Ba Duan Jin (Eight Treasures) Articles

The Eight-section Exercises date back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and its easy movements and impressive
effects on health make it a gem in China's health and fitness culture.

1. How to do better in the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin

2. Answers to the knowledge of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin

3. Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases

4. Four kinds of meaning in the exercise of Ba Duan Jin

5. Health Qigong • Origin of Ba Duan Jin

6. Step-by-Step Description on Correct Practice

7. Effects of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Intelligence Level

8. Effects of HQ Ba Duan Jin on the Body Shape

9. Origin of Ba Duan Jin - One Set of Health Qigong

10. The Role of Stances in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin Practice

11. Improving Effect of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Blood Fat Level

12. Improving Effect of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Vertebrobasilar Ischemia

13. HQ Ba Duan Jin in the Control and Prevention of Diseases

14. Effects of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Depression

15. Functional Principle and Effects of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin

16. Verifing Health-Preserving Effect

17. Effects on Life Quality

18. 'Qi' and 'Mind' in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin Exercise

19. Health-Preserving Characteristics of Ba Duan Jin

©BHQA 2018
Official Member of the International Health Qigong Federation
United Kingdom Official Body for Health Qigong
How to do better in the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin

The Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is popular in the mass for its being easiness to learn and obvious health care effect.
In order to further standardize it and better cater to the requirements of routine demonstration, I sum up the following
items including its whole style, main points of each movement, common mistakes and corrections based on my own
experience of teaching and directing for a long time for the reference of the practicers.

The whole style of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin

About the movements

The Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is one kind of Daoyin skills characterized as the movements of the limbs of which
can strengthen the tendons and bones, regulate the visceral organs, dredge the meridians and modulate the
circulation of Qi and blood and achieve the goal of health-keeping. Its main feature is upright posture and round
movements. It seems that all the movements are level in the horizon direction and line-like in the perpendicular
direction with the gentle and slow rhythm. But it combines the square with the round as well as the relaxation and
agility just like in each routine. For example, in the routine of posing as an archer shooting both left-and-right-handed,
raise the hands in front of the chest with left hand out and both palms facing inward and separately stretch out the
hand just like shooting the archer and then downcast half-moon by the side. In this routine, the movement starts from
the horizontal level position and runs half round. It can embody the strength of the stretch in the course of archer-
shooting and beauty of relaxation and gentleness in the course of retraction. The above-mentioned characteristics is
naturally accessible at the stage of proficiency of which includes relaxation and quietness, differentiation of excess
and deficiency, hardness and softness. The beginners should grasp the main points of each routine and seek for the
correct of the movements at first and then for its fluency.

About the breath

Reverse abdominal breath is used in the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin combined with anus-lifting breath. The practicer
can do as the following: lift the anus and adduct the abdomen and raise the diaphragmatic muscle in the course of
inhalation and vice versa in exhalation abiding by the rule of inhalation in the course of lifting, opening and storing as
well as exhalation in the course of lowering, closing and dispensing which combined with the movements. In the
alternative turn of relaxation and agility, motion and quietness breath-holding way is applied for the main movements
in each routine. For example, in the routine of holding the hands high with palms up to regulate the internal organs, to
inhale while lifting the hands and keep breath-holding while keeping the posture of stretch and exhale while lowering
the arms. The beginner should use the natural breath and needn’t keep the breath deep, regular, prolong and the
combination of the breath and the movements on purpose to avoid the occurrence of dizziness, nausea, palpitation
and short breath etc. Let the nature do its course and do whatever you are able to do in the combination of the
movements with the breath and get the state of self-regulation step by step.

About the mind

The mind action is to contemplate the process of the movement rather than to think about one single thing. It is
different at the different stage. The mind acts on the main points and style of the routine with the correct and exact
movements at the beginning. It should act on the characteristics and combination of the routine with the breath in the
advanced stage with gradual improvement of movement quality with the relaxation of the muscles. While in the last
stage, the mind should act on the harmonious state with the breath. The practicer should rid of all kinds of nervous
state at that time under the condition of relaxation, quietness and happiness with the natural and skilled routines.

The main points, common mistakes and corrections of the routines

Ready position

The key points: put the arms perpendicular by the sides with palms backward and turn palms forward by the sides of
the angle of 450 and hold the hands in a semicircle in front of the abdomen with upright backbone and neck, relaxed
chest and waist and contracted abdomen and hip as sitting in the high stool.

Common mistakes: to shrug shoulders lifting the arms by the sides; lift the elbow while holding the hands in a
semicircle with the thumbs bending upwards and the other four fingers obliquely directing at the ground and with the
waist falling down, legs kneeling and splayfoot.

Corrections: to pull down the shoulders and elbows while lifting the arms by the side and relax the wrist and the
fingers while holding the hands in a semicircle with the fingertips face-to-face and the thumbs level. The ready position
plays an important role in adjourning the different sections and recurrently occurs in the break of the routines. It can be
taken as the basic training way in the exercise. Better exercise of it can improve the demonstration level and health
effect.

Routine 1 holding the hands high with palms up to regulate the internal organs

Key points: to lift the hands and turn the palms upward in the chest; expand the chest and the body; raise the head
and look at the hands with slightly pulling back the chin and craning up the head with a pause, drag perpendicularly
the backbone with the strength applied to the palms, relax the waist and lower the buttocks while setting down the
palms, hold the shoulders and elbows down, relax the wrists and fingers and keep the upper body straight and
centered.

Common mistakes: Head not held enough when lifting the hands. The movement stops midway when keeping the
palms stretch. The shoulders and arms are rigid when lowering the palms.

Corrections: Raise the head and look at the hands while lifting the hands and spreading the chest and upper body with
raising the chin to support the action firstly and then pulling it to aid the elevation of the hands and keeping the posture
of stretch for two seconds. Strength should be focused at the lower part of the palms. Hold the shoulders and elbows
down at first while putting down the palms and thereafter let the arms naturally down with the body upright and wrists
and fingers relaxed.

Routine 2 posing as an archer shooting both left-and-right-handed

Key points: Hold the shoulders and elbows down while raising the hands in front of the chest with the palms below the
shoulders. Strength starts from the backbone while shooting archer. Expand the chest and stretch the shoulders with
the wrists and fingers upright. Turn the head enough and pull one hand with the thumb and the other four fingers close
each other and bending them tightly with the arm level with the chest. Push the other hand with the wrist and fingers
upright and palm hollow. Keep above-mentioned position for two seconds just like an archer shooting the eagles.

Common mistakes: hunch the shoulders and fall down the waist with the biased body weight; kneel while standing
with the horse stance and the foot scrapes the ground and shakes while pulling back it with clumsy gait.

Corrections: Let the neck and the upper body upright and the shoulders down and raise the head enough while
shooting the arrow with the gait transformation clear. Kneel joint is not beyond the toe-tips and stand apart leveling
while pulling and pushing the hands. The height of the horse stance can be adjusted according to different condition
and enforcement should be avoided to deform the movements. The strength of the limbs should be developed step by
step in the course of the exercise.

Routine 3 Holding one arm aloft to regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach

Key points: The strength should be applied at the base of the palm while lifting and pressing one arm together with
expanding the chest and body, loosening and stretching the waist.

Common mistakes: Fingers pointing in the wrong direction while lifting and pressing the arms; elbows not bent
enough; dragging strength not enough for two arms; and the upper body not straight enough.

Corrections: Make the hands level and the tip of fingers straight while lifting and pressing them; and the elbows slightly
bent and stretched in opposite directions.

Routine 4 Looking backwards to prevent sickness and strain

Key points: Keep the head and the back erect and turn the arms outward enough and expand the shoulders and the
chest, turn the head but not the body.

Common mistakes: The upper body over-stretch backward while turning outward the arms and not enough turning of
the head and arms.

Corrections: Pull in the chin while turning outward the arms; keep the upper body straight while turning backward;
Look at the angle of 45 of obliquely post-downward direction while turning the head; The ulnaris side of the arm turn
outward to the greatest extent and keep the position for two seconds.

Routine 5 Swinging the head and lowering the body to relieve the stress
Key points: Tuck in the buttocks and hips and keep the upper body straight when assuming the horse stance; When
swinging the upper body, the neck and buttocks should be stretched away from each other slowly and gently and in a
round and flowing manner.

Common mistakes: Neck stiff and buttocks not turned enough when swinging the upper body; Upper body tilted too
much leading it to sway from side to side.

Corrections: Relax the muscles of the neck to the utmost while turning the head with the speed of the head slower
than the buttocks; Pull in the chest and look upward while turning backward the head; Pull in the abdomen while
turning forward the buttocks and fall down the waist and then keep the body straight while turning backward. It is
difficult to turn the buttocks while standing the horse stance. The practicer can do the movements step by step at first
and do it together at last.

Routine 6 Moving the hands down the backs and legs and touching the feet to strengthen the kidneys

Key points: Turn the wrists to the utmost while moving the hands under the armpits; Relax the backbone gradually and
lower the shoulder enough while bending over and rubbing the feet; The hands forwardly protrude and stretch the
backbone to pull up the upper body while standing up.

Common mistakes: Bending the knees and lowering the head while lowering the hands. Raising the upper body
before lifting the arms.

Corrections: Straight the knees and raise the head while lowering the hands and the extent is adjustable by oneself;
Lift the arms first and raise the upper body with the arms near the ears.

Routine 7 Thrusting the fists and making the eyes glare to enhance the strength

Key points: Keep the body straight while squatting down in the horse stance and adjust the height of it by oneself;
Make the eyes glare at the clenched fist when it is thrust out; Try to grasp the floor with the toes, twist the waist
enough and apply strength along the shoulder to the fist and clench fingers forcefully.

Common mistakes: The upper body tilts forward and the shoulder and elbow are raised when thrusting the fist out;
when withdrawing the fist, too little power is applied to clench the fingers and twist the wrist.

Corrections: Thrust the fist from near the ribs; Make the head erect and the upper body straight; relax the shoulders
and make the elbow slightly bent to send force to the front of the fist. When withdrawing the fist, first spread the
fingers, twist the wrist fully and then clench the fingers with force.

Routine 8 Raising and lowering the heels to cure diseases

Key points: When raising the heels, try to grasp the floor with the toes and apply maximum strength to the raising.
Keep the thighs together. Keep the neck craned to push up with the head. Be careful to maintain the balance while
pushing. Clench the teeth when tapping the heels on the floor and keep the shoulders and arms down and the whole
body relaxed.

Common mistakes: Raising the shoulders and failing to maintain the balance while raising the heels. Feet tapping are
too fast with too much strength while falling down.

Corrections: Try to grasp the floor with the toes, keeping the thighs together. Pull in the buttocks and contract the
abdomen with the shoulders down and the head erect. Slowly lower the feet halfway at first and slightly tap the floor
while tapping the floor with the heels.

Close form

Key points: Adopt a calm approach with the whole body relaxed and the breath natural. Air and energy should be
dispatched to the Dantian point.

Common mistakes: Close the routine in a rush or take a walk after completion. Not spend enough time regulating the
mind and thoughts.

Corrections: Keep body in a calm and composed state. Before starting the routine, it is useful to do such cooling-down
exercises as rubbing the palms and backs of the hands, massaging the face and relaxing the limbs.
2008-02-25 10:25:00 Chinese Health Qigong Association
Answers to the knowledge of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin

1. How to decide the amount of the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin?

Generally speaking, the practicer should do at least five times of the exercise for one week, one or two times for each
day with two minutes break. 40 minutes or so is reasonable for each time along with the tuning-up and trimming time.
One or two times of the exercise for fifteen to thirty minutes in each day is ok when the time or the health is not
permitted. In addition, you can choose some suitable routines from the set to do the exercise.

The sustainability for the exercise load is different for different practicers due to the sex, age, constitution etc.
Generally speaking, the feeling of the body can be used to decide the exercise load of which is reasonable if the
practicer is happy with normal pulse, blood pressure, appetite and sleeping and comfortable in the next day. The
exercise load should be adjusted if the practicer is tired with abnormal pulse, appetite and bad sleep after the
exercise.

2. How to do the breath in the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin?

Reverse abdominal breath is generally used together with lifting-anus breath in the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin. It is
done as the follows: To lift the anus and contract the abdomen, raise the diaphragm while inhaling; To relax the anus
and abdomen and lower the diaphragm while exhaling. The breath should be combined with the guiding as inhaling
while lifting, opening and storing and exhaling while lowering, closing and starting. Hold one’s breath slightly at the
turn of the change of the routine.

Taking the difference of lung capacity and breathing frequency into consideration, the breath should be timely
adjusted when it is not smooth as the amplitude of the actions is different for different practicers.

3. How to regulate the mind of the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin?

Mind regulation is to regulate the thinking activity of which is also called regulating the heart. The mind regulation of
the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is not to mind on one thing but to mind the process of the routine including the
specification, main points, key parts and breath. Concretely speaking, the practicer should mind on the specification
and main points of the routine in the beginning stage and on the style as well as the coordination of the routine with
the breath in the advanced stage. The actions will attain the state of automation with natural breath and calm mind
during the course of the proficiency and improvement of the skills. At that time the practicer can mind on the style,
main points and the keys of each action to make the action, breath and mind integrated.

4. What can the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin do for enhancing the health of the middle and
aged people?

Regular exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin can decrease the percentage of the body and blood fat, keep
blood pressure and heart rate normal, enhance the function of the heart and lung, reduce the tension of sympathetic
nerve, increase the vagal tone and be helpful to reduce the danger of the onset of cardiocerebrovascular diseases in
the long run. In the meantime, it can raise the kinetic trait, ameliorate the anxiety and mental state, and improve the
life quality of the middle and aged people. In addition, it can strengthen the function of eliminating the free radicals,
increase the level of sex hormone, slow the senility of intelligence and physiological age for the middle and aged
people. Therefore, it is one effective way to keep health and prolong life for the middle and aged people.

5. What can the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin do for the figure of the middle and aged people?

Some researches show that there is drastic change in the body weight, weight index, circumference index, the skin
thick of which is mainly the change of the body composition including the decrease of subcutaneous fatty tissue and
increase of lean body weight after the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin for six months. It is one kind of
aerobic exercise with medium intensity. The regular exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin can improve the body
composition and mold the healthy and exquisite figure for the middle and aged people in the long run.

6. Why can the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin improve the function of the respiratory system for the middle and
aged people?

Conclusion can be taken from the whole routines of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin. Respiratory extent and depth
should be continuously increased to improve the longitudinal motion extent of the diaphragmatic muscle to exercise
the respiratory muscle in the routine one, holding the hands high with palms up to regulate the internal organs, routine
two, posing as an archer shooting both left-and-handed, routine three, holding one arm aloft to regulate the functions
of the spleen and stomach. Diaphragmatic muscle is the most important respiratory muscle and the effective exercise
of it can increase the volume of the thoracic cavity to improve the lung capacity.

7. Can the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin ameliorate the function of the cardiovascular system
for the middle and aged people?

The dynamic remote monitoring results of the heart rate for some practicers show that the heart rate decreased
including the maximal and average heart rate in the course of the exercise and timely heart rate after the exercise to
some extent after the exercise for six months. That is to say, the exercise can take effect on the function of the heart
for the middle and aged people. What’s more, the exercise load of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is mild and
moderate extent and is fit for the middle and aged people. So it is one effective way to improve the function of them.

8. Is the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin effective on improving the flexibility and agility of the middle and aged
people?

Yes, it is. In the routine six, moving the hands down the back and legs and touching the feet to strengthen the kidneys,
the practicer should bend the body forward to the utmost. The long-term exercise can improve the agility of the body
trunk. In fact, it is helpful to the health keeping of other parts and joints except that. For example, routine four, which is
looking backwards to prevent sickness and strain, can raise the agility of the neck. Routine one, which is holding the
hands high with palms up to regulate the internal organs, and routine three, which is holding one arm aloft to regulate
the spleen and stomach, can increase the agility of the shoulder joints and hand joints. Routine five, which is swinging
the head and lowering the body to relieve the stress, can increase the agility of the hip and ankle joints.

9. Is the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin effective on the balance and coordination of the middle
and aged people?

Yes, it is. The practicer should control the body weight in adducting and abducting the feet and keep in the horse
stance for a long time in the routine of posing as an archer shooting both left-and–right-handed, swinging the hand
and lowering the body to relieve the stress. It can exercise the muscles of the legs and ankle joints and strengthen
muscles balancing the body, which is helpful to stimulate the equilibrium nerve center and improve the balancing
capacity of the practicer.

10. Why can the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin boost the life quality of the middle and aged
people?

The Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin features as being gentle, slow, smooth and consistent, rhythmic combination of
relaxation with strength, and of dynamism and inertia, combining body with mind to cultivate vital energy. The long-
term exercise can balance the yin and yang, dredge the meridians, relax the adhesion, lubricate the joints, promote
the blood flow, strengthen the tendons and bones, enhance the body constitution. All these effect can be tested by the
modern life science.

The Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is typical aerobic exercise with medium intensity. It can consume the subcutaneous
spare fat and change the body composite and increase the strength of muscles for the practicers to do the exercise for
one hour in each day. It can exercise the strength of the limbs and the arms and fingers in some routines standing in a
horse stance or grasping and holding with the fingers.

In addition, it is requested that the practicer should combine the mind with body to cultivate the vital energy in the
whole sets, which can obviously boost the extent of mind concentration of the practicer and effectively coordinate the
nerve system with the actions, the reactive ability with the performance skills. It can keep the perfect mental state and
elegant disposition in the middle and aged people. The practicer should be calm, optimistic, single-minded and big-
hearted in the course of the exercise to self regulate and enhance the mind health. Therefore it can boost the life
quality of the middle and aged people.

2008-06-13 10:23:00 Chinese Health Qigong Association

Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases

Liu Xue Xia, who lives in Xi’an County, is 56 years old in this year. She has got the edema all over the body with
difficulty in opening the eyes due to palpebral edema and hard urination and relying on the emictory everyday since
she is very young. She partook in the training class of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin held by the activity station of the
Health Qigong in the stadium in Xi’an County with the intention of having a try advised by friends.

Can the exercise of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin help her recover from the disease? Liu Xue Xia had the green and
gray facial expression, bloating body and edema in her limbs when she took part in the training class. All her
symptoms are manifestations of heart and kidney yang deficiency in the opinion of Chinese medicine as the heart is in
charge of all the vessels and the running condition of the blood in the vessels can be embodied by the luster and color
of the face just as it is said in Chinese medicine that the vessels is dominated by the heart with facial expression as its
outer manifestation. Her green and dark face with edema indicates the insufficiency of heart yang of which can’t
propel the Qi and blood, fluids to cause the blood stasis and water retention. In addition, the main function of the
kidney is in charge of the water and Qi, storing the essence. The essence of the kidney can be divided into the kidney
yin, which can nurture and enrich all the Zangand Fu, and kidney yang, which can warm and invigorate all
the Zang and Fu. The weakness of kidney yang will be likely to cause the heart unable to be warmed and nurtured
and result in the blood stasis and magnificent yin-cold inside the body that will affect the regulation and balance
of Sanjiao for the water and fluids metabolism and result in the dysfunction of water passage and gladder, difficulty
in micturition and water and fluids retention in the muscles and skins manifested as the edema. What’s more, the
kidney is the foundation of inborn constitution and the spleen provides the material basis of the acquired constitution.
The spleen should be warmed by kidney yang and the kidney essence should be nurtured by the essential substance
produced by the spleen. There is physiological promotion and nurture each other between the spleen and kidney and
pathological interaction. Abdominal distention and pain, difficulty in micturition and bloating body indicate that her
heart yang is insufficient accompanied with the decline of kidney yang and spleen deficiency. The effect of the
routines in the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin such as holding the hands high with palms up to regulate the internal
organs, holding one arm aloft to regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach, moving the hands down the back
and legs and touching the feet to strengthen the kidneys can ameliorate her body symptoms.

The disease of Liu Xue Xia has obvious amelioration after the long-term exercise of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin
combined with the medication. Why can the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin help her recover? We will extrapolate in
details the mechanism of rehabilitation from three actions of lifting the heels, relaxing the ankles and tapping the floor
in the routine of raising and lowering the heels to cure diseases of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin.

