In the broad sense, although the various schools of qigong differ and their functions have different emphases, ultimately they all aim to raise the level of people’s physical and mental health, thereby achieving the purpose of developing wisdom and enhancing ability.
In this sense, any qigong may be called Zhineng Qigong.
In the narrow sense, it refers to qigong whose functions of developing wisdom and enhancing ability are particularly evident.
Many qigong methods transmitted from ancient times belong to narrow-sense Zhineng Qigong; their characteristic is that they first require opening Tianmen in order to promote the development of wisdom.
This system of Zhineng Qigong of ours is neither broad-sense Zhineng Qigong nor identical with the narrow-sense Zhineng Qigong transmitted from ancient times.
It does not require a qigong master to open Tianmen by point-conduction; rather, it can rapidly achieve the effects of opening Tianmen and promoting the development of wisdom.
In the spring of 1981, we named this complete system of theory and method, which includes several stages of practice, Zhineng Qigong and announced it publicly; therefore, Zhineng Qigong has now become the proper term for this system of practice.
The name Zhineng Qigong embodies the entire function of qigong. It encompasses all the effects of qigong: eliminating disease and prolonging life, beautifying and strengthening body and mind, increasing wisdom, and developing latent potential.
II. Characteristics of Zhineng Qigong
The fact that Zhineng Qigong has the above effects is determined by its characteristics.
In summary, Zhineng Qigong has the following nine characteristics.
1. It has a special theoretical system — the theory of Hunyuanqi.
The theory of Hunyuanqi is the theoretical foundation of Zhineng Qigong.
It was established on the basis of classical qigong theory and in combination with modern scientific knowledge.
This theory differs from the current theories of the various qigong schools.
Hunyuanqi is a special formless and imageless state of matter formed by the mixture of the form (mass), qi (energy), and quality (information) of matter, and it marks the fundamental holistic characteristics of a thing.
All matter has its own Hunyuanqi, and different levels of matter have different levels of Hunyuanqi.
Zhineng Qigong mainly practices the Hunyuanqi of the human body and the most fundamental Hunyuanqi of nature.
2. It has a systematic set of practices.
This systematic set of practices in Zhineng Qigong includes three types of practice: moving qigong, still qigong, and still-moving qigong.
All three types of practice must pass through Wai Hunyuan, Nei Hunyuan, and Zhong Hunyuan, a process of practice from elementary to advanced levels.
Zhineng moving qigong is divided into three stages and six steps of practice: Wai Hunyuan, Nei Hunyuan, and Zhong Hunyuan.
The first step of practice is Pengqi Guanding Fa, which belongs to the Wai Hunyuan stage.
The second step of practice is Xingshenzhuang, which practices Xingshen Hunyuan.
The third step of practice is Wuyuanzhuang, which practices Zangzhen Hunyuan.
The second and third steps of practice both belong to the Nei Hunyuan stage.
The fourth step of practice practices Zhongmai Hunyuan.
The fifth step of practice practices Zhongxian Hunyuan.
The sixth step of practice practices Fanben Guiyuan, also called Hunhua Guiyuan.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth steps of practice all belong to the Zhong Hunyuan stage.
3. It extensively adopts many esoteric practice techniques.
Zhineng Qigong has collected many esoteric techniques from Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, medicine, martial arts, and folk qigong, and has organically arranged them into an integrated whole.
I successively studied under nineteen teachers, among whom were Buddhist monks, nuns, and lay practitioners; Daoist renunciate priests and lay cultivators; qigong masters in Chinese medicine; martial artists; and folk qigong masters.
I learned esoteric techniques that the teachers had gained through long-term practice and did not readily transmit to outsiders.
4. In teaching gong, it uses three transmissions together.
The combined use of the three transmissions means the combined use of mind transmission, oral transmission, and xing transmission.
1. Mind transmission
In the past, a teacher of high gongfu, toward a disciple excellent in both physical and mental health and comprehension, did not need to speak; using only intention, the disciple could apprehend the teacher’s transmission. This was called mind transmission.
