【Origin】
Ba Duan Jin is a traditional Chinese medicine Qigong with a long history. It originated from the Daoyin Anqiao technique in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, developed in the Qin and Han Dynasties, and took shape in the Song Dynasty. It has a history of more than 800 years.
The ancients likened this set of movements to “brocade”, which means colorful, beautiful and luxurious. This exercise is divided into eight sections, so it is called “Ba Duan Jin”.
【Features】
Ba Duan Jin’s movements are soft and slow, stretching and graceful, flexible and coherent; it combines looseness and tightness, and combines movement and stillness; the spirit and form are combined, and the Qi is contained in it. It is a training method suitable for all ages.
Ba Duan Jin has the functions of relaxing muscles and activating blood circulation, regulating Qi and blood, and promoting human metabolism. Long-term practice can strengthen the body, resist disease and aging, and prolong life.
Preparatory posture
Step out with your left foot, bend your knees and squat with your shoulders as wide as your shoulders, hold your palms in front of your abdomen, be centered and comfortable, breathe naturally, be calm, and focus on the Dantian;
First posture: Hold up the sky with both hands to regulate the three burners
Spread the five fingers of your palms, cross them in front of your abdomen, straighten your legs, hold your palms up in front of your chest, rotate them inward and hold them up, palms facing up, raise your head and look forward, hold your hands up to the sky, turn your head back and look forward.
Bend your knees slightly, drop your arms, hold your palms up in front of your abdomen. One up and one down is one time, do it 6 times in total.
[Effect]
Open the three burner meridians
Upper burner: respiratory & cardiovascular system → heart and lungs
Middle burner: digestive system → spleen, stomach, liver and gallbladder
Lower burner: urinary & reproductive system → kidneys, bladder, large and small intestines
Promote the circulation of qi and blood throughout the body and improve the symptoms of various chronic diseases.
Second posture: Open the bow left and right like shooting a bird
Step out with your left foot to the left, and cross your palms upward in front of your chest. Horse stance with both legs, just like shooting arrows with a bow and arrows, pull the right palm to the right chest, and push the left palm to the left in the shape of an eight-shaped palm (the thumb and index finger are in the shape of an eight-shaped palm, and the other three fingers are bent back), pull the bow to the most round, and stare at the fingertips.
[Effect]
Stretch the chest, back, shoulders and neck, and regulate the upper part of the body.
Improve cardiopulmonary function.
Relieve chest tightness, back pain, stiff shoulders and neck, and difficulty breathing.
The third posture: To regulate the spleen and stomach, you must raise one hand
Support the base of the left palm, raise it to the upper left of the head, and press the base of the right palm. Then drop the left arm in front of the abdomen, and do it three times each on the left and right.
[Effect]
Regulate the spleen and stomach in the middle part of the body, strengthen the spleen and stomach, promote digestion, and help absorption.
Relieve constipation and abdominal distension.
Main treatment of spleen and stomach disharmony, gastrointestinal dysfunction, etc.
The fourth posture: Look back for five kinds of labor and seven kinds of injuries
Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Let your arms hang naturally or put them on your waist. The head and neck drive the spine to slowly twist to the left, look behind, and inhale at the same time; the head and neck drive the spine to slowly turn to the right, and restore the front view.
Through the extension and internal rotation of the two arms, the intercostal muscles are contracted to lift the ribs, so that the chest cavity can expand and shrink up and down, left and right, and front and back.
[Effect]
Increase lung capacity and improve blood supply to the heart.
Unblock the two meridians of Daichong.
Relieve fatigue.
Treat thoracic and cervical diseases.
“Five labor injuries: long-term vision hurts blood, long-term lying hurts qi, long-term sitting hurts flesh, long-term standing hurts bones, and long-term walking hurts tendons. These are called five labor injuries.”
Seven injuries: overeating hurts the spleen, great anger hurts the liver, strong weightlifting and long-term sitting in wet places hurt the kidneys, cold body and cold drinks hurt the lungs, worry and worry hurt the heart, wind, rain, cold and heat hurt the body, fear and lack of restraint hurt the will. “——”Huangdi Neijing”
Fifth form: shake your head and tail to remove heart fire
Use your waist as the axis, swing your torso in an arc to the left front, bend your left arm, straighten your right arm, push your elbow and arm outward, and push your hips to the right and lower side. After a short pause, do it in the opposite direction. Repeat six times.
[Effect]
Reduce heart fire and raise kidney water.
Treat qi and blood deficiency, dizziness and unsteady steps caused by excessive heart fire.
Strengthen waist and leg strength, and make shoulders and neck flexible.
Sixth form: Climb your feet with both hands to strengthen your kidneys and waist
Stand with your knees straight, raise your arms forward and upward, palms forward, and then rub them down to your hips, along your legs to your feet, straighten your knees, and look down in front; then raise your palms forward and rise, and your spine will rise with them. Repeat this six times.
[Effect]
Stretches the Ren and Du meridians.
Opens the kidney and bladder meridians, strengthens the tendons and bones, and consolidates the waist and kidneys.
Treats back pain, numbness of hands and feet, soreness of waist and knees, etc.
Prevents and treats urinary and reproductive system diseases.
Seventh Style: Fisting and glaring to increase energy
Left foot steps to the left, foot steps on horse stance, clench fists at the waist, thumbs inside, fists facing up. Rush forward with left fist, glaring, then retract to the waist. Do it once on the left and right. Repeat three times.
[Effect]
Soothe the liver and regulate qi , unblocking the liver meridian and gallbladder meridian.
Treating qi and blood deficiency, dizziness, heavy head and light feet.
Strengthen arm strength, waist strength, leg strength and eyesight.
Eighth form: Seven shakes behind the back to eliminate all diseases
Lift both heels, press the head, pause for a while, and look forward. Drop both heels and shake the ground lightly. You can drop halfway first, then drop heavily. The effect is better when combined with chest and shoulder opening movements.
[Effect]
Use vibration to stretch the spine and shake the whole body.
Stretch the spine and connect qi and blood.
Clear the meridians of the whole body , eliminate all diseases.
[Key points]
Ba Duan Jin is a comprehensive exercise that integrates body movements, breathing and thoughts.
It focuses on body movements. Beginners should practice the movements first, and then combine them with breathing methods after becoming proficient. Good breathing will have a better regulating effect on the internal organs and qi and blood of the human body.
Even if you don’t cooperate with breathing, you can strengthen your body. It is best to warm up and adjust your breathing before practicing. After finishing, pay attention to closing the exercise, such as patting the whole body, tapping the parts that feel sore, etc.
It is recommended to practice twice a day, about 15 minutes each time, practice once in the morning, and practice again in the afternoon or evening.