All toes gripping the floor can stimulate the yin and yang meridians in the toes and regulate the activity of
corresponding Zangand Fu and improve their functions as the toes is the intersection of foot yin and yang meridians.
For example, the foot Taiyinspleen meridian originates from the Yinbai acupoint in the end of the first toe and runs
upward into the abdomen subject to the spleen and associated with stomach by relative collaterals. The spleen has
extensive function in the process of the metabolism of water and fluids including that the spleen distributes the
essence and transport upward to the lung, transforms and transports the water and fluids in all the tissues and organs
of the body. The spleen locates in the middle Jiao and is pivot of the ascending and descending of Qi activity and
water and fluids metabolism. That the kidney is in charge of the water means it can dominate and regulate the water
and fluids metabolism. In this aspect the kidney yang is the key. The kidney promoting inspiration indicates that the
kidney can help the lung finish the deep inspiration. That the air inspired by the lung is brought into the kidney has the
important significance for the respiration of the body. There is mutually beneficial relation in the aspect of the water
and fluids metabolism and respiration between the lung and kidney. That the water and fluids are hard to transport
and discharge due to the spleen deficiency will cause the retention inside the body and varieties of diseases will
ensue as the water and fluids metabolism depends on the transportation of the spleen just as it is recorded in the plain
questions• discussions about the pathologies all those symptoms manifested as dampness, edema and distension are
due to the spleen deficiency. In the routine of raising and lowering the heels to cure diseases, the first toes gripping
the floor can activate and exuberate the Qi of spleen yang and enhance the function of transporting and transforming
the water and fluids through stimulating the jin acupoint of the spleen meridian and Yinbai, etc. The long-term exercise
of this routine can regulate the function of Zang Fu and blood and enhance their function of modulation and balancing
in water and fluids metabolism.

The exercise of tapping the heels can shake the visceral organs, improve the function of Sanjiao dredging the water
passage and transporting the water and fluids. Sanjiao is one of six Fu organs with the function of dredging and
regulating the water passage and transporting the water and fluids. It is divided into three parts according the location
that is upper jiao over the diaphragm containing the heart and lung, middle jiao between the diaphragm and umbilicus
containing the spleen and stomach, liver and gall bladder, the lower jiao below the umbilicus containing the kidney,
bladder, large and small intestine. The water and fluids metabolism is one complicated physiological process and
series of physiological function of multiple organs involved just as it is recorded in the plain questions• further narration
of the meridians: after the drink and food are taken in the stomach and the essence is extracted by the spleen and
then transported to the lung of which can dredge and regulate the water passage and transport the water and fluids
downward to the gladder and turn into the waste. In this way the water and essence are distributed all over the body.
That is to say, the intake and distribution and circulation of the water and fluids must be accomplished through the
smooth Sanjiao, which is helpful for the lung, spleen and kidney to transport and discharge them. The repeated heels
tapping in the routine of raising and lowering the heels to cure diseases can promote the Qi and blood circulation and
improve the function of Sanjiao dredging the water passage, transporting the water and fluids, assisting the gladder
discharging the urine as it can make the visceral organs regularly shake up and down in the thorax and abdomen
under the condition of relaxation of all the body.

The vibration of heels tapping can stimulate the Du meridian and regulate the balance of yin and yang and get the
effect of health and rehabilitation. As all know, the Du meridian starts from the uterus and runs out of the perinaeum,
upward the backbone to the neck and gets to the frenulum of superior lip. Its branch diverges from inside of the
backbone and connects with the kidney. Therefore it has close relation with the brain, marrow and kidney. The Du in
Du meridian is to dominate and supervise by word and has the function of governing and dominating all the yang
meridians that is generalized as the whole governor of all yang meridians and the sea of yang meridians as it runs
through the back of the body and intersects with the foot yang meridians and yangwei meridian in many times. The
nerve dominating the visceral organs stems from the backbone, the spinal cord and the brain nerve are the nerve
center of nerve of human body, all the visceral organs are affected by the nerve according to the theory of the modern
medicine. The strength starts from the heels and transports upward through all the joints in the lower limbs and gets to
all cones of the spines and brain in heels tapping. The transmittance of the strength can vibrate the spine and the
brain and stimulate the central nerve. It can stimulate the Du meridian and the kidney as the transmittance and
vibration acts on the Du meridian itself and the branch of the Du meridian gets to the kidney according to the theory of
Chinese medicine. Therefore the heels tapping can enhance the Qi and blood circulation, improve the function of
visceral organs, regulate the balance of yin and yang and strengthen the constitution of the body through the nerve
and meridians.
Four kinds of meaning in the exercise of Ba Duan Jin

Practicers should grasp the basic points of which mean to relax all the joints in the body, dredge the meridians and
strengthen the power of the lower limbs, of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin including natural relaxation, agility and
correctness, combined exercise with rest, being step by step,. After that they can start the stage of applying the mind
that means to guide Qi by way of mind and move the body by way of Qi. Or, the more haste, the less speed. Now let’s
talk about the four kinds of methods of applying the mind in the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin.

The basic meaning of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is the mind of points and lines. The transformation of the
interior and exterior rotation of points and lines set up the basic movements of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin. Many
points constitutes the parabola (rotating curve) in the course of the exercise and all kinds of running lines of
movements and the latter can transform into the circle. And then the circle can gradually turn into the points and lines
and rotating curve and the circle itself. The process can go on and on. That is the same for the construction of the
body. The acupoints of Jian Yu and Da Zhui are united into one horizontal line. Bai Hui, Ren Zhong, median
Dan Tian and Hui Yin are united into the frontal central perpendicular line. Wei Nv, Min Men, Da Zhui,
Yu Zhen and Bai Hui are united into the posterior median perpendicular line. The frontal and posterior perpendicular
lines of which are the Ren and Du meridian are united into the arc line. The intersection of the horizontal and
perpendicular lines constitutes the auto-crossed balancing line. The arc lines can be divided into the four lines
including three horizontal lines that are the shoulder line that is in charge of the balance of the body, waist line that is
in charge of the rotation of the body and hip line that is in charge of the movement of advancing and retreating and
one perpendicular line that is in charge of the exertion of the body. Wherever the position is, the crossed lines should
be kept the state of balance.

In the course of the exercise, the joints of fingers, palm, arm, hip, waist and neck are in the movements of the rotating
and twisting all the time. The basic styles of rotation are intortion and extortion and other movements are changed out
of that.

Firstly, the rotation of fingers and palms and arms occurs in each routines of Ba Duan Jin of which embodies the
health action by way of the rotating movement. For example, in the routine 7 of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin that is
thrusting the fists and making the eyes glare to enhance the strength there are three movements of rotating and
winding of which are the intortion of left arm and left fist turning into palm( the first rotating movement) and the
extortion of the left arm( the second rotating movement) and the mild flection of the elbow joint and the left rotating
and winding of the left fist(the third rotating movement) and turning into grasping the fist with palm upward and
posterior. In addition, in the routine 3 of the Health QiGong Ba Duan Jin that is holding one arm aloft to regulate the
function of the spleen and stomach, the first movement is to slowly straighten the knees and stand straight and raise
the left hand and turn the left arm outward(the first rotation) past the face and meanwhile turn the arm inward(the
second rotation) to a position above the head on the left side with the elbow slightly bent, let the strength get to the
base of the palm that faces upward with the fingers pointing to the right, in the meantime raise the right hand a little
and then turn the arm inward (the third rotation) and press it down to the side of the right hip with the elbow slightly
bent strength applied at the base of the palm that faces downward and fingers pointing forward, hold this position
looking straight ahead. The second movement is to move the body weight slowly down and bend the knees slightly
with the waist relaxed and hips down, meanwhile bend and turn the left elbow outward(the fourth rotation) and move
the left hand down past the face to a position in front of the abdomen with the palm up and turn the right arm
outward(the fifth rotation) with the palm up looking straight ahead.

Secondly, it is about the rotation of the waist, hip, neck and nape. For example, in the movement of routine 5 of the
Health QiGong Ba Duan Jin that is swinging the head and lowering the body to relieve the stress, the third section of
movement is as follows: raise the body weight slightly, move it to the right and tilt the upper body to the right and
forward and fix the gaze on the right foot. The fourth section of movement is as follows: shift the body weight to the left
and move the upper body forward and then turn to the left with looking at the right foot. The practicer should shake the
head and turn the neck along with swinging the waist and relaxing the hips with the rotation of eyes
and coccygeal end in the same time in the third and fourth section of movement. There is rotating in the part of waist,
hip, body, coccygeal end, head and eyes in this routine.

Thirdly, it is about the meaning of open and close of which is the key point of guiding movements. Close is certain to
ensue after open is done and vice versa. Generally, extending is open and contracting is close. During the course of
exercise, the practicer should put mind on the relaxation of all the joints and the mind itself while doing the action of
extending, on the contrary, put mind on the contraction of all the body and the mind itself. The inner Qi originates from
the waist eyes and congregates in the back through the backbone and gets to the tip of fingers through the upper and
lower arms in the course of open and vice versa in the course of close. It is reasonable for the practicers to imagine
that there is one flexible rope communicated from the tip of fingers to the backbone and stretch it all the time in the
exercise for more effective open and close.

The exercise of the Health Qi Gong is the combination of movements and breath under the direction of the mind that
is to closely combine the mind and breath with movements and practise the mind, Qi and body in the same time.
During the course of exercise, muscles, bones and joints and internal organs should be taken into action together with
the outer movements of body and limbs to make the spirit and energy smooth and all the body integrated and keep
the body healthy in the long run.

At last, it is about the spitting that is exhalation and swallowing that is inhalation that should be embodied in the open
and close of the movements. Natural breath is mainly applied for the beginners. Reverse abdominal breath should be
gradually adopted with the improvement of ability and consciously combined the inhalation and exhalation with the
open and close of movements. The mind of spitting should be used in the course of open and exhalation with
protruding lower abdomen. The mind of swallowing should be used in the course of close and inhalation with curved
lower abdomen. The abdomen is by turns protruded and curved along with the open and close of the movement. The
practicer should try his best to harmoniously combine the breath with the movement by the repeated exercise and
make the breath deep, fine, regular and long and make the breath and movement concordant at last.

Taking all above-mentioned into consideration, although there are distinctions among four kinds of meanings, there is
inseparable correlation among them in the meantime. The practicer should gradually grasp them rather than read
without understanding or even stop groping with a little understanding.
Health Qigong • Origin of Ba Duan Jin

The word ―Ba‖ in the Health Qigong routine of Ba Duan Jin, does not mean simply the number of actions, parts or
eight movements, but mean that there are a variety of elements in the practicing Ba Duan Jin, with each other
interactive restricted, interrelated and circular operation. As the ―Introduction on Ba Duan Jin‖ of the Eight Letters on
how to Comply with the Health Preserving & Care wrote by Gao Qian of the Ming Dynasty goes, ―practice Ba Duan Jin
at the early morning, it will absorb the essence of the heaven and the earth. Following the rules of nature, the time for
practice perfectly matches with the biological clock.‖ The character of ―Jin‖ consists of radicals of ―Golden‖ and ―Silk‖,
which means exquisite and elegant. In addition, the word ―Jin‖ also means the corpus of one set of routine, which is
just like the smooth silk, it is a complete set of fitness method.

The name of Ba Duan Jin originated from the Yi Jian Zhi, the most magnificent personal monograph in the history of
myth novels written by Hong Mai of the South Song Dynasty. As the book goes, ―In the seventh year of Zhenghe,
Li Siju was appointed as the government official with the responsibility for reporting the daily life of the emperor. He
tried to get up and sit at the middle of the night and carried out breathing adjustment and massage, practicing the so-
called Ba Duan Jin.‖ It indicates that Ba Duan Jin had been popular ever since the North Song Dynasty and it had two
separate postures including sitting and standing.

Because the standing posture of Ba Duan Jin is easier for practicing, it has won the ever-increasing popularity.
―Health Qigong- Ba Duan Jin‖ employs the standing posture as the framework, carrying out modification and
arrangement. Therefore, this book focuses on the analysis and introduction on the origin and relevant information
of Ba Duan Jin.

The standing posture of Ba Duan Jin at first emerged at the article Taoism Essence written by Zeng Zao at the South
Song Dynasty, ―holding the hands high with palms up to regulate the San Jiao; Posing as an shooting eagle both left-
and-right-handed; Holding one arm aloft to regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach; Looking backwards to
prevent sickness and strain; Swinging the head and lowering the body to relieve stress; Moving the hands down the
back and legs and touching the feet to strengthen the kidneys; Thrusting the fists and making the eyes glare to
enhance strength ; Raising and lowering the heels to care waist. ‖ After the original verse, the routine of Ba Duan Jin
had been repeatedly refined and modified, and accepted by growing number of populace. At the end of Qing Dynasty,
the name of Ba Duan Jin was at the first name to be fixed appellation and had a clear chart illustrating for practicing.
Most importantly, Ba Duan Jin has developed into traditional set of exercise with the complete routine secrets as
followings, ―Routine 1 Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs; Routine 2 Posing as an
Archer Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed; Routine 3 Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the
Spleen and Stomach; Routine 4 Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain; Routine 5 Swinging the Head
and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress; Routine 6 Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the
Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys; Routine 7 Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength;
Routine 8 Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases.‖ Since then, the traditional Ba Duan Jin has been fixed.

During its spreading and popularity, Ba Duan Jin has developed into many genres. For instance, Lou Jie of Qing
Dynasty described the standing posture of Ba Duan Jin as ―holding the hands high and posing as shooting eagles with
both left-and-right hands; holding one arm in strength and swing to semi-shoulder like using sword; adept as monkey
and august as fierce-looking tiger ; light as swallow and gain the movement pulling back immediately.‖ In addition,
there are Yi Jin Jing extra-form for strengthen fitness (Qing Dynasty, Anonymous), Ba Duan Jin Exercises Chart (12-
movements) and so on. All these theories on Ba Duan Jin derive from Buddhism, and the monks use it as one way for
health preserving and care as well as the basic Martial Arts.

Generally speaking, Ba Duan Jin is divided into North and South factions. With regard to the South faction, it usually
shows as following. The gentle and slow movements when practice and it mainly employs the standing postures,
which is said that it originated from Liang Shichang. With regard to the north faction, it usually shows as following. The
masculine movements when practice and it mainly employs the forward stance, which is said that it originated
from Yue Fei. According to the relevant literature as well as movements, whether for north or south faction, they stem
from the same origin because the legendary founder lacks the authoritative writing words for proving.

Concerning the origin of Ba Duan Jin, there is no consensus on its exact founder and founding time. However,
according to the Guidance Map from third tomb of the Western Han Dynasty at Mawangdui, it is conspicuous to see
that at least four postures are similar with the Ba Duan Jin illustration. They are ―Routine 3 Holding One Arm Aloft to
Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖, ―Routine 6 Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and
Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖, ―Routine 1 Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the
Internal Organs‖ and ―Routine 8 Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases.‖ In addition, in according with the
Health Preserving & Care, Longevity Secrets written by Tao Hongjing of Northern and Southern Dynasties, there are
also the similar movements. For instance, the ―left-and-right swing as wolf‖ is similar with ―Routine 4 Looking
Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain‖. The ―triple times for raising and lowering heels‖ is similar with ―Routine 8
Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases.‖ The ―left-and-right hands to make the posture of shooting eagles‖
is basically similar with the ―Routine 2 Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed‖. The ―raising one
arm‖ is basically similar with the ―Routine 3 Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and
Stomach‖. And the ―double-hands thrusting fists‖ is basically similar with the ―Routine 7 Thrusting the Fists and Making
the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖. Therefore, there is some interrelated relationship between Ba Duan Jin and the
Guidance Map.

At the late 50’s of the 20th century, the People’s Sports Press published subsequently the series books
of Ba Duan Jin written by Tang Hao and Ma Fengge, and then the People’s Sports Press organized edition groups to
carry out professional compile and modification on the traditional Ba Duan Jin. Due to the highly attention of the
government, there is an ever-increasing number of practitioners for Ba Duan Jin. By the end of 70’s and the early 80’s
of the 20th century, Ba Duan Jin became a curriculum of the colleges and institutions as the national traditional sports
project. All of these events have considerably contributed to the development and flourish of the theory of Ba Duan Jin
and enriched the connotations of BaDuan Jin.

Through meticulous reference to and verification on a wealth of historical literature and materials, we can get the basic
understanding as following:

The traditional Ba Duan Jin should be originated earlier than the Song Dynasty and had been substantially developed
during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The origins of the traditional Ba Duan Jin especially the founder has not yet in the consensus. It is safer to conclude
that BaDuan Jin originates and stems from the joint-efforts and accumulated knowledge by experts in health
preserving as well as practitioners generations by generations.

Before the end of the Qing Dynasty, Ba Duan Jin is a guidance method mainly involved with the body movements.

Whether for south faction or north faction of Ba Duan Jin, they both derived from the same source with subtly
difference methods for practicing. There is a trend for integration and assimilation for these two factions during the
popularity.

Yang Bolong
Step-by-Step Description on Correct Practice
Specific Phases of Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin

―Learning‖ refers to the process of learning knowledge and skills, and ―practice‖ refers to the process of increasing
proficiency. In other words, applying learning to practice or integrating practice with learning is the essence for
improvement, with each other perfect complement and reciprocal, which needs unremitting efforts. During the learning
and practice of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin, it is involving with principles and methods of practicing as well as the
fundamental characteristics, movement essentials and the requirements for practicing. This article intends to focus on
several issues that is needed to pay attention to during learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin.

Learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin should take the ―appearance training‖ as the key points

The standing postural Ba Duan Jin belongs to one of the ancient Chinese Daoyin. During its process of evolution,
regardless of which period and what kind of genre, it has never separated from the exercise feature that focus on
physical training. By means of limbs movement, it achieves the purpose of keeping fit through strengthening tendons
and bone, enhancing the body immunity and organs, clearing the meridians and adjusting the blood circulation and
breathing.

There are three stages in practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin. The first stage is the learning and mastering
movement period. At first, it is required to practice from the basic body posture, basic hand posture and basic steps.
During the learning and practicing, it is necessary to grasp the typical actions and movements for repeated practice.
As the old saying goes, ―regardless of similarity or not, you should achieve at least 30 percent of resemblance.‖ That
is to say, regardless of the technical level, the depth of skills, the specific hands posture and footsteps, as long as you
start practicing, you should exert every effort to make it standardized, which is very important for beginners. During
learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin, it is necessary to master three primary elements including
point, line and posture. In terms of point, it refers to the starting and ending point of actions. In terms of line, it refers to
the operative approach of the movements. In terms of posture, it refers to both the dynamic and static state. Whether
for any requirement, it is significant to standardize your actions and movements. Generally speaking, it is required
upper body straight, lower extremity stable, footsteps & hand postures clear, precise and in place. In other words, it is
advised that as the old saying goes, ―at first standardized and then to be diverse and flexible.‖ The second stage is to
master actions and movements in proficiency period. During this stage, it is necessary to pay attention to the
conversion of the body gravity, master a good balance and deal with the convergence between actions. In addition, it
is required to rely on spinal column to lead to the movements of limbs in order to make the soft, gentle, flexible,
coherent, and round movements. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to practice repeatedly, correctly and improve
movements constantly so that each action can be accurate in place and with ease. The third stage is the consolidation
and improvement of movements period. It is required that based on the previous practice to strive to the integration of
dynamic and static, masculine and feminine, rigid and flexible. Furthermore, it is necessary to relax both internal
mentality and external body, with serene mind and concentrating on practicing. Apart from that, it is significant to pay
attention to the combination of tense with relax, firm with gentle, moderately elastic, and use mind concentration rather
than physical strength. At the same time, it is advised to experience the connotations between ―three adjustments‖ in
order to achieve the flexible and freely movements, appropriate breathing and gradually transferred into the unity of
―three adjustments.‖

During learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin, it is required to attach great importance letting the
spinal column leading the movement of limbs

The spine has the functions of supporting the body and protecting the internal organs, and at the same time, it is
also the hub of human motion, taking charge of the physical movements. According to the clinical statistics, the spine-
related diseases have become the greatest potential risk for human health at the 21st century. Therefore, the spine is
called the body’s ―second lifeline.‖ The Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin takes full account the influences that the spine
exerts in the human health during its working out specific movements, thus it emphasizes the training for the spine.
Each action’s starting posture all stem from the Jiaji of the spine (empty place between two scapular ridges) and its
exercise rules are all involved with the spine as the axis to extend to the whole body. In addition, the Du meridian has
close relation with the spine and connects with the whole body meridians, while the Yu acupoints of the bladder of the
both sides of spine directly connect with the internal organs, therefore, it is conspicuous to see the vital significance for
training spine. To some extent, in the practice of Ba DuanJin, those who master the rules of spine exercise grasp the
essence of Ba Duan Jin of Health Qigong.

