upon which health and longevity depend.
The Root of Chinese Qigong is one of the first books to explore the nature of Qi and explain the ancient practice of Qigong in the light of modern science while still remaining faithful to the original Daoist principles that gave birth to this profound system of health care and spiritual cultivation. Indeed, the author has clearly demonstrated that Qigong is based entirely on scientific principles of energy that were known to the ancient Daoist masters who developed it long before Einstein first informed Western science that energy and matter are relative and transmutable elements.
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is uniquely qualified to explore the topic of Qigong in terms of Western thought. Backed by over thirty years of personal experience as both a practitioner and teacher of Qigong, trained in classical forms by traditional masters in Taiwan, and the founder of a school in America that transmits this ancient practice to contemporary Western students, Dr. Yang has gained full command of both the classical Daoist principles and the modern science concepts required to elucidate this traditional Chinese practice in a way that is meaningful to contemporary readers without a prior background in Chinese studies. What distinguishes The Root of Chinese Qigong from so many other books that have appeared in recent years on the same subject is the scientific validity he bestows on the principles of Qigong practice, the simplicity and clarity of language used to present the traditional ideas involved, and the concurrent adherence to the original spirit, or "root" of Qigong in ancient China.
The West has long given lip service to the idea of imposing "mind over matter" but has never developed an effective method whereby this goal may be accomplished. That's because Western thought divided body and mind into two mutually exclusive realms. Matters of the body were approached either chemically or mechanically, while the mind became the domain of religion and later psychology. Traditional Eastern thought has always cited a third, pivotal element in the human system, and that element is energy, known as prana in ancient India, and Qi in China. Qi is the bridge that links body and mind into an integrated and functional system, and it is the medium through which the mind may gain command over the body. The method whereby the medium of energy may be utilized to gain control over the body is Qigong, or "energy-work."
According to the Daoist tradition of China, the Three Treasures of life are essence (the essential secretions of the body), energy (the vital energies that animate the body and may be controlled by proper breathing), and spirit (awareness, intent, and the various facilities of the mind). When these three aspects of existence are brought into balance and harmony, the health of the entire organism is protected and life prolonged. Qigong is the fulcrum of balance between the body and mind, with energy serving as the common force upon which both depend. Energy is also the medium through which the powers of nature and the cosmos enter and influence the human system, and Qigong provides a way whereby the practitioner may synchronize his or her system in order to harness those powers to promote human health and support human life.
For those who are interested in learning the basic concepts and practical applications of Qigong as a means of cultivating health and longevity, The Root of Chinese Qigong provides an excellent and comprehensive overview on the subject, a view that will no doubt awaken the reader's mind to the importance of energy as the most fundamental fact of life.
Daniel Reid Author of The Complete Book of Chinese Health & Healing, The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity, and Chinese Herbal Medicine
Preface First Edition
Since my first Qigong book Chi Kung — Health and Martial Arts appeared, I have received many compliments and thank-you’s, as well as numerous questions, and many valuable suggestions from doctors, readers with medical problems, and the general public. This has led me to believe that my introductory book has opened the door to Qigong for many people, and has brought health benefits to more than a few. This response has encouraged me to continue my research and publishing. However, most of my Qigong experience and knowledge was obtained through my Taiji and Shaolin practice, and was therefore limited to a few Daoist and Buddhist Qigong exercises, as well as some of the common Qigong exercises which are popular in China. Because of this limitation in my Qigong knowledge, I have spent a lot of time analyzing, researching, pondering, and experimenting with many other Qigong styles about which I have read in my collection of Qigong documents. This research has greatly increased my knowledge.
In August of 1986 I had a chance to go back to Taiwan to visit my family. This visit also gave me the opportunity to see what Qigong documents had been published since I left Taiwan in 1974. To my surprise, there are a great many new publications available. I was so happy to learn that many documents had been published which described training techniques heretofore kept secret. With my brother’s encouragement and financial support, I was able to purchase all of the expensive documents which I found worthwhile. Once I returned to the United States, I started to read and study them, and to experiment with some of the methods. These documents made me realize how limited my knowledge was, and opened up a whole new field of Qigong study for me.
In my excitement and enthusiasm I decided to compile them, filter out the parts which seemed questionable, and introduce the results to my readers. An unfortunate problem arose in that most of the documents explain what to do, but do not explain why, and some will even just tell the process without explaining how to do it. Despite the obstacles, I decided to try my best, through research and contemplation, to determine the secrets of the techniques.
After two years of research and experimentation, I feel that it will take at least five years and eight volumes of introductory books to initiate the reader into the broad field of Chinese Qigong. Although these eight volumes will be based on the documents available to me, they will not be direct translations of these documents, except for the ancient poetry or songs which are the root of the training. This approach is necessary simply because these documents do not have any systematic introduction or way of tying everything together. What I can do is read them and study them carefully. Then I can compile and organize the information, and discuss it carefully in the light of my own Qigong knowledge and experience.
This approach will allow me to cautiously bring long-concealed Qigong knowledge to the reader. The only thing lacking is the experience. Many of the methods require more than twenty years of training to complete, and I would have to spend more than three lifetimes studying the various methods before I could discuss them with authority. I realize that it is impossible for me alone to introduce the results of four thousand years of Qigong research with these eight books, but I would still like to share the knowledge which I have gained from these documents, and the conclusions which I have drawn from my training. Please take these books in the tentative spirit in which they are written, and not as a final authority or bible. I sincerely hope that many other Qigong experts will step forward and share the traditional teachings which were passed down to them, as well as the fruits of their experience.
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At present, the following books are planned:
1. The Root of Chinese Qigong — The Secrets of Qigong Training
2. Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong — The Secret of Youth (Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing)(
3. Chinese Qigong Massage — Qigong Tui Na and Cavity Press for Healing (Qigong An Mo and Qigong Dian Xue)(
4. Qigong and Health — For Healing and Maintaining Health
5.
