladder. By stretching one arm upwards and the other downwards, you can exercise your stomach and the middle Jiao accordingly. Simultaneously, this movement will stimulate the main and collateral channels of your back and upper body. This is especially helpful for people with gastritis and stomach ulcers. The third sequence exercises the muscles and joints found on your spine and increases their stability and flexibility, which could prevent neck and shoulder pain.

Video 4

This section can be divided into the following steps:

Straighten your legs and knees, raise your left hand up with your palm facing upwards. Once your left hand reaches face-height, flip your hand around, keep raising it upwards and to the left. At the same time, lower your right hand to your hip with your palm facing downwards and fingers pointing forwards. Hold this position for one second.
Bend your knees slightly while also bending your left elbow. Lower your left hand, hold it in front of your stomach; flip your right hand around, hold both of your hands in front of your stomach, eyes looking straight ahead.

Video 5

Repeat the steps starting with the right-hand side of your body. Doing the movement once to the right and once to the left counts as one repetition. You should complete three repetitions in total.

Video 6

At the end of the third repetition, bend your knees slightly, lower your right hand to the side of your right hit with your fingers point forwards and your eyes looking straight ahead.

Tips: Relax your chest and quickly stretch your whole body, straighten your waist, lower your shoulders, try to lower and raise both your arms.

Please be aware of the following mistakes:

Do not hold your palms horizontally or point your fingers forwards.

Do not make your elbows too straight.

Make sure to stretch your body as much as possible.

According to Chinese medicine, the diseases you have relate to your temperament. Therefore, if you are too worried and anxious, it is going to affect your stomach and spleen. So, please try to be as positive as possible in your day-to-day lives!

By the way, do not forget that you can always practice just a single section or one specific movement in the Eight Silken Movements. Enjoy this short pause in your busy life!

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Health Qigong – The Eight Silken Movements (II): fix your posture, calm your mind, and adjust your San Jiao

Written by Gioia Zhang

Translated by Yuqing Yang

Qigong is one part of Chinese culture; Health Qigong is a traditional national sport that regulates one’s mind, body movements, and breathing. The Eight Silken movements are the most popular form of Health Qigong.

Based largely on posture, there are Eight SilkenMovements which fall into two distinct categories – standing and sitting. The standing style involves being widely spread, which supposedly originated during the Qing Guangxu period. It can summarized in the following short verse:

Hold up your hands and adjust your three Jiao¹ 双手托天理三焦
Stretch out on both sides as if shooting a bow and arrow 左右开弓似射雕
Lift up your arms to heal your spleen and stomach 调理脾胃须单举
Stretchbackwards for physical weakness and sickness 五劳七伤向后瞧
Move your head and legs to reduce heart fire (a special term used in Chinese medicine) 摇头摆尾去心火
Reach down and touch your feet to stabilize your waist 两手攀足固肾腰
Clench your fists and open your eyes wide in order to boost your Qi 攥拳怒目增气力
Stand on your toes and stretch seven times to get rid of an illness 背后七颠百病消

The Eight SilkenMovements appear at first to be a simple set of eight movements, but you have to pay attention to every detail to gain the benefits of this type of health Qigong. So let’s start with the warm-up!

预备式.gif

The warm-up can be divided into the following detailed steps:

Stand upright, relax your arms and look straight in front of you.
Step to the left with your left foot so that your feet are shoulder width apart; rotate your arms inwards and then raise them, so they are straight in front of you in line with your hips; your palms should be facing down and away from your body.
Bend your knees slightly and rotate your elbows and the back of your arm outwards; hold your arms in front your stomach; palms facing towards you, keep 10-centimeters distance between the fingertips of both hands, your eyes should look straight ahead.

Tips: lift up your head, pull in your chin, touch your palate with the tip of your tongue, slightly close your lips, sink your shoulders, leave more space underneath your armpits, relax your chest and stomach, drop your tailbone and straighten your upper body.

Please be aware of the following mistakes:

When you hold your arms in front of your stomach, your thumbs should not point upwards; and the rest of your fingers should not point to the ground.

Do not lean your upper body forwards and do not tilt your tailbone up.

Don’t push your knees too forward.

Your feet should be parallel.