In order to facilitate practitioners to master the pivotal role of the spine, the specific illustrations are as follows. In
the ―preparatory posture‖, it is required that both the preparatory posture as well as all the rising and fall movements
should be in vertical spine, with the entire spine spiraling up and down throughout on the pull-out length. In the
―Routine 1 Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs‖, it is required that both palms hold
the spine and pull upward and downward, using vital energy to reach to the Lao Gong acupoints until the Jiaji. In the
―Routine 2 Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed, it is required that two wrists cross- put on the
chest and relax the Jiaji, with the strength of left-and-right shooting posture reaching Jiaji. In the ―Routine 3 Holding
One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach, it is required that both palms pull in composite
direction and make the spine stretch, using vital energy to reach to the Lao Gong acupoints and the Jiaji in center. In
the ―Routine 4 Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain‖, it is required that two palms press downward and
hold the spine upright, stretching the shoulders to look back and using vital energy to reach to Jiaji. In the ―Routine 5
Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress‖, it is required that using forward stance to hold the
spine, stretch the spinal column by side, and around the body to rotate the Weique. In the ―Routine 6 Moving the
Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖, it is required to stretch and relax
the spine. In the ―Routine 7 Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength ‖,it is required to
using forward stances and crouching to hold the spine, with left-and-right fists twisting. In the ―Routine 8 Raising and
Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases‖, it is required that stretch the heels and slightly vibrate the lower spine. In the
closing posture, it is required to relax the spine and make closure of the whole exercise. With the vital energy, it
means using the idea rather than strength, otherwise, it is easy to lead to stiff and blood stasis. Therefore, the vital
energy should be interpreted as the integration for verve, breathing and spirit.

The practice of preparatory posture cannot be ignored in practicing of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin

It is universally known for the preparatory posture of the Ba Duan Jin, which is called ―Tai Chi Pile‖ in Tai Chi
Boxing and is called ―San Yuan posture‖ or ―Holding Ball posture‖ in Health Qigong. Extremely rich in connotations, it
is the primary preference when practicing, so that it is called ―primary pile in practicing Health Qigong.‖ There are
three connotations for the preparatory posture. The first one is as the basic body posture. The second one is as the
basic movement. The third one is as the basic skills. With regard to the basic body posture, it refers to the static state
of the body. This is the most representative posture, which requires straight spine, low shoulders and elbows, pulling
back the abdomen and with comfortable ease mien. With regard to the basic movements, it refers to the most
fundamental movements and with rules to follow. The preparatory posture appears repeatedly in the connecting of
actions, playing an importantly coherent role. Therefore, if practicing this preparatory posture well, it is conductive to
improve the overall exercise. With regard to the basic skills, it refers to the prerequisite quality and capacity for
practicing Health Qigong. All the above-mentioned issues can be resolved and reflected by the standing pile exercise
of the preparatory posture, which contributes considerably to the overall and comprehensive improvement of the
practicing Health Qigong.

The above-mentioned ―three basics‖ established the status of preparatory posture in the practicing
of Ba Duan Jin. This shows that preparatory posture not only serves to prepare for practicing but also has the highly
close relation with the whole set of exercise. Therefore, it is necessary to attach great importance and strengthen the
efforts for practicing preparatory posture. There are three steps needed to pay attention during practicing preparatory
posture.

The first step is "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a great man, it always first frustrates his
spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty." Therefore, it is necessary to
overcome the muscle soreness, joint numbness as a result of standing pile and dismantle the exercise tension. This
stage is called ―change energy‖ in the Qigong terms. Normally it takes about three weeks. The first week is relatively
tortured and the second week you will feel gradually relaxed, and the third week you will feel that there is strength in
arm and the degree of comfort is improved.

The second step is based on the previous practice, it is naturally to pursue the relax and serene state of both
spirit and body. With regard to relax and serene, the relax is the prerequisite, which is required to relax steadily from
head to toe, from internal to external and spread from peripheral areas to pores. With regard to the serene state, it
refers to remove the personal considerations and absent-mindedness. As the old saying goes, ―it is important to pull
back the absent-mindedness and curb the wanderings.‖ It is necessary to achieve the state of calm tranquility and
concentrating on practicing. There are different effects of the relax and serene state, which cannot be attained in the
short term and need to practice more than several years. Even some people practicing for a long time still fail to
resolve the problems. It can be seen that if you do not seriously practice and exert assiduous efforts, you cannot grasp
the essence of the Health Qigong.

The third step is with the deepened stage of relax and serene state, breathing begins to slow and the vital energy
starts to rise and gradually enter into the period o f convalesce. Under this occasion, it is necessary to maintain the
ease and natural state rather than pursue deliberately and mechanically. After the long-time practice, you will feel
energetic and robust. It should be noted that it is negative to close your eyes during practicing With regard to the
exercise intensity, it is advised to be moderated and suitable. If there happens to palpitation, shortness of breath,
dizziness, uncomfortable, tremble and other abnormal phenomenon, it is significant to immediately stop practice and
carry out adjustment to avoid deleterious effects.

Yang Bolong
Effects of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Intelligence Level

Ba Duan Jin on the Intelligence Level to Physiological Age of the Old and Middle-Aged

Intellectual deterioration is a progressive physiological aging process and an important aging sign of the human body.
Our country has already entered the aging society. Therefore it is a research topic of far-reaching significance and
wide application prospect to find an effective method to slow down the intellectual deterioration of the old and middle-
aged people and prevent it from changing into pathological aging.

Qigong is a unique traditional health-preserving method of our country. It has many curing and health-preserving
effects on the organism of the old people. And it has been proved in practice that Qigong is an effective method to
control and treat intellectual decline of the old and middle-aged people. In order to verify the health-preserving effect
of Health Qigong, we selected old and middle-aged test objects and made them learn and practice
Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, tested their intelligence-physiological age at the beginning of the exercise and 3 months
and 6 months after the exercise, and analyzed the health-preserving value of Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin in slowing
down intellectual aging.

3.2.1 Objects and methodology

3.2.1.1 Experimental objects

Research objects are chosen with the layer-by-layer random cluster sampling method and health examination
screening from Fengtai District and ShijingshanDistrict of Beijing. Basic requirements are: a. Normal heart and lung
functions and normal blood glucose level; b. Normal or slight high blood pressure (blood pressure≤160/95mmHg); c.
No extremity disability; d. No eyesight or hearing disorder; e. No habit of fitness exercise; The test objects are
randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. See Table 1 for the basic information of the
research objects. Since educational level has a major influence on the intellectual functions and aging speed, the
literacy levels of the experimental group and the control group are matched in the research.

Table 3.2-1 Basic information about research objects

GroupnAge (years)Body Height (cm)Body Weight (Kg)Years of education (years)

MaleControl group2062.4±1.8169.8±4.276.3±10.89.02±4.9

Experimental group2363.0±2.0168.1±4.675.2±7.710.01±3.7

FemaleControl group3556.9±1.5156.6±5.866.8±7.610.70±3.8

Experimental group3857.8±1.6155.5±4.365.6±8.08.90±3.3

3.2.1.2 Intelligence-physiological age test

(1) Test contents

Intelligence-physiological age test software is supplied by Scientific and Technological Research Department of
Health Qigong Administration Center[1]. A man-microcomputer conversation pattern is used in the test. Test contents
include: mental arithmetic speed, digit symbols, physical response, counting, 2-digit span, follow-up operation, and
meaningless image recognition. The first four items are made of 10-component tests. The mean value of the time
needed for completing the test contents, variance, and number of errors are respectively calculated. The latter three
items are used to test the number of random numerals that the object is able to memorize, the number of operation
error when both hands follow up a sine curve for a whole day, and the memory storage capacity exhibited in the
recognition of 14 meaningless geometric images.

(2) Test method

All test objects are put to intelligence-physiological age tests respectively before the experiment, 3 months after the
experiment, and 6 months after the experiment. To eliminate the influence by circadian rhythm, all three tests are
completed between 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM. During the test, the contents of items are displayed on a computer screen
one after another. Every item is explained and exercised by an instructor before the test object independently answer
questions via a keyboard according to the test content. After the test, a microcomputer will automatically analyze and
print out the test results.
3.2.1.3 Qigong exercise

Test objects of the experimental group practice Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin 5~7 days a week for 6 months. They
repeat the exercise 3 times every morning (for about 1h) together under the guidance of an instructor. During the
experiment, they have similar activities and activity amounts to those before the experiment. Their dietary intake
remains the same and adverse mental stimulation is avoided. Test objects keep training diaries throughout the entire
experiment.

3.2.1.4 Data processing

Spss10.0 software is sued for statistical analysis of data. Multi-factor variance analysis method is used to determine
the significance of differences.

3.2.2 Research results

Table 2 shows that the mental arithmetic speed and digit symbol identification speed of the male experimental group
are significantly increased after 3 months of practice (P<0.05). After 6 months of practice, the mental arithmetic speed,
digit symbol identification speed, and physical response are significantly increased (P<0.05); the time consumed in
counting test is significantly reduced to a level lower than that of the control group (P<0.05).

Table 3.2-2 Changes in intelligence-physiological age of male research objects

Group nMental arithmetic speed (s)Digital symbol (s)Physical response (s)Counting (s)Digit spanFollow-
up operationImagerecognitionIPA(Y)

Control groupStart 205.72±2.3 25.93±1.9 1.90±0.7 8.07±1.7 3.13±1.55.87±3.8 73.91±8.2 61.92±2.8

3 months 205.09±2.5 24.33±10.2 1.92±1.2 8.53±3.0 2.33±0.83.33±2.4 76.19±16.1 60.43±11.8

6 months 195.37±3.7 24.92±5.7 1.56±0.4 9.13±1.1 3.00±1.64.16±1.7 71.43±20.8 63.16±3.9

Experimental groupStart 235.85±1.9 26.26±11.3 1.96±0.4 8.47±1.9 2.80±0.95.70±6.3 70.00±14.6 62.70±7.2

3 months 234.80±1.8▲ 22.49±6.7▲ 1.80±1.0 7.38±1.8 2.91±0.94.31±2.5 73.38±16.0 60.39±7.7

6 months 234.17±0.2◆ 17.78±4.3◆ 1.33±0.3◆ 6.84±1.2*◆ 3.25±0.52.59±0.3 76.79±10.7 60.84±9.2

Note: *，P▲，P◆，P-，P

Table 3 shows that the metal arithmetic speed of the female experimental group is significantly increased and the
number of errors in two-hand follow-up operation is significantly reduced (P<0.05) after 3 months of practice. After 6
months of practice, the physical response is significantly improved (P<0.05) with respect to the value before practice.
The number of memorized two-digit figures is significantly increased (P<0.05) with respect to the value in the 3rd
month.

Table 3.2-3 Changes in intelligence-physiological age of female research objects

Group nMental arithmetic speed (s)Digital symbol (s)Physical response (s)Counting (s)Digit spanFollow-
up operationImagerecognitionIPA(Y)

Control groupStart 353.80±0.7 17.84±2.7 1.27±0.1 6.72±1.6 2.91±0.95.36±3.9 75.97±6.6 53.36±6.4

3 months 354.84±4.2 18.55±4.1 1.46±0.4 6.95±1.52.72±1.14.73±2.5 78.57±9.8 54.04±6.4

6 months 354.42±2.3 18.73±3.3 1.25±0.2 6.51±1.4 3.50±0.85.26±3.4 80.36±18.6 55.11±7.0

Experimental groupStart 384.23±1.5 18.88±3.8 1.44±0.3 6.51±0.9 2.96±0.7 5.56±3.1 78.91±13.5 54.02±5.0

3 months 383.63±0.8▲ 18.36±4.3 1.29±0.2 6.78±1.0 2.86±0.93.84±2.0▲ 77.55±9.1 53.60±5.4

6 months 383.98±1.0 18.32±5.2 1.23±0.1◆ 6.60±1.2 3.63±0.8- 4.47±1.6 82.31±16.5 54.08±6.1

3.2.3 Discussion

Through 6 months of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise, many intellectual and mental indicators of the old and
middle-aged research object are significantly improved. And the objects become younger in intelligence-physiological
age. This proves that Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can slow down intellectual decline of the old.

In recent years, a number of clinical and fundamental researches by our research group and other researchers have
proved that Qigong can strength the regulating ability of the nervous system, reinforce the functions of the endocrine
system and immune system, improve the hemodynamics and hemorheology, reduce metabolic oxygen consumption,
strengthen cardiac functions, and improve the body constitution. This means that through overall
regulation, Qigong has a secondary effect on the aging of intellectual functions on the basis of overall improved
physiological functions.

To sum up, long-term regular Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise can slow down the intellectual decline of the old
and middle-aged people and therefore serve as an effective method for the old and middle-aged people to preserve
health and lengthen life.

References

[1] Sun Fuli, Lei Shupin, Xu Jinghua, et. al.. Clinical method of the evaluation of declined liquid intelligence with aging
and its application in TCM research [J]. Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine,1989,9 (4):
203-206.

[2] Li Deming, Shun Fuli, Jiao Yang. . Frontal egg characters in aging and its correlativity with some cognitive abilities
[J]. Acta Psychologica Sinica,1996,28 (1): 76-81.

[3] Li Deming, Shun Fuli, Li Guiyun. A mathematical description on pattern of cognitive slowing in nonlexical tasks in
aging [J]., Acta Psychologica Sinica 1994, 26 (3): 279-283.

[4]. Li Deming, Shun Fuli, Li Guiyun. Effect of educational factor on cognitive function in aging process
[J]. Acta PsychologicaSinica,1995,27 (2): 219-224.

[5] Li Deming, Shun Fuli . Progress in elderly cognitive speed attenuation [J]. Psychological Science,1994,17 (2): 124-
126,128.
Effects of HQ Ba Duan Jin on the Body Shape

Effects of HQ • Ba Duan Jin on the Body Shape, Physiological Functions, and Physical Fitness of
the Old and Middle-aged

This research aims to carry out statistical comparison and analysis of the changes in the body shape, physiological
functions, and physical fitness of the old and middle-aged people before, 3 months after, and 6 months after
Health Qigong • Ba DuanJin practice in order to verify its health-preserving effects and analyze its health-preserving
mechanism.

1.4.1 Objects and methodology

1.4.1.1 Research objects

Ordinary old and middle-aged people the seldom participate in physical exercise are randomly selected as the
research objects from Fengtai District, Miyun District, and Shijingshan District of Beijing. Of these objects, 82 are
males aged 61～65, and 229 are females aged 56～60. They are basically in good physical health, have normal
heart-lung functions, and are free of extremity disability (see Table 1).

Table 1.4-1 General information about research objects (UOM: Person)

RegionExperimental group Control group

MaleFemaleMaleFemale

Before experiment3 months6 monthsBefore experiment3 months6 monthsBefore experiment3 months6 monthsBefore
experiment3 months6 months

Fengtai District 111010484747999161612

Miyun District 232322414141111010191817

Shijingshan District 16108803226126525107

Total 504340169120114322524604436

Note: After 3 months and 6 months, the numbers of research objects in all groups are significantly decreased. After
objective and subjective factors are eliminated, ―corrected sample loss rate‖ is used as basis for statistics.

1.4.1.2 Research methods

(1) Exercise

Members of the experimental group learn Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin under the guidance of instructors. After
completely master the main technical points of the entire exercise, they practice Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin 5~7
days every week (1heach time) for 6 months. During the experiment, members of the control team keep their original
lifestyle. Their daily activities are not intervened.

(2) Measurement indicators:

See Table 2 for measurement indicators. They mainly include body shape, physiological functions, and physical
fitness.

Table 1.4-2 Measurement indicators

Morphological indicatorFunctional indicatorFitness indicator

Body Height (m)Resting pulse (b/min)Simple reaction time (ms)

Body Weight (Kg)Blood pressure (mmHg)Complicated reaction time (ms)

Circumference (cm)

Chest circumference, waist circumference, hip circumferenceLung capacity (ml)Closed-eyes one-leg standing time (s)

Gripping strength (kg)

Skinfold thickness (mm)

Upper shoulder, scapular region, abdomenLower limb strength (back dynamometer) (kg)

Sit-and-reach (cm)

(3) Experimental observation

Changes in the above-mentioned indicators of the experimental group and control group in the resting state are
measured respectively before the experiment, 3 months after the experiment, and 6 months after the experiment, in
order to observe and evaluate the health-preserving effect of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin. In addition, 7 test objects
are randomly picked out for 3 HR remote measurements during the practicing process. The first measurement is taken
in Week 1 of the practice. The second measurement is taken after 3 months of practice. And the third measurement is
taken after 6 months of practice.

(4) Data processing

SPSS 11.5 is used for conventional statistical description of obtained experimental data. ―Pairing t-test‖ is conducted
on test data acquired before the experiment, 3 months after the experiment, and 6 months after the experiment in
order to verify the training effects.

1.4.2 Results

1.4.2.1 Changes in body shape after Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin practice

(1) Changes in body weight

The body weight of the male group participating in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise is decreased after 3 months of
exercise and the decrease is statistically significant. But there is not significant change after 6 months of exercise. The
body weight of the female experimental group does not has any significant change after 3 months and 6 months of
exercise (see Table 3).

(2) Changes in circumferences

6 months of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise has a significant effect on the chest circumference, waist
circumference, and hip circumference of the male group. All these circumferences are significantly reduced. 3 months
of Health Qigong•BaDuan Jin exercise significantly reduces the chest circumference and hip circumference of the
female group. And the chest, waist, and hip circumferences of both males and females of the control group are not
changed significantly and basically remain stable (see Table 3).

(3) Changes in skinfold thickness

The abdominal skinfold thicknesses of both males and females in the experimental group are significantly reduced
after the experiment, while there is not significant change with the control group (see Table 3).

Table 1.4-3 Changes in body shapes of test objects after the experiment

GenderGroupTime nBody Weight

(Kg)Chest Circumference

(cm)Waist circumference

(cm)Hip circumference
(cm)Upper hip skinfold

(cm)Shoulder skinfold

(cm)Abdominal skinfold

(cm)

MaleControl groupStart 3272.6±9.2 95.1±5.1 88.4±8.1 101.4±4.4 7.9±4.5 16.8±7.3 18.8±5.7

3 months 2573.0±7.2 93.7±5.1 87.1±7.9 100.5±5.3 10.9±4.6 15.4±7.3 19.8±7.2

6 months 2468.8±6.9▲ 93.8±3.8 87.6±7.4 99.5±4.4 14.0±4.4 17.5±6.5 17.4±8.0

Practice groupStart 5073.6±7.096.3±6.4 86.0±9.4 99.5±4.5 9.1±2.4 17.1±5.5 18.2±6.5

3 months 4369.9±8.0* 95.6±6.5 84.6±8.3 95.2±5.0* 10.0±2.9 16.7±5.7 18.2±7.6

6 months 4071.1±9.391.0±8.3▲ 80.8±9.2▲ 93.1±6.4▲ 8.8±3.6 16.8±6.8 15.6±3.3▲

FemaleControl groupStart 6065.3±6.9 93.8±6.784.2±9.8 100.5±6.7 17.6±4.3 23.1±7.8 28.4±8.0

3 months 4464.3±8.7 89.6±7.182.9±8.7 99.7±5.4 16.7±6.1 19.6±4.1 26.7±6.8

6 months 3661.0±5.7 89.8±5.979.5±8.3 99.4±4.2 19.3±3.9 22.6±4.7 26.3±6.4

Practice groupStart 16964.1±7.3 94.9±9.083.1±7.8 100.7±6.7 17.9±4.6 26.6±6.9 28.6±4.2

3 months 12064.9±7.9 90.0±6.8* 81.2±9.6 96.3±6.3* 16.7±4.7 23.8±4.4 24.7±6.4*

6 months 11463.6±7.4 87.5±4.9▲80.0±7.4 98.8±5.9 15.2±5.4 24.1±6.5 25.3±4.6▲

Note: *，P

1.4.2.2 Changes in body functions after Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin practice

(1) Changes in lung capacity

The lung capacity of both males and females in the experimental group are significantly reduced (3 months and 6
months) after the experiment, while there is not significant change in the lung capacity of the control group (see Table
4).

(2) Changes in blood pressure and heart rate

After 3 months of exercise, the blood pressure of the male group is significantly reduced and the heart rate is not
significantly changed. Both the heart rate and the diastolic blood pressure of the female group are significantly
reduced and the contractive pressure is not changed significantly. After 6 months of exercise, the blood pressure and
heart rate of both the male and female experimental groups are significantly reduced (see Table 4).