The mind transmission of Zhineng Qigong is mainly organizing the field, implementing teaching in an organized field and healing in an organized field.
When the teacher organizes the field and emits qi, those present can have sensations.
When the teacher uses intention to make everyone’s hands lengthen, everyone’s hands can lengthen.
When the teacher teaches gong and uses intention to think of performing the movements, everyone can perform the movements better.
Teaching and healing in the field can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Because organizing the field is done with intention and can cause corresponding reactions in those present, organizing the field belongs to the category of mind transmission, though it is only elementary mind transmission.
2. Oral transmission
Oral transmission is lecturing on qigong theory.
3. Xing transmission
Xing transmission is arranging postures.
5. It does not use special intention activities.
In the application of consciousness, Zhineng Qigong neither seeks empty quietude nor uses special intention activities.
Some practices either circulate Zhou Tian, or focus on Dantian, or visualize objects inside or outside the body, requiring special intention activities.
Zhineng Qigong requires the active use of consciousness: it means focusing the spirit on performing movements and, according to the requirements of the movements, concentrating intention on the relevant parts, without special intention activities.
6. It uses guiding qi as the means of mobilizing the qi mechanism.
Qigong practice uses different methods to mobilize the gathering, dispersing, and flowing of the qi mechanism, thereby making the qi mechanism unobstructed.
Zhineng Qigong uses the method of guiding qi to mobilize the qi mechanism.
There are the following three methods of guiding qi:
1. Guiding qi with yi
In the Wai Hunyuan stage, Zhineng Qigong adopts the method of guiding qi with yi.
The qi guided is the Hunyuanqi of the human body and nature, not the qi of the meridians.
2. Guiding qi with xing
Guiding qi with xing refers to using physical movements to lead the qi of the meridians.
What is led by yi is Hunyuanqi and Dantian qi; yi cannot lead the qi of the meridians.
What is led by xing is the qi of the meridians.
3. Guiding qi with sound
Guiding qi with sound is causing changes in the internal qi mechanism through emitting sound.
7. It belongs to open-style practice.
Open-style practice is spoken of in contrast to closed-style practice.
Around 1980, I summarized the schools and methods of qigong in China, ancient and modern, into two major categories: closed-style and open-style.
The qigong of the ancient Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian schools basically all belonged to closed-style practice; that is, at the beginning of practice, they sealed jing, qi, and shen within the body and prevented them from leaking outward.
Therefore, Daoism and Buddhism required withdrawal from the world and renunciate cultivation, while Confucianism required closing the door to cultivate the self.
However, closed-style practice is not always closed at every stage of practice; after practicing to a certain stage, it must also open.
Zhineng Qigong absorbs the essence of the ancients’ practice experience, combines it with the needs of the times, adopts open-style practice, and from the very beginning of practice requires xing, qi, and shen all to be open.
8. Treating disease with external qi does not damage one’s own Zhenqi.
Ordinary qigong healing with external qi mobilizes Dantian qi; one must practice until Dantian qi is abundant before one can emit qi to heal, and if one heals too much, there is a risk of damaging one’s own Zhenqi.
Zhineng Qigong practices Hunyuanqi; the qi used for healing is not one’s own Dantian qi but the Hunyuanqi of nature, so it does not damage one’s own Zhenqi.
9. Practice reactions are obvious.
Practice reactions mainly refer to sensations associated with disease elimination.
- Disease-elimination reactions.
- Reactions of qi rushing to the disease site.
- Gong-growth reactions.
III. Differences between Zhineng Qigong and Other Qigong
- Zhineng Qigong begins with the Hunhua of human and heaven.
- It emphasizes moving qigong.
- It emphasizes the active use of consciousness.
- It emphasizes group effects.
- Emitting external qi to heal without injuring Dantian qi is also a difference between Zhineng Qigong and other practices in external qi healing.
IV. Zhineng Qigong is a unique science for studying human life and also a great undertaking that benefits the people.
(Selected from Zhineng Motional Qigong Methods for Elementary Learners by Pang Ming)