This warm-up helps you to relax, regulate your breathing, appease your internal organs, and straighten your body. It prepares you mentally and physically for the following exercises.

Hold up your hands and adjust your three Jiao

9e3df8dcd100baa141a243444010b912c9fc2e46.jpg.png

“Hold up your hands and adjust your three Jiao” is the first section of the Eight Silken Movements. The three Jiao refer to the upper, middle and lower Jiao. The Upper Jiao refers to the body part above the thoracic diaphragm which includes the lungs and the heart;the Middle Jiao refers to the area that lies below the thoracic diaphragm and above the belly button, including the spleen and the stomach; The Lower Jiao refers to the area found below the belly button including the liver, kidneys, intestines and bladder.

Cross your arms in front of your lower body and lift them upwards so they are crossed in front of your upper body keep extending your arms to relax the three Jiao and your internal systems which will help to harmonize your Qi and blood.It accelerates the metabolic rates of your organs and prevents them from sinking. Through stretching, your body and joints will increase inflexibility and shoulder pain and cervical spondylosis will be prevented.

第一式.gif

The first movement can be divided into the following steps:

Move your hands downwards in front of your body with your palms facing upwards,joining your hands together, fingers crossed with each other. Look straight ahead.
Straighten your knees, raise your hands to chest-level, raise your arms over your head while keeping your palms facing upwards, lift your head and look towards your palms.
Raise your palms until your arms are straight, tuck in your chin, look straight ahead, hold this position.
Bend your knees slightly, lower your arms, hold your hands in front of your stomach with your palms facing upwards

One repetition includes one complete movement upwards and downwards. Repeat the complete movement 6 times.

Tips: While you raise your arms upwards, you have to stretch your body and pause for a short period. When lowering your arms, relax your waist and drop your hips. When sinking your shoulders, relax your wrists and fingers and straighten your body.

Please be aware of the following mistakes:

When you look towards your palms, make sure you lift your head completely.

Do not relax your arms when you raise them.

This movement is similar to stretching in general, so when you take a break from work, you can stand up and complete this exercise in a short space of time.

In the next blog, I will introduce you to the second and third stages of the Eight Silken Movements – “Stretch out on both sides as if shooting a bow and arrow” and “Life up your arms to heal your spleen and stomach.” For all health lovers, please follow my blog posts for more information.

[1]The Upper Jiao refers to the body part above the thoracic diaphragm which includes the lungs and the heart;the Middle Jiao refers to the area that lies below the thoracic diaphragm and above the belly button, including the spleen and the stomach; The Lower Jiao refers to the area found below the belly button including the liver, kidneys, intestines, and bladder.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion, Kungfu Clothing, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speak English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

If you have passion to write about Oriental Aesthetic in Fashion, Home Decor, Art & Crafts, Culture, Music, Books, and Charity, please contact us at bloggers@interactchina.com, we would love to hear from you!

The Eight Silken Movements – An Ancient Guide

Written by Gioia Zhang

Translated by Yuqing Yang

Around two years ago, probably due to how unlucky my animal year is (just kidding haha) ¹, the state of my mental and physical health started to go downhill. I therefore started paying more attention to self-care and gradually developed a great interest in traditional Chinese medicine. Every time I go to my doctor for further advice, she always mentions the Eight Silken Movements, which are easy for both the elderly and children. They have slowly become part of my morning routine and are now the first thing I do after waking up. I would now like to introduce the sequence to you. I hope that more people can benefit from these movements!

view副本.jpg

The Eight Silken Movements or the Eight-Section Brocade, like the Five Animal exercises and Taichi Chuan, is a popular kind of physical exercise in China. It has a long history and is widely known throughout China. The first records of the movements date back to the Northern Song dynasty and are now more than 800 years old. A “Jin” (Brocade) (锦jin3) is a high-quality silk product which is woven using multi-colored silk. For the ancient people, brocades represented the colors of the rainbow, beauty and elegance. These symbolic meanings perfectly embody the characteristics of the set of movements which contains delicate arrangements, smooth motions, help to prevent illness and strengthen the body.