Table 1.4-4 Changes in functional indicators of test objects after the experiment

GenderGroupTime nLung capacity (ml)Resting pulse (b/min)Contractive Pressure (mmHg)Diastolic Pressure (mmHg)

MaleControl groupStart 323256.4±798.377.8±7.0125.8±15.576.8±10.3

3 months 253416.8±672.477.1±14.0123.6±12.776.3±13.0

6 months 243307.0±684.276.1±10.0124.4±16.977.6±10.2

Practice groupStart 503238.9±779.576.5±9.7127.5±17.675.6±5.3

3 months 433611.2±636.3*74.0±7.5112.7±15.0*71.5±6.9*

6 months 403695.0±607.8▲70.4±4.0▲112.6±21.0▲72.6±7.4▲

FemaleControl groupStart 601866.9±438.675.5±7.9123.5±18.277.9±10.2

3 months 442221.5±674.975.5±10.7123.6±18.276.8±10.1

6 months 362239.1±664.574.4±9.1125.4±16.280.2±9.2

Practice groupStart 1691841.3±759.875.6±7.1123.0±13.579.7±11.5

3 months 1202359.8±694.0*71.2±9.3*118.4±21.473.2±8.4*

6 months 1142338.1±516.0▲71.5±8.9▲114.4±11.9▲72.8±5.7▲

1.4.2.3 Changes in physical fitness after Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin practice

(1) Changes of males

Test results of Table 5 show that: Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can significantly improve the simple reaction time,
complicated reaction, lower-limb strength, tenacity, balancing ability, and coordinating ability of the male group.
Gripping strength, i.e. the strength of upper limbs is improved to some extent but without statistical significance. The
lower-limb strength of the male control group is significantly decreased and the decreasing speed is greater and
greater with the progressing time.

(2) Changes of females

Short-term Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin practice can significantly improve the simple reaction time of the female group,
while long-term exercise can significantly improve the complicated reaction time of the female group. After 3 months
and 6 months of exercise, the gripping strength, lower-limb strength, sit-and-reach performance, and closed-eyes one-
leg standing ability of the female group are significantly improved (see Table 5).

Table 1.4-5 Changes in physical fitness of test objects of all groups after the experiment

GenderGroupTime nComplicated reaction time

(s) Simple reaction time

(s) Gripping strength

(kg) Lower limb strength

(kg) Sit-and-reach

(cm) Closed-eyes one-leg standing time

(s)

MaleControl groupStart 320.560±0.1570.337±0.12636.3±4.5136.7±22.36.8±5.69.0±7.9

3 months 250.557±0.0960.334±0.08538.2±4.6127.6±26.6*5.7±5.19.2±8.6

6 months 240.541±0.1050.315±0.08037.7±5.4126.1±27.5▲6.6±5.08.3±6.4

Practice groupStart 500.594±0.0910.361±0.07035.1±4.3134.5±21.07.5±6.111.2±9.4

3 months 430.544±0.106*0.337±0.072*38.5±3.7149.5±21.0*13.0±6.3*20.5±12.8*

6 months 400.537±0.087▲0.338±0.072▲38.8±4.2143.0±19.4▲13.2±8.4▲24.1±14.0▲
FemaleControl groupStart 600.566±0.0870.322±0.10024.6±3.686.4±23.012.4±7.411.5±8.2

3 months 440.543±0.1220.323±0.08026.9±4.785.7±24.912.8±7.413.7±11.8

6 months 360.559±0.1110.305±0.08126.0±4.980.5±21.615.8±6.210.4±10.5

Practice groupStart 1690.576±0.1180.341±0.08624.1±3.283.1±23.212.4±7.712.1±10.4

3 months 1200.554±0.0820.288±0.077*26.7±3.2*89.5±24.2*18.8±9.4*17.3±9.4*

6 months 1140.535±0.080▲0.339±0.06527.7±3.6▲92.2±19.8▲17.9±6.3▲17.7±10.6▲

1.4.3 Discussion

1.4.3.1 Effects of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin on the body shape of the old and middle-aged people

After 3 months and 6 months of practice, the body weight, BMI, circumference indicators, and skinfold thickness of the
experimental group are significantly changed and such changes are mainly attributable to the changes in the body
composition which significantly reduces the content of subcutaneous fatty tissues and significantly increases the fat-
free body weight. This indicates that Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin is a medium-intensity aerobic fitness sport. This can
be verified by the changes in the remote-measured heart rate of some test objects during the practice. During the
practice of the entire exercise, the maximum mean heart rate of practicers reaches up to 120bpm and the mean heart
rate during the entire practicing process in 100bpm. Although the 1h practice everyday is not very intensive, the long
lasting movement will still consume a lot of in-vivo and subcutaneous fat. Therefore participating in
Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise on a long-term and systematic basis will improve the body composition of the old
and middle-aged population and facilitate the body-building of the old and middle-aged population.

1.4.3.2 Effects of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise on the physiological functions of the old and middle-aged
people

After 3 months and 6 months of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise, the lung capacity is significantly increased and
functions of the respiratory system are effective improved and strengthened. We can locate the influencing factors in
the design of the movements of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, especially Routine 1 ― Holding the Hands High with
Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs‖, Routine 2 ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed‖,
and Routine 6 ―Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs, and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖. While
completing these routines, the amplitude of breath shall be continuously enhanced and the breath shall be deep, so
that the respiratory muscle groups are fully exercised and the up-down moving range of diaphragmatic muscles are
greatly extended. Diaphragmatic muscles are the most important respiratory muscles of the human body. Effect
exercise of diaphragmatic muscles can expand the volume of the chest cavity and thus increase the lung capacity.

The resting pulse is reduced in the population of the experimental group after 6 months of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin
practice. And both contractive and diastolic pressures are reduced to different extents. This may be related to the
―gentle, slow, flexible, and continuous‖ features of the movements. ―Gentle‖ means the movements of the exercise are
not rigid or confined, but relaxed, easy, open, and generous. After long-term exercise, the practicer will feel refreshed
and bear a serene body posture. In this way the channels can be dredges, circulation of blood and Qi can be
promoted, and the body can be strengthened.

1.4.3.3 Effects of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise on the physical fitness of the old and middle-aged people

(1) Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve the quick reaction capability and quick operation capability of the
old and middle-aged people

Reaction time is an important indicator of the agility of the human body. Simple reaction time can be used
independently to reflect the reaction capability of the nervous system. Complicated reaction time is also known as
―movement time‖. It is an indicator that both reflects the reaction capability of the nervous system and the muscle
movement. After 3 to 6 months of practice, both the reaction time and complicated reaction time of the experimental
group are decreased to certain extents. The greatest extent of decrease is up to 9.4% and significant difference is
found in some groups. From this we can conclude that Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin practice can improve the reaction
capability of the nervous system and the coordination between nervous muscles of the old and middle-aged people.

After analyzing the causes, we believe this is closely related to the ―spirit accords with the posture; Qi resides in both
of them‖ characteristics of the entire set of movements. The ―spirit‖ referred to herein means the mental state and
normal thoughts of the human body and their embodiments in the physical form under the guidance of thoughts. ―Spirit
is the master of posture and posture is the accommodation of spirit‖. Spirit and posture are interconnected inter-
promoting and form a unity. Every movement and transitions between movements of this exercise are full of symmetry
and harmony and reflect the full spirit on the inside, easy and comfort on the outside, inter-promoting asthenia
and sthenia, and inter-enhancing firmness and gentleness. The mind follows the posture and both spirit and posture
are achieved. ―Qi resides in both of spirit and posture‖ means we can promote the circulation of genuine Qi in the body
by cultivating the spirit and exercising the body, so as to strengthen the body. While practicing this exercise, the
breath shall be smooth and natural. Do not take forced breaths. It is obvious that this will significantly improve the high
attention of the exerciser and effectively establish harmony and unity between the nervous system and the
movements. As a result the exerciser will develop the reaction capability to signals and the hand operating capability
in a highly coordinated way, which will finally lead to a good mental state and temperament in the old and middle-aged
population.

(2) Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve the muscle strength of the old and middle-aged people

From test results of objects we can see that both the gripping strength and lower-limb strength that reflects the
strength quality are significantly increased. This indicates that Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise effectively
improves the strength of test objects. This is consistent with the ―combined relaxation and tightness‖ and ―concurrent
dynamic and static states‖ movement style of the entire exercise: Relaxation means that the muscles, joints, central
nervous system, and viscera are relaxed during practice. Under the active guidance of the mind, the practicer
gradually achieves gentle breath, serene mind, and relaxed body. At the same time the practicer is relaxed but not
slack and maintains the correct posture and constantly deepen this relaxation. Tightness means appropriate strength
is used in a slow manner during practice. This is mainly reflected in the transition between two movements. This is
reflected in the up-propping motion of ―Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs‖, horse
stance and bow-drawing motion of ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed‖, hand-raising motion
of ―Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖, head-turning and arm-rotating
motions in ―Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain‖, clenching and gripping motions in ―Thrusting the
Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖, and toe-gripping and anus-lifting motions in ―Raising and
Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases‖ in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin. Tightness is only transient in movements but
relaxation is present throughout the movements. Well-coordinated tightness and relaxation will help balance Yin and
Yang, dredge channels, dissipate viscosity, lubricate joints, promote blood circulation, remove stasis, strength
muscles and bones, and improve the body constitution. With regard to the structures of movements in
Health Qigong•BaDuan Jin, Routine 2 ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed‖, Routine 6
―Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress‖, and Routine 7 ―Thrusting the Fists and Making the
Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖ all require horse stance which is very good for the development of the strength of
muscles in lower limbs. At the same time many movements require gripping motions of the fingers, which can fully
exercise the muscle groups in forearms and hands. This is another reason for the increase in gripping strength.

(3) Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve the tenacity of the old and middle-aged people

Experimental results show that the ―sit-and-reach‖ performance of the old and middle-aged population participating in
the exercise is greatly improved. This improvement is mainly attributable to Routine 5 ―Moving the Hands down the
Back and Legs, and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖, which requires the practicer to do large-amplitude
forward bending of the body trunk. Practiced on a long-term basis, it will definitely improve the agility of the trunk. As a
matter of fact Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin not only improves the agility of the trunk but also improves some other parts
and joints of the human body. For example, ―Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain‖ improves the agility
of the cervical segments of the spinal column. ―Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal
Organs‖ and ―Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖ can improve the agility of
the shoulder and hand joints. ―Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress‖ can improve the agility of
the hip and heel joints.

(4) Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve the balancing and coordinating ability of the old and middle-aged
people

The 3~6 months of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise improves the balancing ability of the test objects. This is
reflected in the increased closed-eyes one-leg standing time. Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin movements that effectively
develop the balancing ability of the practicer mainly include ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-
Handed‖ and ―Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress‖. For example, the one-leg supporting
process of ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed‖ effectively improves the balancing ability. As
a matter of fact, the improvement of balancing ability and the improvement of lower-limb strength and joint agility
supplement each other.

To sum up, Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise can effectively improve the body shape of the old and middle-aged
people, strengthen the physiological functions of the old and middle-aged population, improve the physical fitness of
their bodies, and thus strengthen their body constitution.
References

[1] Qu Yuan. Practical Regimen [M]. Gansu People Press, Lanzhou,1985.

[2] Lin Guoming. Chinese Medical Qigong [M]. Beijing: Higher Education Press,1993.6.

[3] Chinese National Physique Monitoring System Task Group. Study on Chinese National Physique Monitoring
System [M] Beijing: Beijing Sport University Press,2000.

[4] Zhong Guolong. Physiology [M]. Beijing People's Medical Publishing House,2001.

[5] Yu Gongbao. 100 kinds of ancient chinese health surgery [M] Beijing:Beijing Sport University Pres.,1991.

[6] Deng Shuxun et. al. Athletic physiology [M]. Beijing:Higher Education Press,1999.

[7] Tian Ye. Exercise physiology advanced tutorial [M]. Beijing:Higher Education Press,2003.

[8] Dou Yongqi. et. al.. Utility of traditional regimen [M].Beijing: People's Military Medical Press,1998.
Origin of Ba Duan Jin - One Set of Health Qigong

The word ―Ba‖(八) in Ba Duan Jin does not simply stand for the number of the segments, sections or the eight
movements, but mean that in the practice of Ba Duan Jin, there are various elements which are inter-restricted and
inter-related and revolve circularly. As the ―Guidance of Ba Duan Jin‖ in Eight Letters on how to Comply with the
Health Preserving and Care (《遵生八笺》)written by Gao Lian in Ming Dynasty says, ―Practicing Ba Duan Jin in the
early morning will help you absorb the essence of the Heaven and the Earth. It is good for your health for such kind of
repeat practice is like the cyclic Eight Diagrams‖. The Chinese character ―Jin‖ (锦) consists of two radicals------―gold‖ (
金 )and ―silk‖( 帛 ) which can show its refinement and elegance. In addition, the character ―Jin‖ also means the
compilation of all the single postures and that BaDuan Jin contains a complete set of way for maintaining good health
which is similar to the smoothness and incessancy of silk floss.

The name of Ba Duan Jin first appeared in a magnificent personal monograph ------Yi Jian Zhi (《夷坚志》) written by
Hong Mai in the Southern Son Dynasty------―In the seventh year of Zhenghe, Li Siju was appointed as a government
official who was responsible for recoding the emperor’s statements and actions. He always tried to stand and sit at
mid-night, adjusting breath and having massage and such practice was called Ba Duan Jin.‖ The record shows
that Ba Duan Jin was already popular in the Northern Song Dynasty and it could be practiced either in standing or in
sitting at that time.

As the standing style is much easier for practicing, it is widespread. The book 《Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin》re-
arrangedand modified the information on 《The Standing Style of Ba Duan Jin》, so it will focus on the analysis and
introduction of the origin and other relevant information of Ba Duan Jin.

The earliest record of the standing style in the documents about health preservation is found in the 35th volume of
Taoism Essence (《道枢》)written by Zeng Zao in the Southern Song Dynasty——―Uplifting the hands with palms up
to regulate the Sanjiao; opening bow from left to right as shooting vulture; holding the two arms separately to
harmonize the spleen and stomach; looking repeatedly towards both the left and right side to ease illness and strain ;
stooping down to harmonize the internal five organs (heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys); swallowing saliva and
breathing in while rolling the fingers; moving the body like an eel to relieve stress; touching the feet with the hands to
strengthen the waist.‖But there was not a fixed name like Ba Duan Jin and all the postures were not compiled into a
pithy formula. It was named as ―Relaxing Method of Taoist Lu‖ in a folk encyclopedia (《事林广记》) written by
Chen Yuanliang in the Southern Song Dynasty and the content was a pithy formula. Ba Duan Jin developed greatly
during the Ming and Qing Dynasty and was spreaded widely. At the end of Qing Dynasty, the name------ Ba Duan Jin
first appeared in the book New Method with Illustration for Maintaining Health------Ba Duan Jin (《新出保身图说•八段
锦》). With elaborate illustration, the complete set of movements was formed. The formula was: ―Uplifting the Hands
with Palms Up to Regulate the Sanjiao; Opening Bow from Left to Right as Shooting Vulture; Holding One Arm Aloft to
Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach; Looking Backwards to Ease Illness and Strain; Swinging the
Head and Moving the Body to Relieve Stress; Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases; Thrusting the Fists
and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength; Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the Feet
to Strengthen the Kidneys‖. Since then, the movements of Ba Duan Jin were fixed.

During the process of popularizing, Ba Duan Jin has developed into many schools. For example, in the Qing Dynasty,
Lou Jiedescribed the standing style as ―Holding the hands high and posing as an opening bow from left to right;
holding one arm in strength and swing to semi-shoulder like using sword; arresting and releasing quickly like monkey
and being august like ferocious tiger; finishing all movements quickly and lightly as swallow. Besides, there are
Illustration of extra-form of Yi Jin Jing for strengthen fitness (《易筋经外经图说•外壮练力奇验图》) (Qing Dynasty,
Anonymous), Gymnastic illustration of BaDuan Jin (12- movements) (《八段锦体操图(12 式)》) and so on. Such kinds
of Ba Duan Jin all derived from Buddhism and the monks at that time took it as the way to keep healthy and improve
martial art skills.

Generally speaking, there are mainly two schools practicing Ba Duan Jin------the South School and the North School.
Featuring as gentle movements, the South School which was said to be handed down by Liang Shichang mainly
employs standing style. With lots of horse riding stance, the masculine movements which were said to be created
by Yue Fei are the characteristic of the North School. Studies of the relevant literature and movements show that the
South School and the North School stem from the same origin because there is no documented evidence about the
legendary founder of the two schools.

There is no final conclusion about who founded Ba Duan Jin at what time. However, at least four postures showed in
the pictures of the Guidance Map which were unearthed in No.3 tomb of the Western Han Dynasty
at Mawangdui (Hunan province) are similar to the postures of Ba Duan Jin, such as ―Holding One Arm Aloft to
Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖, ―Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the
Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖, ―Opening Bow from Left to Right as Shooting Vulture‖ and ―Raising and Lowering the
Heels to Cure Diseases‖. In addition, the similar postures can also be found in The Record of Methods for Keeping
Healthy and Prolonging Life ( 《养性延 命 录》 )edited by Tao Hongjing in Northern and Southern Dynasties. For
instance, ―swing left to right as wolf‖, ―raising and lowering the heels for three times‖, ―posing the left and right hand as
holding a bow‖, ―raising one arm‖ and ―thrusting fists of the two hands‖ are respectively similar to ―Looking Backwards
to Ease Illness and Strain‖, ―Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases‖, ―Opening Bow from Left to Right as
Shooting Vulture‖, ―Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖ and ―Thrusting the
Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖ in Ba Duan Jin. Those similarities prove that there is a definite
relationship among Ba Duan Jin, Guidance Map and the Record of Methods for Keeping Healthy and Prolonging Life.

At the late 50’s of the 20th century, the People’s Sports Press published successively series of book
about Ba Duan Jin written by Tang Hao, Ma Fengge and etc. and then organized several groups of professional
editors to modify and adapt the traditional Ba Duan Jin. The government attaches great importance to Ba Duan Jin
and that is why there are more and more people practicing it. As a national traditional sports event, Ba Duan Jin
began to be taken as a course in colleges and institutions at the late 70’s and early 80’s of the 20th century. All of
these greatly promoted the development of the theories of Ba Duan Jin and enriched its connotation.

The following basic conceptions can be concluded through careful reference to and textual research of abundant
historical literature and materials:

•Traditional Ba Duan Jin should be originated at the time before the Song Dynasty and developed greatly in the Ming
and Qing Dynasty.

•There is not any final conclusion about the founder of the traditional Ba Duan Jin, but it can be concluded
that Ba Duan Jin is the intellectual property accumulated by generations of experts in health preservation and its
practitioners.

•Ba Duan Jin was a kind of guided skill which focused on body movements before the end of the Qing Dynasty.

•Although there are different schools such as the South School and the North School and different ways for practicing,
they all derived from the same origin and influence each other during the developing process and there is a trend of
assimilation for the different schools.

(Translated by Wang Suyan)

The Role of Stances in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin Practice

Xu Haipeng; University of Shanghai for Science and Technology

Bao Qi Stance is an important link between the transitional movements of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin. In many
transitional movements of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin, the quality of Bao Qi Stance has a direct effect on the smooth
transition between movements and on the presentation of the movement features of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin.

To practice Bao Qi Stance: Start with the preparative posture and stand with both feet put together. Lower the hips
and bend the right knee to crouch so that the left foot is naturally lifted (Note: The left foot is not lifted on purpose but
as a result of the bent right leg). Spread the feet shoulder-width apart towards the left and stand with both feet parallel
to each other. First land the tip of your left foot and then gradually set the entire sole. Slowly transfer the gravity center
to between the legs simultaneously with the movement and naturally stand on both feet. Rotate the arms inward and
then open them sideways at an angle of 45°. Immediately bend knees and pull back the buttocks. Relax the waist and
the abdomen. Draw the chest in and straighten the back. Rotate the arms outward and then gather them up towards
the abdomen as if embracing something. Lean the back backward and lower the gravity center along a vertical line.
Relax the shoulders and lower the elbows. Relax the neck muscles and slightly lift the head as if propping up
something. Naturally look downward at the tip of the nose and aim the nose at the navel. Have shoulders work in
concert with the hips, the elbows work in concert with the knees, and the hands work in concert with the feet in order
to regulate the form. Take soft, even, deep, and long breaths and settle Qi in Dantian in order to regulate the breath.
Set the thought between adherence and non-adherence to Dantian and keep it with you all the time in order to
regulate the thought. The duration of the stance practice differs from person to person and shall be to the extent that
the exerciser feels slightly tired. Avoid being exhausted. Beginners may practice for a duration of about 5 minutest and
then gradually extend the duration bit by bit as their skills improve. To do the closing form, close both hands inward
and push down. Then slowly straighten the knee joints.

