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Traditional Chinese Health-keeping Exercises/Sports
Lee,Chang-chih
All rights reserved 2005.4.15
www.kongfu.org
kongfu@tomor.com
Foreword
Each nation, each ethnic has its own unique tradition of sports and exercises. One of the most famous examples would be Yoga in India. In this article, we will talk about traditional Chinese sports. There are numerous types of folk sports in Chinese culture, like shuttlecock-kicking, rope jumping, and bell-pulling, as well as an array of martial art trainings, which emphasize combat skills and muscle strength. This article focuses on health-keeping exercises. Health-keeping means care for life and the term “life” we are discussing here covers at least two dimensions – physical and mental. That is, a healthy “life” is made up with at least a healthy body and a healthy mind. Chinese traditional health-keeping exercises emphasize illness-curing as well as cultivation of body and mind. This unique concept and theory is now widely used as supplementary or alternative therapies in modern medical care.
In the History
Disease prevention and health-keeping through exercise has always been one of the medical therapies in Chinese history. A passage in Chapter Nine of the “Lu Shi - Qian Ji (路史．前紀)” recorded, “In the ancient times, rivers often overflowed and flooded the plains. The high humidity stifled the air and caused poor circulation in human bodies. The impeded circulation caused the residents to have swells in their legs. To flex their joints, Ying Kang Shi (陰康氏) choreographed the Grand Dance and taught the residents how to channel moisture out of their bodies through dancing. ” From ancient scriptures, we found that in ancient Chinese medicine, exercise was deemed as one of the major remedies used to cure health problems alongside with acupuncture and medication. As said in Huang Di Nei Jing (黃帝內經), “in the Central Plain of China, the lands were wet; Therefore, lives grew in abundance. Because of the affluence, people had excess food without having to exert labor. Therefore, residents of the central plain often fell ill with weakness, swells, and hot/cold flashes. Such problems should be treated with channeling (導引) and massage(按蹻). Thus, the techniques of channeling and massages were originated from the Central Plain region. ”
Jin Kui Yao Lue (金匱要略) has also mentioned the causes of diseases and methods of prevention, “The first type of illnesses is inflicted through the meridians. Evil substances enter the organs through the meridians and become trapped inside. The second type of illnesses is caused by poor circulation in the four limbs and nine cavities, which are inflicted through skin. The third type of illnesses includes injuries inflicted by sharp objects, insects, and animals. The above summarizes all causes of illnesses. If a person tends to his body with great care, like – shield off evil winds from interfering the flow of his meridians and tend to the evil winds before they flow into the internal organs; practice channeling with regulated breathing when the limbs are feeling heavy; treat with acupuncture, heat therapy, and massages to prevent the nine cavities from clogging; avoid injuries and keep the indoors well ventilated; avoid excessively hot, cold, bitter, sour, spicy, and sweet foods; when a body is without weakness, illnesses have no way to interfere its regularity. ”
Channeling described above is in fact one of the major features in Chinese health-keeping exercises. Channeling means “Channel one’s chi to harmony; Stretch one’s body for flexibility.” It is not hard to see that channeling is indeed a type of therapeutic health-keeping exercise combining breathing and physical exercises. Now, the question is why channeling is beneficial to health? In East-Han Dynasty, one of the most famous doctor in Chinese history, Hua Tuo (華佗) once said, “A human body should be exerted with labor but without exhaustion. When a body is exercised, gases from food digestion will be eliminated and circulation will be improved; thus, illnesses will not occur. It is like a frequently opening door that does not corrode. Therefore, ancient immortals often practice channeling – expand like a bear, pull like a crane, stretch the body, and rotate the joints – in their pursuit for longevity. ”
Lee,Chang-chih
All rights reserved 2005.4.15
www.kongfu.org
kongfu@tomor.com
Foreword
Each nation, each ethnic has its own unique tradition of sports and exercises. One of the most famous examples would be Yoga in India. In this article, we will talk about traditional Chinese sports. There are numerous types of folk sports in Chinese culture, like shuttlecock-kicking, rope jumping, and bell-pulling, as well as an array of martial art trainings, which emphasize combat skills and muscle strength. This article focuses on health-keeping exercises. Health-keeping means care for life and the term “life” we are discussing here covers at least two dimensions – physical and mental. That is, a healthy “life” is made up with at least a healthy body and a healthy mind. Chinese traditional health-keeping exercises emphasize illness-curing as well as cultivation of body and mind. This unique concept and theory is now widely used as supplementary or alternative therapies in modern medical care.
In the History
Disease prevention and health-keeping through exercise has always been one of the medical therapies in Chinese history. A passage in Chapter Nine of the “Lu Shi - Qian Ji (路史．前紀)” recorded, “In the ancient times, rivers often overflowed and flooded the plains. The high humidity stifled the air and caused poor circulation in human bodies. The impeded circulation caused the residents to have swells in their legs. To flex their joints, Ying Kang Shi (陰康氏) choreographed the Grand Dance and taught the residents how to channel moisture out of their bodies through dancing. ” From ancient scriptures, we found that in ancient Chinese medicine, exercise was deemed as one of the major remedies used to cure health problems alongside with acupuncture and medication. As said in Huang Di Nei Jing (黃帝內經), “in the Central Plain of China, the lands were wet; Therefore, lives grew in abundance. Because of the affluence, people had excess food without having to exert labor. Therefore, residents of the central plain often fell ill with weakness, swells, and hot/cold flashes. Such problems should be treated with channeling (導引) and massage(按蹻). Thus, the techniques of channeling and massages were originated from the Central Plain region. ”
Jin Kui Yao Lue (金匱要略) has also mentioned the causes of diseases and methods of prevention, “The first type of illnesses is inflicted through the meridians. Evil substances enter the organs through the meridians and become trapped inside. The second type of illnesses is caused by poor circulation in the four limbs and nine cavities, which are inflicted through skin. The third type of illnesses includes injuries inflicted by sharp objects, insects, and animals. The above summarizes all causes of illnesses. If a person tends to his body with great care, like – shield off evil winds from interfering the flow of his meridians and tend to the evil winds before they flow into the internal organs; practice channeling with regulated breathing when the limbs are feeling heavy; treat with acupuncture, heat therapy, and massages to prevent the nine cavities from clogging; avoid injuries and keep the indoors well ventilated; avoid excessively hot, cold, bitter, sour, spicy, and sweet foods; when a body is without weakness, illnesses have no way to interfere its regularity. ”
Channeling described above is in fact one of the major features in Chinese health-keeping exercises. Channeling means “Channel one’s chi to harmony; Stretch one’s body for flexibility.” It is not hard to see that channeling is indeed a type of therapeutic health-keeping exercise combining breathing and physical exercises. Now, the question is why channeling is beneficial to health? In East-Han Dynasty, one of the most famous doctor in Chinese history, Hua Tuo (華佗) once said, “A human body should be exerted with labor but without exhaustion. When a body is exercised, gases from food digestion will be eliminated and circulation will be improved; thus, illnesses will not occur. It is like a frequently opening door that does not corrode. Therefore, ancient immortals often practice channeling – expand like a bear, pull like a crane, stretch the body, and rotate the joints – in their pursuit for longevity. ”
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