Compared with other types of exercise, the Eight Silken Movements have the following advantages:

As a callisthenic exercise, you do not need any equipment or have to be in any specific location in order to do the workout.
Efficiency; the entire sequence of movements lasts about 10 minutes and is only practiced once every morning and night.
Flexibility; it consists of 8 sections which are easy to learn. You can choose one or multiple sections for each workout according to your personal needs
The postures help to improve flexibility and are simple, making them suitable for people of all ages.

Full-body workout; the movements in combination with the regulated breathing exercises take care of the body, both inside and out.

The Eight Silken Movements provide a full-body workout for both muscles and bones. The movements stretch the muscles and increase your internal strength, namely increasing flexibility and suppleness.

What is internal strength? It is a kind of force that can be easily directed and controlled. It is stored within and does not manifest itself externally. Internal strength is holistic, flows through the body, and is found throughout the body in equal measures, as is fully described by the saying, “iron covered by cotton, hardness hidden in softness”. There is a fundamental difference between internal strength and physical strength. Physical strength comes from our muscles and is gained through the kinds of exercises you would normally do while working out at the gym. This kind of muscular strength easily deteriorates once you reach the age of 60. But if you have strong bones and muscles, you can live well into your 80s or 90s and still have an outstanding physique and good posture.

One’s temperament decides the quality of one’s internal strength. Having a good temperament leads to the development of an easy-going, generous, joyful and peaceful internal force. Exercising internal strength requires us to put muscular force to the back of our minds, clear our minds of all distractions and to concentrate on our inner-most feelings. Long-term benefits of practicing the Eight Silken Movements include improving your skin, building your ligament strength, and increasing joint flexibility. Over time, the entire body becomes supple, and Qi cleanses the mind, body and soul.

Excluding the aforementioned advantages, the Eight Silken Movements also improve the nervous system and circulation, as well as your immune system. During the exercise the internal organs are gently massaged which can help to improve vascular congestion and reduce blood pressure. The Eight Silken Movements rely on deep breathing, which can slow down your heart rate and improve blood circulation. In the long run, it can help to reduce cardiac output and increase lung capacity.

In the next few blog posts, I will introduce to you some practice tips for each movement, but you can also get a better understanding of the sequence of movements from the following video:

¹Usually, one is supposed to have much luck in his animal year, but the opposite is sometimes true. Animal year refers to the recurrent year of one’s animal sign in the twelve-year cycle.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

The Common Heritage Between the 5 Major Tai Chi Styles

Written by Joshua Joshua@InteractChina.com

Chen

The originator of Tai Chi (Pinyin Taijiquan), according to legend, is Zhang Sanfeng of the Wudang mountains. When witnessing the fight between a snake and a crane, he is said to have found the inspiration to create what has come to be called Tai Chi. Historically, however, the origin of Tai Chi can only be traced back to the Chen-Family about 300 years ago. The Chen Style was founded about 300 years ago by Cheng Wangting in Chenjiagou. The other four major styles of Tai Chi are Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu, and Sun. They are all related and often influenced by each other.

Zhang Sanfeng witnesses the fight between a snake and a crane

Yang

For a long time, Tai Chi was rarely taught outside the Chen family. Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang Style Tai Chi, was one of the early exceptions. He learned from Chen Changxing, of the 6^th generation in his family, the Chen Style. Yang achieved great skills and came to develop his own style. Whereas Chen Style combines fast and slow movements and incorporates jumping and stomping techniques to a greater extent, Yang Luchan’s style was slower, more even and flowing.

Wu/Hao

The Wu/Hao Style, also called the first Wu Style, has been shaped by both Yang as well as Chen Style. The founder Wu Yuxiang learned from Yang Banhou (the 2^nd generation Yang) and Yang Luchan, and then he learned from Chen Qingping (the 7^th generation Chen). It is said, Yang Luchan introduced Wu Yuxiang to the Chen family. The movements of the Wu/Hao style may be characterized as slow, flowing, and small, with a narrow stance and tall body posture.

Wu

The second Wu Style, which is simply called Wu Style, was jointly founded by Wu Quanyou and his son Wu Jianquan. Wu Quanyou learned from Yang Banhou. Wu Jianquan, in turn, learned from his own father. A striking feature of this style is the sideward-leaning body posture. While raising the upper body is considered crucial in Tai Chi, the Wu Style internalizes this principle. In practice, this means they are still raising upwards, even though their body is leaning to the side.