The practice of Bao Qi Stance of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can help the exerciser master the thought, Qi, and form
in the movement exercise of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin. Below are its detailed effects.

Regulating the Exterior Form

The theory of traditional Chinese medicine says: ―When the form is not right, Qi will not move smoothly. When Qi does
not move smoothly, the thought will not be at ease. When the thought is not at ease, the spirit will
be scattered.‖ Therefore, the standard exterior form is a basic precondition for the good practice of Health Qigong •
Ba Duan Jin. Besides paying attention to the start and end points, angles, and routes of movements, we can also
use Bao Qi Stance as a very good method to regulate the exterior form in the practice of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin.
This is because the static exercise of Bao Qi Stance can help the exerciser more accurately experience
the proprioceptive sensations of the body parts and more accurately control the small joints of the limbs. In
addition, Bao Qi Stance plays an important role in enhancing the Qi sensations in various parts of the body. Ancient
people said: ―One stance is worth a thousand exercises.‖ This shows the important role of stances. Bao Qi Stance
helps the exerciser concentrate the thought to various parts of the body in a relatively quiescent state, and constantly
enhance such concentration in order to transfer the requirements on different parts to the practice of Health Qigong •
Ba Duan Jin. Long-term practice of static stance exercises can remove the rigid forces of the body and achieve a
―gentleness amidst rigidity‖ state. Since the practice of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin also has the inherent
requirements of ―guiding Qi to make it harmonious and leading the body to make it gentle‖, rigid forces must be
removed with congenital and natural forces in the practice of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin. And stances are an effective
method to remove rigid forces.

Regulating Respiration

The following three breathing patterns are most frequently used: natural respiration, abdominal respiration, and
reverse abdominal respiration. Reverse abdominal respiration is required for the practice of Ba Duan Jin. But it cannot
be accomplished at the very beginning and it is especially difficult to coordinate it with the movements when the
exerciser is not very familiar with the movements. Reverse abdominal respiration provides important effects in the
practice of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin. Correct reverse abdominal respiration also has positive effects on the control
and prevention of all kinds of chronic diseases. The ―drawing in the chest, straightening the back, relaxing the waist,
and pulling back the buttocks‖ requirements on the stance can help the exerciser directly guide the breath from the
chest to the abdomen and achieve natural, gentle, and slow abdominal respiration. And abdominal respiration is also
an inevitable stage in the practice of reverse abdominal respiration. On the basis of abdominal reparation, the
exerciser will easily experience the essentials of reverse abdominal respiration by raising the abdominal Qi to the
chest and lifting the anus at the same time during inhalation. Therefore the correct posture of Bao Qi Stance can help
the exerciser quickly settle Qi into Dantian and properly feel the ascent and descent of Qi. The subtleness of
respiration regulation can only be sensed in a very quiescent state. It is only during the quiescent stance that the
exerciser can more efficiently regulate respiration and master the essentials of reverse respiration. Coordinated with
the movement practice, it will provide twofold results with half the effort.
Regulating the Spirit

The peace and quiescence of the spirit are another requirement on the practice of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin. It is
difficult to feel and grasp the exterior characteristics and interior verve of Ba Duan Jin if the exerciser cannot stay
focused during the practice. Therefore peace and quiescence are the mental requirements on the exercisers
of Ba Duan Jin. However, if we directly practice Ba Duan Jin according to the requirements on the spirit, it will be
easier for the exerciser to understand then to meet them. It is only through the quiescent state of the stance, the self-
induction effect of words, the feeling of the body, and the perception of the nature that the exerciser can experience a
quiescent state and achieve ―unity of the interior and the exterior‖. The perception of peace and quiescence obtained
through self-experience is far more impressive than external persuasion and education. On the one hand, the
exerciser is required to eliminate all distracting thoughts before stance exercise. On the other hand, a series of
approaches such as the adjustment of the body form, control of respiration, and self-induction of words during the
stance will directly promote the peace and quiescence of the exerciser. And these psychological characteristics can
be transferred to the practice of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin.

Generally speaking, the stance exercise already contains the basic characteristics of form regulation, respiration
regulation, and mind regulation in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin. The stance exercise can help the exerciser correct
the bad body postures, wrong respiration patterns, and unfavorable psychological factors. Therefore proper practice
of Bao Qi Stance before or during the practice of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin will be of great benefit to the practice of
Health Qigong • Ba DuanJin.
Improving Effect of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Blood Fat Level

Improving Effect of Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin on the Blood Fat Level of the Old
and Middle-aged People

When one enters the middle age, the physiological functions of the body will gradually decline and the incidence of
all kinds of diseases will significantly rise. High blood pressure, obesity, dyslipidemia, abnormal glucose metabolism,
and the resulting cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have replaced tumor and accidents to become the
[1]
greatest threats to the health of old and middle-aged people in terms of disease-related mortality . Physical
exercises can prevent and cure all kinds of diseases. Of all the sports, Martial Arts and Qigong are the most popular
health-preserving exercises among the old people. This paper is meant to verify the health-preserving effects of
Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin by observing the changes in the blood fat level of the old and middle-aged people after
the exercise.

6.5.1 Objects and methodology

6.5.1.1 Research objects

82 old males 61~65 years of age and 229 old and middle-aged females 56~60 years of age are chosen
from ShijingshanDistrict, Fengtai District, and Miyun County of Beijing with the stratified random cluster sampling
method assisted by health examination and screening. All of these objects area basically healthy and do not have the
habit of sports or exercises. They are randomly divided into a Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin Experimental Group and
Control Group. See Table 1 for the basic information of the research objects.

Table 6.5-1 Basic Information of Research Objects

Group n Age (years) Body Height (cm) Body Weight (Kg)

Male Control group 32 62.4±2.6 169.8±4.2 76.3±10.8
Experimental group 50 63.0±2.7 168.1±4.6 75.2±7.7
Female Control group 60 56.9±3.0 156.6±5.8 66.8±7.6
Experimental group 169 57.8±2.6 155.5±4.3 65.6±8.0

6.5.1.2 Blood fat determination

Fasting blood TG (total triglyceride), TC (total cholesterol), LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and HDL-
C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) are measured. TG and TC are measured with the PAP method. LDL-
C and HDL-C are measured with the enzyme method. A semi-automatic biochemical analyzer is used as the
measuring instrument. The kits are provided by Beijing Zhongsheng Biological High Technology Co., Ltd.

6.5.1.3 Exercises

Test objects of the experimental group practice Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin 5~7 days per week for 6 months. They
repeat the exercise 3 times every morning (for about 1h) together under the guidance of an instructor. During the
experiment, they have similar activities and activity amounts to those before the experiment. Their dietary intake
remains the same and adverse mental stimulation is avoided. Test objects keep training diaries throughout the entire
experiment.

6.5.1.4 Statistical analysis

Spss10.0 software is used for statistical analysis of data. t-test of paired samples is used for comparison within
groups. t-test of independent samples is used for comparison between groups.

6.5.2 Results
Table 6.5-2 Changes in the Blood Fat Levels of Male Groups

Before experiment (Control n=32; Exercise n=50) 3m of experiment (Control n=25; Exercise n=43) 6m
TG TC HDL-CLDL-C Anti-AsAs-induction TG TC HDL-CLDL-C Anti-AsAs-induction TG
Group
(mg/dl)(mg/dl)(mg/dl) (mg/dl)Index Index (mg/dl)(mg/dl)(mg/dl) (mg/dl)Index Index (mg
x1.50 4.84 1.07 3.06 0.22 3.73 1.48 5.01 1.23 3.31 0.25 3.26 1.5
Control
s 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.0 1.0 0.7 0.8 0.2 0.8 0.1 1.0 0.1
▲
x1.52 5.04 1.03 3.03 0.24 3.51 1.50 5.08 1.35 3.20 0.28 2.88 1.3
Exercise
s 0.5 0.7 0.2 0.7 0.1 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.3 0.8 0.1 0.9 0.5

Notes: AS means atherosclerosis; Anti-As index=HDL-C/TC; As-induction index=(TC－HDL-C)/HDL-C

＊, P<0.05 by comparison between control group and experimental group; ▲, P<0.05 by comparison between values
measured respectively before experiment and after 3m of experiment; ☆, P<0.05 by comparison between values
measured respectively before experiment and after 6m of experiment; ■, P<0.05 by comparison between values
measured respectively after 3m of experiment and after 6m of experiment. (Same as below).

Table 6.5-3 Changes in the Blood Fat Levels of Female Groups

Before experiment (Control n=60; Exercise n=169) 3m of experiment (Control n=44; Exercise n=120) 6m
TG TC HDL-CLDL-C Anti-AsAs-induction TG TC HDL-CLDL-C Anti-AsAs-induction TG
Group
(mg/dl)(mg/dl)(mg/dl) (mg/dl)Index Index (mg/dl)(mg/dl)(mg/dl) (mg/dl)Index Index (m
x1.73 4.98 1.18 2.73 0.25 3.34 1.75 4.98 1.28 2.88 0.26 3.15 1.5
Control
s 0.7 1.0 0.3 0.9 0.1 1.4 0.9 0.8 0.4 0.8 0.1 1.2 1.0
▲
x1.79 4.92 1.13 2.91 0.27 3.02 1.77 4.94 1.29 2.94 0.28 2.81▲ 1.4
Exercise
s 0.5 0.9 0.3 1.0 0.1 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.3 0.9 0.1 1.0 0.6

6.5.3 Discussion

In developed countries, deaths caused by cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are already contributing to
about 1/3 of the total death rate. The old and middle-aged people are prone to cardiovascular
and cerebrovascular diseases. A great deal of physiological and pathological researches have revealed that the
occurrences of theses diseases are closely related to abnormal lipid metabolism and excessively high levels of body
fat. Taking regular aerobic exercises on a long-term basis can improve the blood fat level and body composition. This
is manifested by the decreased levels of serum TG, TC, VLDL-C and LDL-C, the increased level of HDL-C, and the
[2-5]
increased ratios of HDL-C/TC and HDL-C/LDL-C .

This research has revealed that after 3 months of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin exercise, the HDL-C level of old
males was significantly higher than it had been before the exercise (P<0.05). By comparison between values
measured respectively after 6 months of exercise and after 3 months of exercise, TG and TC were significant
decreased (P<0.05), the anti-AS index was significantly raised (P<0.05), and HDL-C remained unchanged. By
comparison between values measured respectively after 6 months of exercise and before the experiment, TG, TC,
and AS-induction index were significant decreased (P<0.05) and HDL-C and anti-AS index were significantly raised
(P0.05).
 After 3 months of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin exercise, the HDL-C level of old and middle-aged females was
significantly raised (P<0.05) and the AS-induction index was significantly decreased (P<0.05). By comparison
between values measured respectively after 6 months of exercise and after 3 months of exercise, TG and TC were
significant decreased (P<0.05), HDL-C was further raised, and the AS-induction index was raised to some extent. By
comparison between values measured respectively after 6 months of exercise and before the experiment, TG
and TC were significant decreased (P<0.05), HDL-Cwas significantly raised (P0.05).

These research results indicate that long-term regular Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin exercise can result in improved
serum lipid and lipoprotein composition, which are manifested by decreased serum TG, TC, and LDL-C concentration
and increased HDL-C concentration. This will improve the originally AS-inducing serum lipoprotein composition.

Serum LDL is the major approach through which the endogenous cholesterol synthesized in the liver is transported
to the surrounding tissues. Therefore over-LDL can add to the risk of AS. HDL can transport cholesterol from artery
walls to the liver where it is converted into bile acid and then discharged from the body. Therefore it has some
[ 6]
preventive effect on AS . However it is believed by the great majority of researchers that the absolute values of all
constituents of lipoprotein cannot be used to accurately predict the extents of cardiovascular diseases such as AS.
And lipoprotein ratios like HDL-C/TC or HDL-C/LDL-C are more significant than the observed changes in indexes
like TC, LDL, and HDL. The HDL-C/TC ratio should better be greater than 0.2 for males or greater than 0.3 for
[7]
females. If the HDL-C/TC ratio is lower than 0.2, chances of AS and coronary diseases will be high . In this
experiment, the HDL-C/TC value of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin Experimental Group was significantly increased after
the exercise. This means that the practice of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin has positive effects on the prevention of AS.

To sum up, Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can effectively improve the blood fat level of the old and middle aged
people and thus play an active role in the control, prevention, and treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular
diseases. Therefore Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can be used by the old and middle-aged people as an effective
method to preserve health and prolong life. It is worth promotion in the nationwide fitness campaign.

References

[1] Wu Cangping, Wang Lin, Miao Ruifeng. Process, Prospect, and Countermeasures of the Aging Population with
Chinese Characteristics [J]. Population Studies,2004,28（1）:8-15.

[2] Li Xiuli. Biological Analysis of the Body-Building Effects of Aerobics [J]. Journal of Beijing University of Physical
Education,2003,26（6）:776-777

[3] An Nan, Wang Songtao, Wang Anli et. al. A Study of the Suitable Intensity of Fitness Exercises for the Old and
Middle-Aged Women [J]. Exercise and Sports Sciences,2005,25 (8): 62-74

[4]COX K L, et al. Long-term Effects of Exercise on Blood Pressure and Lipids in Health Women Aged 40-65
Years [J]. J Hypertension, 2001, 19 (10): 1733-1743.

[5] Li Hui, Li Keji, Zhang Baohui.Progress of Researches on Relations between Aerobic Training on Lipid
Metabolism [J]. Chinese Journal of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine,2003,12（2）:184-186.

th
[6] Zhou Airu.Biochemistry (6 Edition) [M]. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2004,333-350.

[7] Cheng Xiaojuan et. al. Effects of Aerobics on Lipoprotein Metabolism and AS (Summary) [J]. Sichuan Sports
Science,2000,3: 17-21.

[8] Yu Dinghai. Traditional Chinese Health Exercises and Health Preservation [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and
Technical Publishers,2001:68-71.
Improving Effect of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Vertebrobasilar Ischemia

A Study of the Improving Effect of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin on Vertebrobasilar Ischemia
of Old and Middle-aged People

Xia Bin, He Songhua, and Shen Xiaodong; Shanghai Qigong Institute

Ma Xiao Gang, Jin Miao

Cerebrovascular diseases are common and frequently-occurring diseases that threaten people’s lives and health.
Their high morbidity, high disability rate, high mortality rate, and high relapse rate have become public health
problems of people’s concern. According to the estimate and analysis by World Health Organization (WHO), there are
currently 5 million patients of cerebrovascular diseases in Chinese and about 1.6 million of them die
of cerebrovascular diseases annually. Vertebrobasilar ischemia is an ischemic cerebrovascular disease frequently
encountered in clinical cases. Characterized by repeated attacks and great persistence, it is extremely liable to cause
acute cerebrovascular diseases and often seen in old and middle-aged people that are more than 50 years of age [1].
Aerobic exercise is an important aspect of the early intervention against vertebrobasilar ischemia and belongs to Level
1 prevention. Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is a medium-low intensity aerobic exercise. Former studies have shown that
a certain period (about 3 months) of Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve the cardiovascular functions,
increase the oxygen content of blood, and enhance the compliance of blood vessels [2-3]. Therefore we designed an
experiment to observe the possible effects and influences of 3-month Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise
on vertebrobasilar ischemia of old and middle-aged people.

1. General conditions

1.1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Old and middle-aged male and female patients aged between 45 and 78 (inclusive) with paroxysmal positional vertigo;
patients having vertebrobasilar ischemia (slow blood circulation) by TCD detection, one secondary symptom of
headache, and history of cerebral arteriosclerosis; hemorrhage of brain stem, epencephalon, and occipital lobe and
secondary vertigo like infarctus were excluded.

1.2 Test objects and intervening measures

A total of 61 test objects were included and then randomly grouped by their serial numbers given at the time of
enrollment. The control group had 32 cases (12 males and 19 females aged 59.0±7.8 on an average). The
experimental group had 29 cases (10 males and 19 females aged 65.0±7.6 on an average). All test objects came from
clinic or hospital patients of Shanghai Longhua Hospital and received normal therapies of traditional Chinese medicine
and western medicine. The experimental group attended a Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin training class which
administered one teaching and reviewing activity per week. On other days of the week, they practiced twice a day for
3 consecutive months.

1.3 Methodology and indexes

A Vertigo Symptom Rating Sheet [4] and a customized Vertebrobasilar Ischemia Symptom Self-Rating Sheet were
used; German EV-4.0TCD diagnostic unit was used; 2MHz Doppler probes were placed on the pulvinar window to
detect the peak systolic velocity (Vp) of the basal arteries (BA), left and right vertebral arteries (LVA, RVA), diastolic
velocity (Vd), mean velocity (Vm), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI). The detection was undertaken by a
professional doctor. Brief Health Rating Scale SF-36 was used to evaluate the life quality of the test objects, including
physical function (PF), role physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), social function (SF), role emotional,
and mental health (MH) dimensions [5]. All indexes were measured respectively before and after the experiment.

1.4 Statistics and analysis

SPSS12.0 was used for statistical analysis. Pair T-test was used for before-after comparison of the experimental
group. T-test of independent samples was used for inter-group comparison.

2. Results

2.1 Evaluation of vertigo ratings

No significant difference was found between vertigo ratings of both groups before the intervention. By comparison
between the ratings of the experimental group before and after the intervention, the degree, frequency, duration, and
overall rating of vertigo were all significantly increased (P<0.01). After 3 months of intervention, the degree, frequency,
duration, and overall rating of vertigo of the experimental were all significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05).
(See Table 1)

2.2 Self-rating of related symptoms

By observing the changes in the percentage morbidities of all symptoms, we can see that all symptoms, especially
headache, carebaria, vomiting, and nausea, of the experimental group were improved after intervention. Compared
with those of the control group, some minor symptoms such as headache and carebaria were also significantly
improved. (See Table 2)

2.3 Blood supply of vertebral-basal arteries (detected with TCD)

After intervention, the Vp, Vm, and Vd of LVA and RVA of the experimental group were significantly increased (P

Table 1. Comparison between Vertigo Ratings of Both Groups before and after Intervention (mean ±SD)

GroupnVertigo degreeVertigo frequencyVertigo durationOverall vertigo rating

Before interventionAfter interventionBefore interventionAfter interventionBefore interventionAfter interventionBeforeint

erventionAfter intervention

Experimental group295.52±1.156.83±1.00△△1.34±1.042.45±1.38△△2.34±1.043.14±0.79△△9.21±2.6512.41±2.85△△

Control group325.63±0.796.00±0.00▲▲1.47±0.982.28±0.922.22±0.9752.69±0.78▲9.31±2.0610.97±1.51▲

Notes: △P▲P▲▲P

Table 2. Variation of Percentage Self-Ratings of Related Symptoms before and after Intervention (%)

SymptomHeadacheCarebariaNausea & vomittingVision disorder

AmbiopaHearing loss

TinnitusUnstable gait

AtaxiaHusky voice, choking on drinking water, dysphagia

GroupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperiment

algroupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl gr
oup

n2932293229322932293229322932

Before24.131.124.153.124.121.975.978.141.481.344.862.534.50.0

After6.921.90.031.30.00.062.181.331.059.424.128.127.60.0

Table 3. TCD Values of Vertebral-Basal Arteries of Experimental Group before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD)

GroupnVpVmVd

LVARVABALVARVABALVARVABA

Before intervention2933.4±6.3336.8±7.5244.5±9.6521.8±4.5625.4±5.3531.2±7.8013.2±3.5916.6±3.8821.5±6.08

After intervention2941.1±6.20△44.0±8.36△50.1±9.90△△27.1±4.45△29.5±6.41△35.5±8.20△16.5±5.09△△18.5±6.03△2
4.6±7.18△

Notes: △P<0.05，△△P
Table 4. Changes in TCD Values of Vertebral-Basal Arteries of Both Group before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD)

GroupnVpVmVd

LVARVABALVARVABALVARVABA

Experimental group297.68±6.457,15±4.745.65±8.885.24±4.714.04±4.174.33±7.063.34±4.862.02±5.293.09±6.56

Control group322.17±11.1▲0.21±4.03▲1.25±6.27▲-0.80±4.59▲▲-1.36±5.48▲▲-
2.90±4.19▲▲1.13±4.23▲0.43±4.020.97±4.83

Notes: ▲P<0.05，▲▲P

2.4 SF-36 self-rating

After intervention, RP, GH, and RE levels of the experimental group were significantly increased (PGH, and RE were
improved (P

Table 5. SF-36 Ratings of Experimental Group before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD)

nPFRPBPGHVTSFREMH

Before intervention2980.2±12.946.6±42.673.8±14.3341.7±11.467.8±1.8291.8±20.149.4±49.373.2±12.5

After intervention2978.1±16.780.2±34.3△△76.9±1.2550.1±14.9△72.4±12.393.5±18.575.9±37.7△70.5±13.2

Notes: △P<0.05，△△P

Table 6. Changes in SF-36 Ratings of Both Groups before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD)

nPFRPBPGHVTSFREMH

Experimental group29-2.0±16.734.0±34.23.1±14,58.3±14.14.7±9.251.7±15.226.0±45.8-3.0±11.9

Control group321.3±19.013.0±60.9-5.0±13.9▲-5.0±18.0▲-1.0±17.60.0±24.6-25.0±58.0▲-3.0±13.7

Notes: ▲P<0.05，▲▲P

3. Discussion

The vertebral-basal artery system is an important blood supply system of the human brain. It mainly meets the blood
demand of the occipital lobe, epencephalon, brain stem, thalamus, and inner ear, which takes up 1/5 of the blood flow
volume of the entire brain. When all kinds of pathogens reduce the blood flow volume of the system to a certain
extent, cerebral ischemia of corresponding parts will be caused, leading to symptoms like vertigo, vision disorder,
headache, dyskinesia, sensory disturbance, and viscerogenic disorder. The acute onset period is usually not longer
than 24 hours but repeated outbreaks may follow, causing trauma, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and sleep
disorder among the old and middle-aged people and seriously abasing the quality of life. 1/3 of the patients will
eventually develop cerebral apoplexy (stroke) and cerebromalacia which deprive them of the abilities to take care of
themselves. Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin is an exercise for the entire body and mind. It counteracts multiple
pathogens from various perspectives. Studies have shown that: Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin is helpful for reducing
the blood fat, controlling the body weight, and improving the oxidation resistance of old and middle-aged people [6].
And Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin lays great emphasis on the exercise of the neck and shoulders and almost every
movement is favorable for improving the anatomic structure and blood supply of the neck and thus favorable for
assuaging the compression and spasm of the vertebral arteries [7]. Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin advocates
abdominal respiration, promotes the cardiac and pulmonary functions, and improves the blood and oxygen supply of
the brain.

