Wudang Shen Quan Qigong (or Magical Fist Qigong)
Wudang Shen Quan Qigong is a bright pearl amongst the Taoist schools of qigong. It contains spiritual, martial, medical and philosophical aspects, which can be focused upon by all who practice the art.
It was created by the famous Taoist immortal who lived in seclusion on Wudang mountain called "Zhang San- Fong" (also known as Chang San-Feng, the legendary founder of Taijiquan) during the Ming dynasty (14th century AD)
He combined two systems of qigong. The first was the Confucian Fist Exercises or The Scholars Exercises, these were developed during the Zhou Dynasty about 2000 years ago. The second was the Inner Organ Exercises these were evolved out of a philosophical sect during the Wei (220 - 265 AD) and Jin (265 - 420 AD) dynasties.
He called the combined exercises "Wudang Shen Quan Qigong" which translates as Wudang Magical Fist Exercises. This qigong system was only transmitted to disciples orally. Masters were only allowed to take a maximum of three disciples during their lifetime, therefore this did not allow it to spread to many people during its history.
During the practice of Wudang Shen Quan Qigong, qi is the basic substance and spirit (Shen) is the guiding force. When practicing one should have a clear mind and follow along with the postures to combine qi and spirit. Zhang San-Fong said "the aim of practicing this type of qigong is to strengthen the body and to cultivate one's true nature by placing morality above all else." It is only in this way that the practitioner will be able to refine their vital energy to prolong life and realize the highest aspects of this unique art.
The core Taoist theory is to obey the law of revolving and changing within nature. In doing this one will spend one's lifetime happily and constructively with harmony being maintained between heaven and earth and one's social situation. Everything must be in accord with nature or the "Tao."
Those who practice Wudang Shen Quan Qigong should live their lives with humility, peacefulness and kindness. When practicing with this spirit the practitioner will achieve mental tranquility, be able to conserve strength, store internal energy and draw in the external qi from heaven (yang qi) and earth (yin qi) to cultivate one's self.
An introduction to Master Wang Zhi-Gang, Director of the Wudang Shen Quan Qigong Research Association
Master Wang Zhi- Gang was born in Shanghai in 1944. From a very early age he was taught Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by his father. He continued his studies on more advanced methods of treatment with a famous practitioner called "Ding Ji-Wan" whose medical knowledge and healing abilities were well known throughout China.
At the age of eighteen Master Wang was chosen as a disciple of Grandmaster Zhang who is a master of the Wudang Shen Quan Qigong lineage. He is reported to live in seclusion in the mountainous regions of Anhui Province in Central China.
After many years of diligent practice and study Master Wang acquired the essence of the Wudang Shen Quan Qigong system. Since 1988 he has openly taught this method of qigong to both Chinese and foreign students alike with the full knowledge and consent of his teacher Grandmaster Zhang.
Master Wang is a Taoist, he is a genuine and humble man who holds his method of qigong practice and his master in the highest esteem. He is a very practical and powerful man who uses his healing talents to help and relieve others of their ailments. Qigong masters are said to be able to develop special skills because of their intense training and practice of their art, therefore it is common to identify their special functions. When asked about his special function Master Wang's reply was, "My special function is just to function normally."
The Practice of Wudang Shen Quan Qigong
There are some special features about Wudang Shen Quan Qigong:
- Become natural with elegant and ancient style
To become natural and elegant during each posture is of prime importance. After a period of practice one enjoys a deep sense of calmness and the freedom from outer distractions leading to the gradual cultivation of one's mind and body within the spiraling and fluctuating energies of nature.
- Easy to learn for everyone
It is easy for people of all different characteristics to learn Wudang Shen Quan Qigong. The young, old, weak, strong, male or female, anyone can learn regardless of their physical type or condition.
- Effects on health and disease
One of the main features of Wudang Shen Quan Qigong is how it can be used as a preventative method against illness. This is achieved by increasing the vital energy in each of the internal organs to help strengthen the body and improve the immune system. Continuous practice will aid relaxation and bring about an improved sense of well being.
