Qigong (also written as Chi Kung) refers to the type of exercise that manages the health of mind, body and breath. The word consists of two Chinese characters: qi and gong. Qi, as used in the context of the phrase qigong, refers to both the signal that controls the functioning of the body and the actual functions of the body. The word gong is the short form for gong fu (kung fu), which means training with time and effort.
In its 5,000-year history, qigong has absorbed different traditional Chinese cultural schools. The CHQA said that Confucians practise qigong to cultivate mind and body; Taoists and Buddhists do it to transcend worldliness; Chinese doctors use it to cure illness and maintain health; and martial arts practitioners do it to defend and fight attacks.
Nowadays, qigong has been classified into two categories: one is Medical Qigong, which is used in some Chinese traditional medical treatment, and the other is Health Qigong, which people use to stay healthy.
Zou said that based on traditional qigong practices and the needs of modern society, the CHQA has released four sets of practice forms, the oldest one of which, Wu Qin Xi (Frolics of Five Animals) dates back some 2,000 years ago. They have been widely practiced in China. Chinese people practiced it to prevent minor diseases, improve their immune system and prolong life.
"Body activity can decrease fat, while strength practice can prevent calcium depletion, which is the major cause of osteoporosis. It also can help improve heart-lung function. Adjusting the breath can improve the functions of internal organs," said Professor Hu Xiaofei of Beijing Sports University. Hu is a professor with and an expert in sports health preservation. As a member of a delegation, Hu will visit the United States next month as a trainer.
Because of its effectiveness, Health Qigong is popular. Every morning, senior citizens gather in parks and on riverbanks to practise qigong, making it a typical scene of Chinese city life. Zou with the CHQA said that more than 80 million people practise qigong throughout China.
At the same time, foreign people have been attracted to qigong. Etsuko Kunisada, aged 31, is an example. She gave up her well-paid job in a bank in Japan's Osaka March last year when she decided to go to Beijing. Later, she became a fan of Chinese culture and began to practise tai chi. After a year of practice, she found it was still interesting, but had become more and more difficult.
"When I practise tai chi, I need to practise how to breathe. I find that tai chi and qigong are interrelated, and qigong can help me breathe more smoothly," said Etsuko. So she began to practise qigong three times a week at Beijing Sports University (BSU). According to the BSU, hundreds of foreigners like Etsuko come to the university to study qigong every year.
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