Judged from the data of this study, the 3-month exercise of Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin helped improve the blood
and oxygen deficiency symptoms of the brain, such as dizziness, headache, and carebaria among old and middle-
aged people and elevated the self-ratings of physical, mental, and overall health. Objective TCD test data also shows
that Ba Duan Jin exercise improved the blood flow and blood supply of patients having slow vertebral-basal diseases
and helped improve the elasticity of blood vessels. All this has shown that Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can improve
the vertebrobasilar ischemia of old and middle-aged people to a certain extent. In addition, significant reduction of
blood glucose and blood fat was found in some individuals during the experiment. This indicates that the improvement
of cerebral blood supply engendered by BaDuan Jin should be of a systemic nature. Since this study only involved
observation of the efficacy of the exercise with a small sample size and a short time period, the effect of Ba Duan Jin
on the control and prevention of vertebrobasilar ischemia and cerebral ischemia still needs to be verified with further
long-period experiments with greater sample sizes.

References

[1]Yang Renmin. Transient ischemia of vertebral and basal arteries, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and chronic cerebral
ischemia [J]. Journal of Clinical Neurology, 2002, 15(4): 247-249

[2]Zeng Yungui, Zhou Xiaoqing, Wang Anli etal. Research on the Impacts of Fitness Qigong•BaDuanJin on Figure and
Physical Function among the Middle-aged and Aged People [J]. JournalL of Beijing Sport University 2005,28(9): 1207-
1209

[3]Li Dongjun. An experimental study of the effects of Ba Duan Jin on cardiovascular functions of the human body.
Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2006, Abstract from Graduation Dissertation for Master’s Degree

[4]Wang Chuhuai, Zhuo Dahong. A preliminary study of the evaluation of symptoms and functions of cervical vertigo
patients [J]. Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 1998,13(6):145-147

[5]Xu Jun, Hu Minyan, Yang Yunbinetal. Health Rating Scale SF-36.[J] Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medical
Science 1999,8(2):150-152

[6Liu Junrong, Zhu Liguang, LOi Junjie etal. Influence on Level of HDL and LDL in Different Blood Fat People
About Baduanjin [J]. Journal of Tianjin College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2005,24(3):121-122

[7Sun Limin, Wu Yi, Hu Yongshan Effects of rehabilitative exercise on patients with cervical spondylosis in
communities [J].Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation.2006,10(8):163-165
HQ Ba Duan Jin in the Control and Prevention of Diseases

The Role of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin in the Control and Prevention of Diseases Related
to Glucose Metabolism and Lipid Metabolism

Being a shining pearl in traditional Chinese culture, Health Qigong is a scientific method for the studying and
preventing diseases, maintaining physical and mental health, retarding the aging process, and improving body
constitution. Ba Duan Jin is an independent and integral health-preserving exercise. ―Ba‖ of
Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin not only refers the segments, sections, and the eight movements, but also means that
the exercise contains many factors where restrain each other, link with each other, and circulate together. Movements
of this exercise are mainly featured by: Movements of Ba Duan Jin are gentle, slow, smooth, continuous, moderate in
tension, well-balanced between stillness and motion, well-coordinated between spirit and form, and well-combined
with Qi. Through the bending, stretching, stooping, and pitching movements of the limbs and trunk and the ascending,
descending, opening, and closing movements of internal Qi activity, all tendons and muscles of the body can be
stretched and extended and the channels can be unblocked to achieve ―straight bones, lithe tendons, and smooth
blood and Qi circulation‖. A lot of studies have proved that: Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can control and prevent
glucose and lipid metabolism diseases by providing active intervention in glucose metabolic disturbances and lipid
metabolic disorders of the body. And it has a two-way regulating function which improves the adaptability and disease
resistance of the organism.

Assistance in the Regulation of Glucose Metabolic Disturbances

Glucose metabolic disturbances include: impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and
diabetes mellitus (DM). IGT is also referred to as the pre-diabetes state which is an abnormal glucose metabolic state
representing a transition from normal blood glucose to diabetes. It is mainly manifested by increased level of post-
prandial blood glucose. Today it is generally believed that almost all diabetic patients will go through the IGT stage. If
the patient fails to follow proper dietary and exercise therapies to control blood glucose during this stage, he will
quickly enter the diabetes stage. As a matter of fact, exercise therapy plays a paramount role in all stages of the
treatment of glucose metabolism diseases. Oral administration of drugs or insulin will not be efficacious unless
assisted by dietary and exercise therapies. Modern medical studies have shown that Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can
assist the regulation of glucose metabolic disturbances through body regulation, breath regulation, and mind
regulation.

(I)Body regulation can mitigate insulin resistance

The limber limb movements of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can elevate the metabolic rate of peripheral tissues,
increase the utilization of glucose, enhance the metabolism and consumption of glucose, and promote the
decomposition of glycolatedhemoglobin in order to control blood glucose. And the exercise can increase the number
of insulin receptors on the sarcolemma to enhance the sensitivity of muscles and bones to insulin and thus reduce
insulin resistance.

(II) Breath regulation can promote the functions of islet cells

The respiratory exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can enhance the strength of the respiratory muscles,
promote the cardiac and pulmonary functions of the practicer, and improve the efficiency of the respiratory muscles.
And since deep, long, gentle, and even respiration is required during the Qigong exercise, the amplitude of the
diaphragm movements can be boosted and internal organs like the stomach and pancreas will be massaged by the
up-down movements of the diaphragms, which directly promote the functions of islet cells and stimulate B-cells to
secrete insulin.

(III) Mind regulation can influence the secretion of glucagons

The mind exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can regulate the practicer’s emotions, improve the mental state
and functionality of the cerebral cortex, regulate the functions of the vegetative nerves, assuage the nervous or
anxious emotions of the practicer, reduce the secretion of glucagons like adrenalin and glucagons, and facilitate the
reduction of blood glucose. And it can improve insulin resistance, stimulate the secretion of insulin, and facilitate the
reduction blood glucose.

In addition, the exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can impart the practicer with the right health-preserving
knowledge, improve the practicer’s life style, prompt the practicer to spontaneously pursue a well-controlled diet, and
better control the blood glucose.

Assistance in the Improvement of Lipid Metabolic Disorders

Lipid metabolic disorders are commonly referred to as hyperlipidaemia which includes hypertriglyceridemia,
hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipaemia, and hypercholesterolemia. With the accelerating pace of life and changes in the
dietary structure and environmental factors, the morbidity of hyperlipidaemia is rising year after year, so are the
morbidity resulting coronary diseases, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis which are seriously threatening the
health of man. Many studies have proved that Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can assist the regulation of lipid metabolic
disturbances through body regulation, breath regulation, and mind regulation.

(I) Body regulation can consume the fat in the body surface and internal organs

Long-term efforts in the limb movements of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can consume the fat in the body surfaces
and internal organs, increase the level of high-density lipoprotein which counteracts atherosclerosis in the organism,
and thus reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein, triglycercide, and cholesterol which are directly proportional to
the incidence of atheromatous plaques. This will reduce the risks of coronary diseases, high blood pressure, and
atherosclerosis induced by hyperlipidaemia.

(II) Breath regulation can reduce the absorption of lipid and promote the discharge of lipid

The respiratory exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can enhance the lung Qi and administer rhythmic massage to
the internal organs which not only enhance the cardiac and pulmonary functions, but also promote the gastrointestinal
peristalsis, enhance the alimentary, assimilative, and excretory functions to help discharge the ―damp and turbid
pathogens‖ from the body. The ―damp and turbidity‖ is exactly the excess lipid. Therefore the breath regulation of
Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can reduce the assimilation of lipid and promote the discharge of lipid to retard and
prevent hyperlipidaemia.

(III) Mind regulation can enhance the regulation of the nervous-endocrine system

The mind exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can excite the cerebral cortex and vegetative nerves, enhance the
regulating effect of the nervous-endocrine system, and promote the lipid metabolism of the organism. In addition, the
psychological counseling can reduce the practicer’s mental stress, remove the fatigue of the central nervous system,
enhance and improve its functions, correct the nervous malfunction and disorder of Qi and blood, and help reduce the
morbidity of hyperlipidaemia.

To sum up, Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise promotes the assimilative, metabolic, converting, and discharging
functions of the human body for all kinds of substances, help prevent and reverse incidence and development of
glucose and lipid metabolic disorders, and maintains the normal levels of lipid and glucose metabolism. It is one of the
supporting methods and approaches for the control and prevention of diseases related to glucose and lipid
metabolism. Health Qigong strengthens the body, promotes health, and retards aging. It is worth further popularization
and application.
Effects of HQ Ba Duan Jin on Depression

Intervention Effects of Health · Ba Duan Jin on Community T2 DM Patients with Depression

I. Analysis of Fuctions and Effects of Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin In modern studies, treating diabetes mellitus (DM)
by intervention of behavioral psychology and life style has achieved greater progress and has been used extensively
in clinical practice. The TCM life nurturing method as a kind of non-medicine therapy for treating ―wasting-thirst‖ has
been recorded in ancient literatures for many times. Traditional Chinese Medicine has realized long ago the
importance of exercise to rehabilitation of ―wasting-thirst‖ patients. Both Zhubingyuanhoulun (Treatise on the
Pathogenesis and Manifestations) of Sui Dynasty and Waitaimiyao (Medical Secrets of an Official) of Tang Dynasty
recorded the exercise therapy for ―wasting-thirst‖, such as ―wasting-thirst‖ patients ―should not lie down immediately
after having a full meal, and also should not sit down all day long; they should do small labor works, but should not do
it for a long time and exhaust their energy, and also should not constrain themselves to do things beyond their
capacity‖, which explains the effects of exercise, amount of exercise and manner of exercise on treatment
of DM patients. The basic feature of the TCM life nurturing method is integration of motion and quietness. Qigong,
also called ―Daoyin (conduction exercise)‖ in TCM, refers to ―the exercise leading qi to make it tranquil, and stretching
the body to make it flexible‖, namely, exercising Qigong to make breathing calm and smooth as well as the body soft.
Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin is a life nurturing method for guiding, leading and running qi. Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin
(hereinafter referred to as "Ba Duan Jin‖), as one of traditional Chinese bodybuilding skills and life nurturing methods,
can adjust and improve man's pyschological state, and physiologically dredge meridian system through adjusting
body, breath and mind. By special body movement cooperated with breath, Ba Duan Jin has function of maintaining
essence, nurturing qi and keeping spirit.

(I) Adjusting unnatural body gestures. The research results of Behavioral Psychology have proved that all the
behavioral expressions of a person is related to corresponding psychological activities. Ba Jin Duan applies various
physical activities to adjust each part of the body to conform to physiological natural state, in order to make skeletal
muscles highly relaxed and change unreasonable and unnatural body postures, thus realize the synchronization
process of relaxation of body and mind, which is the so called "body regulation" process of Ba Jin Duan.

(II) Adjusting breathing. Adjusting(regulating) breathing means consciously adjust and exercise the manner, frequency
and depth of breathing. In the course of conduting Ba Duan Jin exercise, exercisers are required to breath in a fine,
even, deep and long manner and "sink qi to cinnabar field", and such requirement is of special value of healthcare of
body and mind.

(III) Self-regulation of mentality and emotion control. So called "regulating mind" refers to consciously conduct self-
regulation of mentality and emotion monitoring through conscious and ideation activities in the course of exercise,
which is an important characteristic of Ba Duan Jin different from medicinal therapy and general medical gymnastics,
and is also the critical factor of Ba Duan Jin for exerting its function of psychological healthcare. In the study on effects
of Health Qigong on psychological health, Zhai Xiangyang found that: the reason of Health Qigong being able to
produce positive impact on human emotions lies in that Health Qigong makes an exercise to generate good self-
feeling in his mind.

II. Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin may improve the depression state of T2 DM Patients with Depression.

This Study shows that, during the 12 weeks of intervention of the T2 DM Patients with Depressionthe in
the Ba Duan Jin Group, its SDS score decreased gradually; and in the 12th week, the SDS score of the Ba Duan Jin
Group was lower than that of the Community Conventional Group, and the difference has a statistical sense;
according to the comparison of the SDS scores of the two groups at 3 time points of intervention, the SDS scores of
the Ba Duan Jin Group in the 6th and 12th weeks were lower than the pre-intervention level (P<0.05), while the
difference in the SDS scores of the Community Conventional Group at all time points has no statistical sense
(P>0.05). It shows that regular exercise of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin can reduce the depression degree
of T2 DM Patients with Depression.

Some studies show that, exercise can positively influence the level of some neurotransmitters in the brain, and reduce
the level of the stress hormone cortisol, thus improve depression symptoms. The study by Yang Juan et al also shows
that, regular exercise is negatively correlated to depression. TCM Traditional Qigong is one of methods of exercise
therapy. Research proved that, Qigong exercise can produce good influence on nervous system, respiratory system,
circulatory system and internal secretion of human body; exercising Ba Duan Jin changes the control of nervous
system, adjusts the excistment levels of different centers, reduces tension and anxiety of human body, makes body
and mind pleasant, thus achieves the goal of strengthening physical health. Lin Yingna et al applied the Symptom
Check List (SCL-90) to evaluate the effects of different TCM methods, and the results show that Ba Duan Jin
produces certain improving effects on the abnormal psychological state of T2 DM patients, especially Ba Duan Jin has
better effects for improving somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and depression.
According to the analysis of single routines of Ba Duan Jin, Routine 1 ―Holding the Hands High with Palms up to
Regulate the Internal Organs‖ mainly contains of stretching exercises of limbs and trunk, which has certain preventive
and treating function to low back pain, cervical spondylosis and platypodia. As a patient holds his hands high with
palms up and inhales, his chest position rises, the exercise of diaphragmatic muscle is enhanced, thus increasing
breathing depth and reducing squeezing by internal organs to heart and lungs, which is good for sufficient working of
heart and lungs, and enables more oxygen-containing blood to be supplied to the brain, thus refreshing the brain and
relieving fatigue; Routine 2 ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed‖ is good for releasing chest qi,
removing chest distress, and regulating liver qi; in Routine 5 ―Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve
Stress‖, the upper body bends down forward, and the coccygeal end swings, which enables the kidney water to
ascend and the heart fire to descend. The so called ―heart fire‖ in TCM is caused by excessive contemplation and
exuberant endogenous fire, with such visible symptoms as vexation, aphtha, insomnia, dreaminess, constipation and
reddish urine, whereas kidney water is a must for ascending heart fire, and coordination between water and fire can
be realized only through intercourse between heart and kidney; Routine 6 ―Moving the Hands down the Back and
Legs and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖ has the function of dredging the belt vessel and freeing the
conception vessel and the governor vessel, and can open the orifices and improve vision; in Routine 8 ―Raising and
Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases‖, regular elastic vibration of heels is good for circulation of spinal fluid and
enhancement of functions of spinal nerves, and has the regulating function of strengthening nerves of the whole body.
III. Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin can improve the life quality of T2 DM Patients with Depression. (I) The feasibility and
necessity of using life quality to evaluate the curative effects of DM therapy: On the basis of the requirements for
comprehensiveness of the evaluation of curative effect for patients, the modern DM treatment purpose has been
transformed from simply controlling blood glucose level to preventing and delaying the occurrence of complications,
relieving disease symptoms, and improving the life quality of patients. Matthias et al put forward the action mechanism
of psychosocial factors in occurrence and development of DM, and have the opinion that whether the survival quality
of patients is improved should be taken as one of the indicators for measuring DM control. Life quality is the subjective
evaluation by patients themselves to such aspects as physiology, psychology, society and family, which can provide
doctors with the comprehensive information from patients, and such information is an important reference basis for
medical staff to select treatment regimen, therefore evaluating the curative effects of MD patients should not only
consider biochemical indicators, but also consider life quality. (II) Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve
the overall life quality of T2 DM Patients with Depression.

1. Therapeutic action of sports to DM and depression: the reason for analyzing the efficacy of sports
to T2 DM Patients with Depression lies in that Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin is a kind of sports, so discussing its efficacy
can not avoid discussion of the effects of sports. Sports is an important therapeutic method to both DM and
depression. Sports can increase insulin sensitivity, and lower the increased blood glucose to normal level. The studies
by Vickers et al and Goodwin et al show that, depression and lack of exercise present a correlation, while sports can
produce positive effects for improving emotion, meanwhile, it can alleviate depression symptoms. Therefore, sports is
an important intervention method for T2 DM Patients with Depression, and the study on carrying out exercise therapy
intervention for such patients is of big significance. However, a study finds that, the existence of depression causes an
individual patient to be difficult in persisting in exercise, therefore, it deserves study to put forward a kind of exercise
form that is easy for patients to persist in and pleasant for them to accept.

2. Unique efficacy of Qigong for preventing and treating diseases: Traditional Chinese Medicine has realized long ago
the importance of exercise to rehabilitation of ―wasting-thirst‖ patients. Both Zhubingyuanhoulun (Treatise on the
Pathogenesis and Manifestations) of Sui Dynasty and Waitaimiyao (Medical Secrets of an Official) of Tang Dynasty
recorded the exercise therapy for DM, such as ―wasting-thirst‖ patients ―should not lie down immediately after having a
full meal, and also should not sit down all day long; they should do small labor works, but should not do it for a long
time and exhaust their energy, and also should not constrain themselves to do things beyond their
capacity‖. Qigong as one of sports has richer effects than general sports, as it has better effects for preventing
diseases, treating diseases and rehabilitation. Chen Xuanjing et al adopted the method of doing Dayuan (Taiji)
exercise for lowering blood glucose after meal to observe the insulin sensitivity index of 38 cases of old-
aged DM patients, and the results showed that the insulin sensitivity index of the group of doing Dayuan (Taiji)
exercise for lowering blood glucose after meal was improved remarkably. A researcher summarized the efficacy
of Qigong, and has the opinion that, in addition to the efficacy of general sports, Qigong as one of TCM sport also has
the effects for patients with chronic disease in the following three aspects: first, the principle of Qigong Daoyin Shu is
similar to that of relaxation therapy, which is that, through adjusting the physical state of a person and then improving
his emotional state, namely through adjusting body, hearth and breath, it relaxes the muscles of all parts of the body,
and relaxes the emotion of a patient; second, Qigong can adjust the level of body metabolism, have promoting effects
to health condition of patients, and help improve body comfort; third, the steps in Qigong exercise, such as getting into
quietness, concentration of consciousness, holding breathing and movement postures, can adjust human emotion and
will, and enable patients to break away from some bad impulsive behaviors, and relieve negative ideas and lack of
confidence in interpersonal communication.