Sun

The Sun Style connects Wu/Hao Style Tai Chi, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang. Tai Chi, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang are known to be the three most influential internal martial arts. The founder of Sun Style is Sun Lutang. He first learned Xingyiquan and Baguazhang and then moved on to study Wu/Hao Style Tai Chi under Hao Weijian (3^rd generation of Wu/Hao). The Sun Style is similar to the Wu/Hao Style, employing a narrower stance and a taller body posture. It prioritizes gentleness and steadiness, consciously avoiding any surplus muscular tension.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters, and tailors, along with 12 years of solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we are well positioned to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and directly bring you finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion, Tailor Shop, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speaks English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!
If you have the passion to write about Oriental Aesthetic in Fashion, Home Decor, Art & Crafts, Culture, Music, Books, and Charity, please contact us at bloggers@interactchina.com, we would love to hear from you!

Sparring in Tai Chi – Tuishou and Sanshou

By Joshua Joshua@InteractChina.com

Is Tai Chi really a martial art? Does what you learn really enable you to defend yourself? The short answer is yes, Tai Chi is a martial art. Progress in Tai Chi brings you crucial skills for self-defense.

While Yang Chengfu more than a hundred years ago was teaching this martial art to selected soldiers of the imperial palace in Beijing, Tai Chi nowadays has been opened to the masses. As Tai Chi was introduced to a society that has little need for martial skills, it’s immensely positive influence on physical and mental health has certainly become a compelling factor leading to its popularization. But health is not the only reason to be fascinated with Tai Chi.

One Turns into Two

When practicing Tai Chi, fighting is often the last thing we draw into consideration. However, one who truly wants to explore the deeper sides of Tai Chi will need to develop an understanding of its martial meaning and capacities, for which one will need a partner to practice with. Training alone and with a partner are two complementary units like Yin and Yang.

Establishing a strong basis is the first thing to do: the body needs to get used to ideas like opening the joints and the Tai Chi specific term relaxation. Having completed this initial stage, you are ready to start learning Tuishou.

Tuishou

Tuishou means pushing hands and upon learning it, it might very well be the first time a student is challenged to accommodate not just him or herself, but also a partner, to find a harmonious and meaningful exchange. As Tuishou is only one method of practice, with its own set of rules, one of the prerequisites is to not punch or kick. Its physical aspect is limited to pushing and yielding. For Tuishou, you first learn the upper body and then the lower body. For training the arms, each partner raises one arm, using the wrist as a contact point. The arms start circling: first simple circles, then more complicated circles. Each partner will add in his or her second hand and start adding more different contact points. Contact at first is only the wrist-palm area and then later moves towards the elbows, shoulders and even the entire upper body. First without any footwork, then in a fixed stance moving the weight forward and backward. Only after becoming comfortable with the preceding stages may one move on to moving steps. The practice of circles is eventually extended into the practice of applications: such as pushing, rolling back, warding off, etc.

Preceding in this order, with relentless practice you will slowly develop your skills. Alongside Tuishou you will also start learning Fajin-exercises, which cover striking, pushing, and kicking techniques. When the body and mind can transition smoothly to meet all situations, without being hindered by the necessity to think, then once again the challenge can become more complicated. This is when you start learning Sanshou, which means free hands, a term for free fighting and sparring.

Sanshou

If the student is not advanced enough to learn Sanshou, then he or she will not be able to profit much from the practice. He will become tense, his Qi moving upwards and his body becoming unrooted. He will try to use muscular force to overcome his partner and defend himself. This wrong use of force needs to be avoided, as within the Tai Chi philosophy it is seen as something weak, that can easily be abused by one’s opponent.

At its pinnacle, Sanshou may include every little thing one has learned throughout his/her entire practice. The amount of discipline required to study Tai Chi to such completion is immense and that is exactly why in the hands of most people, Tai Chi will be a health program, rather than a martial art. However, if practiced as a martial art, there are no limitations. One can grow beyond his or her own style, and even grow to be able to meet, study, and spar with masters from other martial arts like Shaolin or Karate. What one intends to do with such a skill, in the end, is up to the individual.

Check out this video to see Sanshou choreography from a competition in 1980:

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What is Qigong

Highlight: Qi represents the “vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.” and Gong refers to any kind of physical or mental practice.