Wudang Shen Quan Qigong has been used to help those suffering from chronic illness in many parts of the world. Some individuals suffering with hypertension, impotency, insomnia, arthritis, rheumatism, gynecological problems and some types of cancers have experienced improvements.
- No limitations to who can practice
The duration of practice can be short or long it all depends upon your personal circumstances. A good rule of thumb is to adopt a practice regimen of thirty minutes per day. Wudang Shen Quan Qigong can be practiced indoors at any time. It is advised to restrict your practice outdoors when certain weather conditions prevail:
a) When the wind is strong because this can have an adverse effect on you're breathing.
b) When it is raining/snowing because this can have an effect of the body letting the dampness enter causing a chill or aching joints.
The Eight Forms of Wudang Shen Quan Qigong
The Wudang Shen Quan Qigong system has eight forms. Each form contains three (3) postures or specific movements. There is a total of twenty-four postures (i.e. 3 x 8 = 24) in the complete system.
The names of the eight form are:
- Heaven
- Earth
- Combination
- Wind
- Cloud
- Dragon
- Tiger
- Crane
The first three forms are practiced to specifically increase the vital life force of the body to give a solid foundation of balanced and combined Yin and Yang energy. This occurs in three phases:
Phase 1: Is achieved by refining and strengthening the internal qi and then building it up until it moves out into the extremities of the physical body.
Phase 2: Is to draw external qi from heaven (Yang) and earth (Yin) into the physical body.
Phase 3: Is to combine all of the external and internal, yin and yang energies into one balanced life force or energy.
The remaining five forms are specifically used to build up the immune system to help ward off disease.
The five forms also correspond to the five elements (Wu Hsing) which are used in traditional Chinese medical theory:
Form: Wind Cloud Dragon Tiger Crane
Element: Metal Earth Water Fire Wood
Organ: Lung Spleen Kidney Heart Liver
Direction: West Center North South East
Each one of these five forms can be practiced to improve the energy in a specific organ. They can all be used together as a set of five form or individually to regulate a specific condition. One form can be focused upon more than the others to help balance a particular condition.
An example of using the forms specifically would be for a person who has a lung condition and the root cause of the problem is within the lung system, they would practice the Wind form. This example of using the forms would apply to all physical and emotional conditions because in traditional Chinese medical theory they are all linked.
The key principle when practicing Wudang Shen Quan Qigong is to be natural, this means to be open in body and mind. The Chinese use the word "Sung" to explain this state of being. It is simply explained as if one is imitating the revolving movements of heaven and earth and this should be kept in mind at all times during one's practice. To explain "Sung" even further some use the word "Loose" this is used in the context of maintaining the minimum amount of tension in the body and allowing the breathing to become light and soft.
To be natural is a special feature of this method of qigong. Beginners often try to hard and search deeply to find the effects of any increase in their vital energy without having sustained a sufficient period of practice. One should not search for qi intellectually but try to remain in a natural state and maintain feelings of harmony during practice. If you follow this process once any changes in vital energies occur the effects will be experienced spontaneously.
Each posture is practiced for a duration of six to nine breaths after which one may rest. As you continue to practice each posture you will experience a feeling of softness in the muscles and joints, this allows the channels and the collateral's to open which carry qi throughout the body. This increases the energy or qi flow which harmonizes the whole physiological system, the benefits of this are experienced beyond any obvious physical and/or emotional improvements.
The overall effect of Wudang Shen Quan Qigong is totally dependent upon the amount of time you allocate for practice. One should not become obsessed with practicing, however time needs to be set aside on a regular basis to obtain the maximum effect. You will not become healthier or better prepare your body to fight disease unless you can discipline yourself to practice. An old Chinese saying tells it this way "You will not live and eat well if you go fishing for three days and dry the nets for two of them
I would like to give a special thanks to :
Tony Henry for introducing me to the wonders of Wudang Shen Quan Qigong and also for introducing me to Master Wang Zhi-Gang.
Master Wang Zhi-Gang for sharing his knowledge of this wonderful art with me. I also thank him for his kindness and patience during my time with him in China.
By Sifu Chris Turner