3. Therapeutic action of Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin to DM and depression: Ba Duan Jin, as an important component
of Qigong, contains such movements as stretching, bending forward, leaning backward and swinging, which
respectively act on such parts and organs of human body as triple energizers, heart, lungs, spleen, stomach, kidney
and waist, and can prevent and cure heart fire, five toils and seven injuries and various diseases, and are good for
lubricating joints, developing muscles, increasing strength, strengthening sinews and bones, helping digestion and
adjusting functions of nervous system. In Beijiqianjinyaofang(Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for
Emergencies), Sun Simiao, a life nurturing master in Tang Dynasty, mentioned that "the way of nourishing life is that a
person should often do small labor works, but not exhaust his energy, and should not do things beyond his capacity‖.
The Waitaimiyao(Medical Secrets of an Official) of Tang Dynasty records that ―wasting-thirst‖ patients ―should not lie
down immediately after having a full meal, and also should not sit down all day long; they should do small labor works,
but should not do it for a long time and exhaust their energy, and also should not constrain themselves to do things
beyond their capacity‖. According to the exercise intensity of Ba Duan Jin, it is a kind of aerobic exercise with small
and middle intensity, therefore ―small labor‖ is an important feature of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin for body building
and life nurturing.

According to clinical reports, Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin has unique preventing and treating effects to DM. Studies
show that, exercising Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin can lower the blood glucose and glycolated hemoglobin levels
of T2 DM patients, and regular Ba Duan Jin exercise can also enhance the breathing function of T2 DM patients, and
can remarkably improve the body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio(WHR), lipid metabolism and glucose tolerance of
patients. The method also has the effect of improving unhealthy psychology. The study by Wu Yanming et al shows
that, Ba Duan Jin exercise in combination with health education can produce positive impacts on the life quality
of DMpatients in subhealthy state, and can obviously improve its social function, physical role function and emotional
role function. In addition, Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin features scientific principle as well as simple movements for
easy learning, and due to without such requirements as sticking to internal viscera and getting into quietness, it can be
exercised at any time and is suitable for application in community. The adjuvant therapeutic action of
Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin to DM can improve the symptoms of patients, thus lighten the degree of depression
caused by DM, and then improve life quality.

(III) Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin can improve the psychological dimension score and satisfaction dimension score of
life quality of T2 DM Patients with Depression. In the 12th week of intervention, the psychological dimension score and
satisfaction dimension score of the patients in the Ba Duan Jin Group were improved on the pre-intervention basis (P
<0.05), which shows that regular Ba Duan Jin exercise has positive impacts on improvements in such two aspects of
life quality of T2 DM Patients with Depression. In order to guarantee that the patients could conduct
regular Ba Duan Jin exercise, the researchers supervised and urged the patients to persist in regular exercise
of Ba Duan Jin, and made evaluations of the exercise condition of the patients when they conducted centralized
exercise every week, corrected their incorrect practice postures, emphasized the efficacy of Ba Duan Jin, advised
them to watch the the Ba Duan Jin teaching disk and exercise by themselves at home, encouraged and supervised
the patients to persist in Ba Duan Jin exercise. Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin, through adjusting body, breath and mind,
can regulate and improve the unhealthy psychological state of patients, physiologically dredge meridians
and collaterals, and coordinate breathing through specific physical movements; since Ba Duan Jin is an overall life
nurturing exercise dominated by heart nourishing, and has the effects of maintaining essence, nourishing qi and
keeping spirit, the researchers paied attention to guiding the patients in manangement and control of self-emotion
upon their exercise, as a result, regular Ba Duan Jin exercise effectively improved the psychological state of the
patients. In the 6th and 12th weeks of intervention, the satisfaction degrees of the Ba Duan Jin Group were all higher
than that of the Community Conventional Group (P <0.05), which might be due to that on the basis of community
health education, regular Ba Duan Jin exercise enhanced the communication and exchange with the patients, and let
them feel the access and convenience of medical services, thus the satisfaction of the Ba Duan Jin Group was
improved.

IV. Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin exercise can help T2 DM Patients with Depression control their blood glucose level.

(I) Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin exercise can lower HbA1c. Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome of disturbance in
metabolism of sugar, protein and fat which is caused by lack of insulin in human body or failure of insulin in exerting
normal physiological function in target cells. HbA1c refers to the hemoglobin in blood which is combined with glucose;
its formation is irreversible, and its concentration is related to RBC life and the average concentration of blood glucose
in the period concerned, and does not suffer the impact from the glucose fluctuations every day, so
what HbA1c detection reflects is the average blood glucose level in the first 120 days, and therefore it provides a
reliable lab indicator for evaluating the situation of glycemic control. Generally it is required to be examined once every
3 months, and it should be examined at least twice every year after such control meets the standard, which is good for
monitoring of DM patients.

In the 12th week of intervention for this Study, HbA1c of the Ba Duan Jin Group is (6.42±1.18)%, which is lower
than HbA1c(7.24±1.70)% of the Community Conventional Group(P<0.05), which shows that regular exercise of
Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin can help T2 DM Patients with Depression effectively control their blood glucose and
reduce the fluctuations in blood glucose. This result is similar to the result of the study by Wang Yaoguang et al.
Studies have proved that, during exercise, the metabolism rate of muscle tissues increase, the demand for glucose
increases as well, promoting the decomposition of glycosylated hemoglobin, which results in lowering of blood
glucose, promoting the increase in combination rate of hemoglobin and oxygen; in addition, exercise can also
increase the quantity of insulin receptors on membranes of muscle cells, which increases the sensitivity of muscle and
bone tissues to insulin action, and improves insulin resistance, thus increasing glucose utilization by such tissues as
muscle and fat, promoting glucose to enter cells and reducing blood glucose.

This Study shows that, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) comparison for the two groups at three time points has no
significant difference, indicating that regular exercise of Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin produces no impact on FPG;
however, through observation of the average values of the two groups at three time points, the decreased percentage
of the Ba Duan Jin Group is obviously higher than that of the Community Conventional Group. The P value
of FPG comparison of the two groups in the 12th week is 0.083(Table 18), approaching the level of α=0.05, which is
probably due to that the limitation of intervention time makes the action of Ba Duan Jin to FPG fail to be displayed
completely. A study shows that, Ba Duan Jin exercise can relieve massive secretion of such hormones as growth
hormone, glucagons and adrenal gland caused by anxiety and psychological pressure resulting from nervousness,
which is good for controlling blood glucose.

V. Impact from Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin exercise to BMI of T2 DM Patients with Depression:

After intervention for 12 weeks, no obvious change was found in the body mass index (BMI) of the two groups. It is
possibly due to that Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin is a kind of mild and moderate sports, and the exercise for 12 weeks
is difficult to influence the body mass (all the patients in the groups are adults, and the change in their heights is
extremely tiny). Pan Huashan et al ever utlized Health Qigong · Ba Duan Jin to formulate a rehabilitation exercise
prescription, and carried out a 24-week intervention to 24 cases of T2 DM patients; the results indicate
that Ba Duan Jin exercise prescription can strengthen the breathing function of T2 DM patients, and can remarkably
improve the body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio(WHR), lipid metabolism and glucose tolerance of patients.
Functional Principle and Effects of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin

Zhang Bo, Li Junjie

It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that the reason why the Health Qigong has unique disease-preventing,
body-building and life-prolonging effects is the comprehensive exercise of three regulations in the body. The
Health Qigong exercise contains the specific body movements such as selecting movements along meridians,
assuming postures along meridians and selecting acupoints along meridians, as well as coordinates by deep, long,
even, gentle respiration and mental activities that enable the brain to get concentrated gradually, thus continuously
optimizing life movements in the unity of three regulations between body and mind. Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin, as
one of multiple Health Qigong exercises, follows the intrinsic rules of Health Qigong unity of three regulations and also
has its own features, the cerebral cortex was continuously advanced to the state of orderliness, the subcortical center
was adjusted accordingly and the nervous system and endocrine system were gradually maintained at a balanced and
stable state through exercise. Practices showed that people who often participate in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin
exercise can improve their poor mental state, dredge the meridian system, blood and Qi and have the functions of
keeping spirit, adjusting breathing and improving health. Essence, Qi and spirit are the three treasures of the human
life, which are also the material bases of human immune functions. Owing to the aforesaid many aspects of combined
effects, the human nervous system, endocrine system and immune system are interacted and co-restricted and
gradually optimized and integrated the homeostatic state of the body, thereby having a positive effect on improving the
physical and mental health of the human.

I. Guiding Qi and Body, Regulating Qi and Blood The movements of Health Qigong •Ba Duan Jin are softer and
slower, which can better play the body’s self-regulation functions on the basis of fully relaxing the living organism and
facilitate the improvement in comprehensive recovery and functional levels of the organism. The principle of
―guiding Qi and body, regulating Qi and blood‖ of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin is completed through the bending,
stretching, stooping, and pitching movements of the limbs and trunk and the ascending, descending, opening, and
closing movements of internal Qi activity, so that all tendons and muscles of the body can be stretched and extended
and the channels can be unblocked to achieve ―straight bones, lithe tendons, and smooth blood and Qi circulation‖.
The research results showed that sticking to the practices of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise, the blood vessel
elasticity of the body was greatly improved, cardiac muscular contraction was more powerful, the excitability
of vagus nerve was further increased and the filling degree and rhythmicity of the vein were also strengthened.

II. Combining Laxity and Tightness, Promoting Coordination The combination of laxity and tightness is another
significant feature of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin, which requires the practicer to integrate laxity into tightness, relax
but no powerless, integrate tightness into laxity, pull and stretch the body softly. ―Tightness‖ is only an instant in the
movement and ―laxity‖ is penetrated throughout the movement. The close coordination and orderly transition between
laxity and tightness in exercise is conducive to stimulate the coordination ability of Yin and Yang and promote the
circulation of meridian Qi, lubrication of joints, blood-activating and stasis-resolving and strengthening of muscles and
bones. From the perspective of modern exercise science, this laxity-tightness alternative movement is a kind of low
load exercise stress. The ―stress‖ means nonspecific response of the whole body; when the organism was stimulated
by various external factors, the body will produce adaptive regulation that expresses as a series
of neuroendocrine changes dominated by the excitement of sympathetic nerve and the increase of pituitary adrenal
cortex secretion, thus affecting the metabolic state of the human organism. The optimum and gentle continuous stress
may mobilize the preparatory potential of various organs and tissues of the entire body and improve the immunity and
disease prevention capabilities of the organism. Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise has a two-way regulating effect
on blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar, thyroid functions, which further verified from the modern scientific
experiment point of view that the Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise has a positive effect in enhancing the
adaptability and disease prevention capabilities of the organism.

III. Strengthening Viscera and Bowels, Dredging the Meridian System Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin has a close
relationship with the viscera and bowels theory and meridian and collateral theory in traditional Chinese medicine. For
example, the ―triple energizer‖ of ―Holding the Hands High with Palms up to Regulate the Internal Organs‖ is the
distribution channel of source Qi and liquid water covering internal organs. By lifting and lowering and pulling both
hands in opposite directions, this movement is beneficial for up and down distribution of source Qi and liquid water
and bringing into play the roles of moisture and regulation. The ―both Left- and Right-Handed‖ movement of ―Posing
as an Archer Shooting both Left- and Right-Handed‖ is conducive to dredging chest Qi, eliminating oppression in the
chest and promoting the free coursing of liver Qi. The pulling movement of both hands in the right and left and
ascending and descending directions of ―Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and
Stomach‖ is in line with the principle of ―spleen governing rise of the clear, stomach Qi governing descending‖ and
plays a very good massage effect on stomach, liver and gallbladder by stretching the abdominal cavity and contributes
to the digestion and absorption of the body. In ―Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain‖, the ―five strains‖
generally refer to the strains of five internal organs including heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys and the ―seven
impairments‖ refer to the injuries by seven modes of emotions including happiness, anger, worry, anxiety, grief, fear
and terror. The health-preserving theories believed that ―diseases arising from overuse‖, so the five strains and seven
impairments are similar to the so-called sub-health nowadays. This movement can adjust the regulation capabilities of
the brain and internal organs, enhance the immunity and promote the benign adjustment of the body, and help
alleviate and eliminate sub-health state by turning the head and arms. The ―heart fire‖ of ―Swinging the Head and
Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress‖ is caused by excessive worry and exuberant endogenous fire, which were
embodied in the human body that often appear vexation, aphtha, insomnia and dreaminess, constipation and deep-
colored urine and other symptoms. The descending of heart fire must resort to kidney water, only the heart-kidney
interaction can make heart and kidney balanced. This movement ascends the kidney water and descends the heart
fire by tilting forward the upper body and shaking the coccygeal end. ―Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and
Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys‖ enables the Du Channel and bladder meridian of the body to be fully
stretched as well as has positive stimulus effect on reproductive system, urinary system and muscles of waist and
back through movements of forward-bending and backward-stretching of the body and massage of waist and back
and lower limbs with hands. ―Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖ stimulates the liver
channel, replenishes liver blood, promotes free coursing of liver Qi and strengthens muscles and bones through the
movements of the horse stance and thrust fist and the eyes glare. The movements of lifting the heel and jolting the
feet, lifting the anus and pulling back the abdomen of ―Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases‖ can
massage the internal organs inside and relieve the muscles and bones outside. As the saying goes, ―shaking the body
is better than walking a hundred steps‖. Although it does not mean that these movements can eliminate all diseases,
the feet-jolting really contributes to the smoothing of internal organs, meridians and collateral channels, Qi and blood
in the whole body and the balance of Yin and Yang and is a good relaxation and cooling-down movement for the
complete set of exercises. Thus it can be seen that, the principles of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise were
similar with the fundamental theory of traditional Chinese medicine, which were in line with the principles of human
physiology.

IV. Getting Relaxed and Natural, Regulating Mental States Although Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin focuses on the
stretching, opening and closing movements of the external form, limbs, joints and trunk, it is different from general
gymnastics. Gymnastics movements are often relatively robust and powerful, straight, and the movement rhythms are
relatively simple and not particular about coordination between breathing and ideation; while
Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin requires well-coordination between spirit and form, and well-combination with Qi in
exercise, gentle and slow movements, couple hardness and softness, with particular emphasis on the coordination
movements of stretching limbs and trunk in serenity and natural state, expelling the old breath and taking in new and
concentrated mind. Therefore, Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise is an integration of body and mind and
particularly highlights the regulation of emotions. Good emotions should be tranquil and quiet, peaceful and joyful,
which are good foundations for the human to maintain a healthy body and mind. Huang Di Nei Jing said, ―Remain
detached and empty-mind, the genuine Qi flows easily; keeping essence-spirits within, no illness could arise‖. Wang
Bing, a medical scientist in Tang Dynasty, also pointed out that, ―Daoyin massage is the right way for persons with
middle level of life nurturing to nourish spirit and regulate Qi.‖

V. Unity between Heaven and Man, Harmony between Body and Mind ―Jin‖ of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin not only
means elegant and delicate silk fabrics but also means the complete set of exercise is as soft, continuous and silky
smooth as the silk. Therefore, Ba Duan Jin mentioned in ―Zun Sheng Ba Jian‖ is to ―keep this cycle and make use of
the eight diagrams‖. The ancients also mentioned that, the exercise must ―practice all parts of the body, in sequence,
indispensable and no mess up‖, ―practice frequently without interruption‖, only by doing so can we achieve the effect
of ―harmony between body and mind‖. The classical life-nurturing thoughts of the integration of heaven, earth and
human were run through Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise, which can be seen from the arrangement of orderly
sequence of the complete set of exercise. The first routine of the exercise is ―holding the hands high with palms up‖
and then regulates the heart-lung, spleen-stomach, liver-gallbladder, kidney and urinary system successively from top
to bottom, and finally ends with ―raising and lowering the heels‖. The arrangement of orderly sequence of these
movements not only regulated the muscles and bones and organs of the human body comprehensively, but also
became a vivid portrayal of the whole concept of integration of heaven, earth and human, which embodied the wisdom
of traditional Chinese culture, conformed to the concept of modern science of health-preserving, and was undoubtedly
one of the important reasons that Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin was deeply loved by the public.
Verifing Health-Preserving Effect

Using the Standard-Load HRV Method to Verify the Health-Preserving Effect

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) means the minute variability between heart beat cycles. It is reflected by the irregular
variations in length of each cardiac cycle. Today HRV analysis is widely used in clinical treatment. It is an effective
indirect method to evaluate the functions of the autonomic nerves with non-invasive and quantitative features [1][2].

Clinical HRV tests are mostly conducted when the patients lie still. But researches have revealed that HRV of
patients having autonomic nerve dysfunction may be normal when they lie still but become abnormal in some stress
situations (deep breaths, mental arithmetic activities, or movements). Therefore, in this study we first improved the
method for routine HRV test, established a standard-load HRV test scheme, and used this scheme to evaluate the
effects of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin on the autonomic nerve functions of the old and middle-aged people in order to
verify the health-preserving value of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin and to lay a foundation for its promotion and
popularization in the nationwide fitness campaign.

1. Objects and methodology

1.1 Objects

Experimental group: 30 old and middle-aged women (56~60 years of age) having practiced Health Qigong•Ba
Duan Jin for 6 years in Fengtai District, Beijing; all objects were basically health; patients with diabetes, cardiovascular
diseases, and high blood pressure were eliminated.

Control group: 30 old and middle-aged women (56~60 years of age) having no habit of in Fengtai District, Beijing;
all objects were basically health; patients with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and high blood pressure were
eliminated. See Table 1 for the basic information about the test objects.

Table 1. Basic Information about Test Objects

Group nAge (year)Height (cm)Body weight (kg)

Control group 3057.29±1.8157.7±5.367.8±7.2

Experimental group 3057.14±1.3156.5±4.966.6±7.5

1.2 HRV experiment

(1) Standard-load experiment scheme

Samples were taken from all test objects from 8:00 to 11:00 AM. The entire sampling process consisted of 7
consecutive stages which were, in chronological order, meditation, sit-stand movements (20 times/min), meditation,
deep breaths (12 times/min), meditation, sit-stand movements (20 times/min), and meditation. Each stage lasted 5
minutes. It took 35 minutes to complete the entire process.

The entire experiment was divided into 3 stages: The first 5-minuted meditation was the pre-load period. The time
from the first sit-stand movement to the second sit-stand movement was the standard-load period. The last 5-minute
rest was the post-load period (See Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Schematic View of the Standard-Load HRV Experimental Plan

(2) Requirements on all test stages

Sit-stand movement: The test object naturally stands in front of a chair with her back towards the chair and with
her arms naturally overlapped as a preparative pose. After hearing a command, the test object starts to do sitting-
down and standing-up movements with the rhythm of a metronome. The test object will respectively complete 20
sitting-down movements and 20 standing-up movements within 1 minute for 5 consecutive minutes. After the
experiment, the test object immediately sits in the chair for a rest. The chair is as high as the knees. The purpose of
the sit-stand movement is to activate the sympathetic nerves.
 Deep breath: Naturally relax and sit in a chair. Take breaths according to an orally-given rhythm. Take 12
inhalations and 12 exhalations respectively. The breaths shall be even and natural. The purpose of the deep breath is
to activate the sympathetic parasympathetic nerves.

Rest: Naturally relax and sit in the chair. Close eyes and rest the mind. The external environment is gentle music
without any noise.

(3) Instruments

A Holter monitor and matching HRV analysis software developed by No.4 Research Institute, PLA Air Force.

(4) Data processing

The continuously-recorded 35-min electrocardiosignals were input into a computer and all ectopic beats (arterial
beats, nodal beats, ventricular beats, escape beats, and tachycardia) and artifacts were deleted through human-
machine dialog. Sinus beats were analyzed and intervals between neighboring RR were calculated to obtain the time-
domain parameters of HRV: SDNN, CV, and RMSSD. Then Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was used to derive HRV
power spectrum parameters: TF, VLF, LF, NLF, HF, NHF, and LF/HF. See Table 2 for the definitions of all time-
domain and frequency-domain parameters.