What is Qigong?

According to the National Qigong Association, “Qigong is an ancient Chinese healthcare system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention”. Qi, which is pronounced as “chee” in mandarin, represents the “vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.” and Gong refers to any kind of physical or mental practice. From a traditional Chinese medicine point of view, Qigong is a way of healing the human body through self-training and adjustment. As Qigong became mainstream, a lot of medical research was carried out to study its benefits, and it has been proven that practicing Qigong can be beneficial to both mental and physical health.

History of Qigong

Qigong is a type of traditional exercise in China for keeping health and fitness. It was first recognized as “Tu Na” around 3000 years ago in ancient China. Tu Na means breathing and the famous philosopher Zhuang Zi explained in his book Nan Hua Jing that breathing until it reaches down to your heel is the secret of being immortal. Later, the Six Healing Sounds of Qigong was invented by Taoism, an ancient religious belief in China. It is a breathing technique that can improve healing and longevity. Another important practice in Qigong is meditation. Meditation was brought to China by Da Mo, the first Buddhist Patriarch Bodhidharma, during the Liang dynasty and it aims to balance the Qi that flows through our body. Meditation can be beneficial to both our minds and bodies. On top of breathing exercises, martial Qigong was created based on the theories and principles of both Taoist and Buddhist. Today, Qigong has developed into a range of exercises that help to heal and energize people and create balance in our body.

Types of Qigong and Benefits

Qigong can be divided into four categories, namely health, medical, spiritual and martial. Health Qigong, which normally involves supine or seated meditation, breathing exercises and gentle movements, can help to ease stress and raise confidence. Medical Qigong refers to the way to treat patients by using energy manipulation, herbal remedies and Chinese massage techniques. It needs to be done by a qualified Qigong practitioner and is proven to strengthen the immune system, nervous system and internal organs. Other benefits of medical Qigong are regulating hormones, reducing pain and relieving stress. Spiritual Qigong is religion-based and combines seated or moving meditation and prayer. The purpose of Spiritual Qigong differs in religions but it is often to achieve harmony and self-awareness. The last type is martial qigong, which is practiced to strengthen skills in martial arts such as speed, power, flexibility, balance and coordination. It can also help to improve performance in other sports like football or swimming.

Written by Bota @ InteractChina.com

Posted by Yuqing@ InteractChina.com

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 12 years of solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we are well positioned to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and directly bring you finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion, Tailor Shop, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speak English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.

The Five Elements of Taijiquan

Highlight: Taijiquan practice has gained worldwide popularity and has been compared to the “yoga of China”, in that many health benefits for both the mind and body are gained through the practice.

Taijiquan is commonly referred to in the Western world as the practice of “tai chi”, which translates into “supreme ultimate boxing” in the martial arts realm. It is seen as an art for defence training, and holds many health benefits for those who practice it. The conceptual practice links to both Taoist and Confucian backgrounds, and the popular taijitu symbol of the fusion of the yin and yang.

The 5 elements of Taijiquan

Though it is characterized for its slow movements, there are several traditions of Taijiquan that involve faster and medium paces, and all involve a total of five elements: taolu, neigong, qigong, tuishou, and sanshou. Taolu refers to hand and weapon routines, neigong to breathing and movement, qigong to awareness and meditation, tuishou to response and reactions, and sanshou to self-defence. The practice has gained worldwide popularity and has been compared to the “yoga of China”, in that many health benefits for both the mind and body are gained through the practice.

Derived movement from Taijiquan

Various martial arts styles are derived from the original Taijiquan (born in Chen Village of China), including the slow-movement version coined “needle in cotton” that has been adopted by a branch of Lama Pai. Taijiquan popularity trends have led to thecreation of books, movies, and pamphlets that disseminate knowledge and expertise on the practice, even when several of the techniques or adaptations deviate from original historic routes. One thing is for sure, though: Taijiquan is one of China’s biggest cultural exports to the Western world, and it is continuously propagated both as a martial art and as a vehicle for mental and physical health alike.

Written by Monica @ InteractChina.com

Posted by Yuqing@ InteractChina.com

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 12 years of solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we are well positioned to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and directly bring you finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion, Tailor Shop, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speak English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.