specific movements (some say that the Wu Qin Xi was created by Hua Tuo). Also, in this period a physician named Ge Hong () mentioned using the mind to lead and increase Qi in his book Bao Pu Zi (). Sometime in the period of 420 to 581 A.D. Tao, Hong-Jing () compiled the Yang Shen Yan Ming Lu (Records of Nourishing the Body and Extending Life, ), which showed many Qigong techniques.
Characteristics of Qigong during this period were:
1. There were three schools of religious Qigong which influenced and dominated the Qigong practice in this period. These are Indian Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Daoism.
2. Almost all of the religious Qigong practices were kept secret within the monasteries.
3. Religious Qigong training worked to escape from the cycle of reincarnation.
4. Relatively speaking, religious Qigong theory is deeper than the theory of the nonreligious Qigong, and the training is harder.
5. Qi circulation theory was better understood by this time, so the Qigong sets created in this period seem to be more efficient than the older sets.
During the Liang dynasty (502-557 A.D., ) the emperor invited a Buddhist monk named Da Mo (), who was once an Indian prince, to preach Buddhism in China. The emperor decided he did not like Da Mo’s Buddhist theory, so the monk withdrew to the Shaolin Temple (). When Da Mo arrived, he saw that the priests were weak and sickly, so he shut himself away to ponder the problem. He emerged after nine years of seclusion and wrote two classics: Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic, ) and Xi Sui Jing (Marrow/Brain Washing Classic, ). The Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic taught the priests how to gain health and change their physical bodies from weak to strong. The Marrow/Brain Washing Classic taught the priests how to use Qi to clean the bone marrow and strengthen the blood and immune system, as well as how to energize the brain and attain enlightenment. Because the Marrow/Brain Washing Classic was harder to understand and practice, the training methods were passed down secretly to only a very few disciples in each generation.
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After the priests practiced the Muscle/Tendon Changing exercises, they found that not only did they improve their health, but they also greatly increased their strength. When this training was integrated into the martial arts forms, it increased the effectiveness of their techniques. In addition to this martial Qigong training, the Shaolin priests also created five animal styles of Gongfu which imitated the way different animals fight. The animals imitated were the tiger, leopard, dragon, snake, and crane.
Outside of the monastery, the development of Qigong continued during the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907 A.D., ). Chao, Yuan-Fang () compiled the Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun (Thesis on the Origins and Symptoms of Various Diseases, ), which is a veritable encyclopedia of Qigong methods, listing 260 different ways of increasing the Qi flow. The Qian Jin Fang (Thousand Gold Prescriptions, ) by Sun, Si-Mao () described the method of leading Qi, and also described the use of the Six Sounds. The Buddhists and Daoists had already been using the Six Sounds to regulate Qi in the internal organs for some time. Sun Si-Mao also introduced a massage system called Lao Zi’s 49 Massage Techniques. Wai Tai Mi Yao (The Extra Important Secret, ) by Wang Tao () discussed the use of breathing and herbal therapies for disorders of Qi circulation.
During the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties (960-1368 A.D., ), Yang Shen Jue (Life Nourishing Secrets, ) by Zhang, An-Dao () discussed several Qigong practices. Ru Men Shi Shi (The Confucian Point of View, ) by Zhang, Zi-He () describes the use of Qigong to cure external injuries such as cuts and sprains. Lan Shi Mi Cang (Secret Library of the Orchid Room, ) by Li Guo () describes using Qigong and herbal remedies for internal disorders. Ge Zhi Yu Lun (A Further Thesis of Complete Study, ) by Zhu, Dan-Xi () provided a theoretical explanation for the use of Qigong in curing disease.
During the Song dynasty (960-1279 A.D., ), Chang, San-Feng () is believed to have created Taijiquan (or Tai Chi Chuan, ). Taiji followed a different approach in its use of Qigong than did Shaolin. While Shaolin emphasized Wai Dan (External Elixir, ) Qigong exercises, Taiji emphasized Nei Dan (Internal Elixir, ) Qigong training.
In 1026 A.D. the famous brass man of acupuncture was designed and built by Dr. Wang, Wei-Yi (). Before that time, the many publications which discussed acupuncture theory, principles, and treatment techniques disagreed with each other, and left many points unclear. When Dr. Wang built his brass man, he also wrote a book called Tong Ren Yu Xue Zhen Jiu Tu (Illustration of the Brass Man Acupuncture and Moxibustion, ). He explained the relationship of the 12 organs and the 12 Qi channels, clarified many of the points of confusion, and, for the first time, systematically
specific movements (some say that the Wu Qin Xi was created by Hua Tuo). Also, in this period a physician named Ge Hong (