Table 2. Indicators Commonly Used for HRV Analysis

MethodCommonly-used indicatorsEntityDefinition

Time domainSDNNmsStandard deviation of all normal RR intervals

RMSSDmsRoot mean square deviation of neighboring RR intervals

CV%RR interval variability coefficient

Frequency domainTFms2Total power: total area from 0.0 - 0.4Hz

VLFms2Ultra LF power: area of 0.0 - 0.04Hz frequency band

LFms2LF power: area of 0.04 - 0.15Hz frequency band

HFms2HF power: area of 0.15 - 0.4Hz frequency band

LF/HFNoneRatio between LF power and HF power:

NLFNoneNormalized LF power: NLF = [ LF/ (TF-VLF)]×100%

NHFNoneNormalized HF power: NHF = [ HF/ (TF-VLF)]×100%

1.3 Statistical analysis

All data is expressed by mean value ±( ). T-test is used for comparison between groups. Since all indicators have
a non-normal distribution in frequency-domain analysis, they have to be put to logarithmic transformation before t-test.

2. Result:

2.1 Analysis results of HRV throughout the entire test process

Table 3. Time-Domain Analysis Results of HRV throughout the Entire Test Process

Group nRRmean(ms)SDNN(ms)CV(%)SDmeanSDSDRMSSD(ms)

Control group 30732.7±92.551.9±15.67.2±1.969.1±23.922.1±8.614.7±5.5

Experimental group 30744.6±98.2*54.5±25.57.2±2.768.4±29.123.1±14.716.4±7.8

Notes: *, P

Table 4. Frequency-Domain Analysis Results of HRV throughout the Entire Test Process

Group nVLF (ms2)LF (ms2)HF (ms2)TF (ms2)NLF (nu)NHF (nu)LF/HF

Control group 305225±2502348±262133±1055707±375371.5±12.927.5±12.93.3±2.2

Experimental group 305697±2445421±229126±1016245±360770.5±14.328.5±14.33.4±2.5

2.2 Analysis results of HRV in various stages

(1) Time domain analysis results

Table 5. Time-Domain Analysis Results of HRV before Standard Load

Control group (n = 30)Experimental group (n = 30)

RRmean (ms) 793.0±77.6838.6±87.3**

SDNN (ms) 86.1±23.5 100.4±24.7**

RMSSD (ms)16.4±7.219.3±5.5

CV (%)15.6±6.717.1±7.6

Table 6. Time-Domain Analysis Results of HRV during Standard Load

Control group (n = 30) Experimental group (n = 30)

RRmean (ms) 645.4±36.7 657.9±68.5

SDNN (ms) 103.9±22.4 125.3±26.1*

RMSSD (ms)15.0±9.816.8±7.3

CV (%)12.7±3.5 14.5±2.8*

Table 7. Time-Domain Analysis Results of HRV after Standard Load

Control group (n = 30)Experimental group (n = 30)

RRmean (ms)741.1±42.6765.5±54.4

SDNN (ms)94.6±32.3120.4±34.6*

RMSSD (ms)16.3±9.718.8±7.1

CV (%)18.8±6.722.1±7.6*

(2) Frequency domain analysis results

Table 8. Frequency-Domain Analysis Results of HRV before Standard Load

Control group (n = 30)Experimental group (n = 30)

TF (ms2)264.6±89.6316.4±123.9

LF (ms2)21.5±12.819.2±7.4**
 HF (ms2)6.5±4.67.7±4.9

LF/HF5.4±2.23.8±2.1*

NLF (nu)73.1±8.355.0±9.0**

NHF(nu)26.9±6.245.0±11.0**

Table 9. Frequency-Domain Analysis Results of HRV during Standard Load

Control group (n = 30)Experimental group (n = 30)

TF (ms2)343.0±148.7378.6±165.6

LF (ms2)50.0±30.345.5±27.3

HF (ms2)9.0±4.512.4±4.9*

LF/HF7.7±5.26.7±4.3

NLF (nu)80.7±12.170.1±13.1

NHF(nu)19.5±10.429.8±15.3**

Table 10. Frequency-Domain Analysis Results of HRV after Standard Load

Control group (n = 30)Experimental group (n = 30)

TF (ms2)294.9±136.9346.3±144.2

LF (ms2)36.3±11.527.3±11.2

HF (ms2)6.2±5.49.0±9.2

LF/HF6.2±2.44.8±3.1

NLF (nu)77.2±14.362.3±12.7▲

NHF(nu)23.2±11.137.5±12.3▲

3. Discussion

HRV analysis is a non-invasive clinical method currently used for the quantitative analysis of the autonomic nerve
functions. Researches have proved that: the strengthened activity of sympathetic nerves and (or) weakened activity of
pneumogastric nerves may cause cardiac electrophysiological instability and reduce the threshold of ventricular
fibrillation. And the strengthened activity of pneumogastric nerves and (or) reduced activity of sympathetic nerves will
raise the threshold of ventricular fibrillation and protect the heart [3]. The reduced activity of pneumogastric nerves and
(or) strengthened activity of sympathetic nerves will both reduce HRV [4]. A lot of researches have proved that the
reduced HRV is a very significant indicator of death risk caused by acute myocardial infarction [5]. Therefore HRV
analysis can provide information about the changes in the tension of pneumogastric and sympathetic nerves and
about the risk of sudden cardiac death. HRV analysis involves the time-domain method, frequency-domain method,
and non-linear analytical method. The time-domain method is simply and can properly reflect the activities of the
pneumogastric nerves. The frequency-domain analytical method can separate the activities of the sympathetic nerves
from those of the pneumogastric nerves. The non-linear analytical method is quite complicated and its clinical
application is still immature. The HF indicator in frequency domain analysis is a reliable one that reflects the activities
of the cardiac pneumogastric nerves. LF is mediated by both the sympathetic nerves and pneumogastric nerves.
LF/HF are sensitive indicators that reflect the changes in the tension balance between the sympathetic nerves and
pneumogastric nerves [2].

In this study, both the time-domain and frequency-domain method were used for a comparative analysis of HRV
between old and middle-aged people who had been practicing Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin for a long time and old and
middle-aged people who seldom took part in any physical exercise. Among the time-domain indicators, the RMSSD,
SDNN, and CV of old and middle-aged objects in the experimental group were all higher than those of the objects
lacking physical exercise, especially during the standard load and during the recovery stage after the load (P

On the other hand, this research has also revealed that the heart rate of healthy old and middle-aged people who
regularly take Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise is significantly lower than that of old and middle-aged people who
lack physical exercise (P

References

[1] .Malik M, Damm A. Heart Rate Variability[J]. Clin Caidiol, 1990,13: 570-574.

[2] Tuinigar YD, Veldhuisen DJ, Brouwer J, et al. Heart rate variability in left ventricular dysfunction and heart
failure: effects and implication of drug treatments[J]. Br Heart J, 1994, 72: 509-513.

[3] Dougles P, Zipes DP. Influence of myocardial ischemia and infarction on autonomic infarction of heart[J].
Circulation, 1990, 82: 1095-1105.

[4] Woo MA, Stevenson WC, Moser DE, et al. Complex heart rate variability and serum norepinephrine levels in
patients with advanced heart failure[J]. J AM Coll Cardiol, 1994, 23: 565-569.

[5] TASK Force of the European Society of Cardiology and North American society of Pacing and
Electrophysiology[J]. Heart rate variability. Circulation, 1996, 93: 1043-1065.

[6] Peng Changhuong, Gao Chongxuan, Lin Fumei, et. al. Using Horizontal-Motion 2D Ultrasonic Cardiogram to
Evaluate the Cardiac Structure and Functions of Athletes [j]. Chinese Journal of Sports Medicine, 1995, 14(2): 92-99.
Effects on Life Quality

Effects of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin on Life Quality of the Old and Middle-aged People

Modern medicine has switched from a pure biological pattern to a biological-psychological-social pattern. The health
of a person is based on not only a healthy body, but also a health metal state and good social contact. Therefore the
purpose of medicine is not only to extend life but also to improve the quality of life. Given this trend, life quality is
attracting more and move attention as an index for evaluating the results of therapeutic regimens (or intervention
measures). At present, typical life quality measuring scales mainly include[1][2]: Nottingham health profile (NHP),
quality of wellbeing index (QWB), SF-36, EORTC QLQ-C30, and WHO QOL-100 and QOL-BREF.

SF-36 is also known as MOS 36 item short form health survey (See Appendix 9) was developed by US Boston
Health Research Center on the basis of medical outcomes study-short form (MOS-SF) developed by Stewartse. SF-
36 is currently recognized as a life quality measuring tool[3-6] having a wide prospect of application. Some developed
EU and American countries have already widely applied SF-36 in clinical trials, preparation of health policies, and
evaluation of the benefits of health resources. It mainly involves the life quality assessment of diseases, health status
evaluation of populations. Evaluation and selection of clinical therapeutic regimens, and evaluation of the results of
preventive intervention measures and has lead to some achievements [7].

SF-36 was used as the evaluation tool in this study. The health-preserving results of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin
were evaluated from the perspective of life quality in order to lay a foundation of its popularization and promotion
among the people.

1. Objects and methodology

1.1 Research objects

Research objects were chosen with the layer-by-layer random cluster sampling method and health examination
screening from Fengtai District and Shijingshan District of Beijing and Miyun County. a. Normal cardiorespiratory
functions; b. Normal BSL; c. Normal blood pressure or slightly high blood pressure (BP≤160/95mmHg); d. No
extremity disability; e. No habit of health-preserving exercise. The test objects were randomly divided into a Health
Qigong•Ba Duan Jin group (experimental group for short) and a control group. See Table 1 for the basic information of
the research objects.

Table 1. Basic information about research objects

Group (n)Age (years)Body Height (cm)Body weight (kg)

MaleControl group 3262.4±1.8169.8±4.276.3±10.8

Experimental group 5063.0±2.0168.1±4.675.2±7.7

FemaleControl group 6056.9±1.5156.6±5.866.8±7.6

Experimental group 16957.8±1.6155.5±4.365.6±8.0

By statistical analysis, there were no significant differences between the experimental group and the control group
in terms of initial values of age, body height, and body weight.

1.2 Research methods

(1) Measuring scale: SF-36 is composed of 36 entries and can measure 8 health dimensions and 1 health change
self-evaluation. See Table 2 for details.

Table 2. Structure of SF-36 Measuring Scale

DimensionNumber of entriesDefinition

① Physical functioning (PF)10Measures whether the health status hinders the normal physiological activities

② Role limitations due to physical health (RP)

 4Measures the role function limitations due to physical health problems

③ Bodily pain (BP)2Measures the degree of pains and the effects of pains on daily life

④ General health perceptions (GH)5Measures the evaluation of the individual on his or her own health and
development trend

⑤ Vitality (VT)4Measures the subjective feeling of the individual on his or her own energy and fatigue

⑥ Social functioning (SF)2Measures the effects of physical and mental problems on the quantity and quality of
social activities

⑦ Role limitations due to emotional problems (RE)

3Measures the role function limitations due to emotional problems

⑧ Mental health (MH)5Measures the excitation, suppression, behavioral or mental loss of control, and subjective
mental feeling

⑨ Health transitions (HT)1Evaluates the subjective feeling of the overall health transitions

Physical component summary (PCS)21Including PF, RP, BP, and GH

Mental component summary (MCS)15Including VT, SF, RE, and MH

(2) Grading policy: The grading policy of Sf-36 is to add up the scores of all entries in each dimension according
to the various weights of the entries and derive the rough integral of the 8 dimension, and then convert the rough
integral into a final score on a 0~100 scale. The higher the final scores of all dimensions and the overall score, the
better life quality. HT is not graded but analyzed independently as a categorical variable[8].

(3) Course of experiment

The experimental group first learned Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin under the guidance of training teachers. After
fully mastering the technical points of all movements, they practiced Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin for 6 months under
the guidance of coaches. They practiced 1 hour in the morning for 5~7 days every week. Members of the
experimental group kept training diaries everyday and the director of the station recorded the attendance everyday.
The research team paid periodic supervisory follow-up visits to the exercisers for twice every week, and collected and
checked the attendance records and training diaries once every month. The control group was made up of old and
middle-aged objects that were not in the habit of health-preserving exercise. They maintained their existing life styles
thought the experiment. The research team did not intervene with their daily activities and paid them one follow-up
visit every week in order to learn their basic health status and life habits. Research objects that had major changes in
life habits during the experiment were excluded from the study.

All research objects were made to fill out SF-36 respectively before the experiment, 3 months after the
experiment, and 6 months after the experiment. All 3 tests were completed between 8:00 and 8:30 AM. Research
objects in poor mental and health states were excluded on the day of the test.

1.3 Statistical analysis

Spss10.0 software is sued for statistical analysis of data.Multi-factor variance analysis method is used to
determine the significance of differences.

2. Results

Results in Table 3 show that after 3 months of exercise, the scores of MCS, PF, SF, VT, and MH of the male
group were significantly increased (P

Table 3. A Comparison of Scores of All SF-36 Dimensions of the Male Group before and after Exercise

Group (n)Total scorePCSMCSPFRPRESFBPVTMHGH

 Control groupStart (32)66.6±1164.8±1163.0±1473.0±1450.0±4745.4±4177.5±1982.0±866.0±1360.0±1451.0±13

3 months (25)65.3±660.3±961.9±577.1±2742.9±3749.0±2671.8±984.3±853.3±750.0±1356.1±8

6 months (24)67.7±1062.3±1667.0±981.3±947.5±2560.0±3384.4±1280.0±1466.3±1571.0±2158.4±24

Experimental groupStart
(50)65.7±1365.7±1557.0±1279.2±2147.5±3356.7±3666.3±1780.7±1751.2±1354.9±1357.9±15

3 months
(43)70.1±1767.2±1769.8±16▲83.9±17▲62.5±3560.3±4279.8±16▲69.7±2264.4±16▲72.0±19▲60.0±21

6 months (40)78.4±14◆77.5±13◆-75.0±17◆90.0±12◆76.3±33◆68.4±4186.2±13◆75.3±1370.9±14◆75.2±10
◆64.4±23

Notes: * P

Table 4 shows that after 3 months of exercise, the scores of PF, RP, RE, SF, and VT of the female were group
were significantly increased (P

Table 4. A Comparison of Scores of All SF-36 Dimensions of the Female Group before and after Exercise

GroupTotal scorePCSMCSPFRPRESFBPVTMHGH

Control groupStart (60)68.9±14 64.3±19 69.2±13 75.6±32 58.8±43 60.8±41 80.9±19 68.2±22 65.0±15 69.9±17
62.1±22

3 months (44)64.9±17 75.8±18 65.2±16 87.6±33 62.8±38 58.6±34 77.9±19 58.8±7 57.9±15 62.3±17 60.9±15

6 months (36)76.1±12 74.7±14 72.9±14 90.6±886.0±18 68.4±33 85.8±20 71.8±20 68.0±17 77.3±19 64.4±23

Experimental groupStart (169)69.6±11 61.5±14 70.0±10 67.2±2664.0±36 66.7±29 70.0±13 74.6±21 58.9±9
73.8±13 60.7±11

3 months (120)74.9±1574.6±15 71.1±16 85.2±21▲ 82.3±25▲ 79.6±34▲ 84.9±18▲ 69.2±17 68.2±15▲68.7±19

65.3±19

6 months (114)81.9±13◆ 79.2±13◆ 83.5±14◆ 86.7±15◆ 71.7±33◆ 69.1±43 81.5±20◆ 82.2±13- 76.0±17◆
71.2±1966.7±19

3. Discussion

In this study, SF-36 measuring scale was used to evaluate the effects of long-term Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin
on the life quality of health old and middle-aged people. The study has revealed that: After a period of Health
Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise, scores of many SF-36 indexes of the experimental group were significantly increased.
PF, RP, VT, SF, PCS, and MCS gradually increased with the time of exercise in both the male and female research
objects.

The aforementioned improvement in health was closely related to Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise.
Movements of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin are gentle, slow, smooth, continuous, moderate in tension, well-balanced
between stillness and motion, well-coordinated between spirit and form, and well-combined with Qi. Long-term
exercise will help balance Yin and Yang, dredge channels, dissipate viscosity, lubricate joints, promote blood
circulation, remove stasis, strength muscles and bones, and improve the body constitution. These effects can be
explained by modern life sciences. Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin has a moderate exercise intensity. It is a typical
medium-intensity exercise. The exerciser usually practices 1h everyday. Although the intensity is moderate, long-term
exercise can consume the excessive fat in the body and beneath the skin and improve the body composition. At the
same time Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can increase the strength of muscles. With regard to the structures of
movements in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, Routine 2 ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed‖,
Routine 6 ―Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress‖, and Routine 7 ―Thrusting the Fists and
Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖ all require horse stance which is very good for the development of the
strength of muscles in lower limbs.In addition, Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin requires ―well-coordinated spirit and form
and well-combined Qi‖. In other words all movements should be based on well-coordinated mind and motion and both
the spirit and form should be integrated. This will significantly improve the high attention of the exerciser and
effectively establish harmony and unity between the nervous system and the movements. As a result the exerciser will
develop the reaction capability to signals and the hand operating capability in a highly coordinated way, which will
finally lead to a good mental state and temperament in the old and middle-aged population. Therefore long-term
regular Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise will result in reduced body fat percentage, increased muscle strength,
and improved mental state, which are represented by the significantly increased scores of PF, RP, and VT in SF-36.
This is because PF mainly reflects the labor capability and physical fitness, VT mainly reflects the energy and fatigue
resistance, and RP mainly reflects the extent to which the physical health problems affect daily life and work. The
increase in the score of SF in SF-36 is related to the fact that Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin was exercised among
groups of people in which there were more interpersonal interactions.

On the other hand, Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise requires the exerciser to be even-minded, open,
optimistic, free of distracting thoughts, big-hearted, and calm. The exerciser will finally achieve self-regulation and
improve the mental health. However, significant improvement was detected only in MCS in this study, while no
significant change was detected in RE and MH which reflected the mental problems of mental health. Or their
changed with inconsistent trends during the experiment. This was probably because some emotional characteristics
were stable personality factors which were difficult to change or the standard deviations of these two indexes were too
huge. This was an lateral indication that SF-36 still has some defects in the evaluation of mental health, which
coincides with the results of researches done by other researchers [10].

References

[1] Wu Qin, Jin Xianqiao, Chen Wenhua. Some concepts about ouality of life measurement [J].Modern
Rehabilitation, 2000,4(8):1140-1143.

[2] Li Chunbo, He Yanling. The SF-36v2 Health Survey [J]. Foreign Medical Sciences (Section of Psychiatry),
2002,29(2):116-119.

[3] Liu Chaojie, Li Ningxiu, Ren Xiaohui, etal. Feasibility of Using Short Form 36 in Chinese Population [J]. Journal
of West China University of Medical Sciences, 2001,32(1):39-42.

[4] Li Yongchao, An Xiaoqun, Wang Jun, etal. Investigation of factros related to quality of life of normal people in
the community [J]. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY, 2004,14(3):147-148.

[5] Zhang Lei, Huang Jiuyi, Fan Fengmei, etal. A comparative study on U.S.A MOS SF-36 and the quality of life
questionnaire for Chinese old people [J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICAL SCIENCE,
2001,10(6):601-602.

[6] Wang Suhua, Li Liming, Li Jun. The Application of the SF-36v2 Health Survey [J]. FOREING MEDICAL
SCIENCES, 2001,18(1):4-8.

[7] He Liqiong. Discussion of Living Quality and Level of Health [J]. CHINA JOURNAL OF MODERN MEDICINE,
2001,11(7):106-109.

[8] Fang Jiqian, Wan Chonghua,Shi Mingli, etal. An introduction to study on quality of life and measurement
scales [J]. MODERN REHABILITATION, 2000,4(8):1123-1125.

[9] Weng Shixun. On theDevelopment and Evolution of Eight Trigrams Boxing [J]. Zhejiang Sport Science,
1998,20(1):55-58.

[10] Jiang Baofa, Xu Tao, Liao Meizhen. Applicability of SF-36 in Elderly Living in Rural Area arou nd Shenzhen
[J]. CHINESE MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, 2003,17(5):291-293.
'Qi' and 'Mind' in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin Exercise

by Shen Xiaodong, Shanghai Qigong Institute

Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is a simply, refined, smooth, graceful, and effective health-preserving exercise which
contains deep health-preserving philosophy and is deeply welcomed by the common people. This paper provides a
detailed analysis of ―Qi‖ and ―Mind‖ in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise according to the practicing process of
Health Qigong •Ba Duan Jin.

―Integrated Qi between Heaven and Earth‖ in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin Exercise

The ―integration of three regulations‖ is the core and feature of health Qigong exercise. The body regulation,
breath regulation, and mind regulation are everything we can use for self-regulation of both body and mind. The three
regulations are commonly seen and practiced in our daily activities but the ―integration of three regulations‖ is difficult
to achieve. Health Qigong is exactly aimed at achieving such a state. The ―integration‖ of ―integration of three
regulations‖ should refer to ―Qi‖. Zhuangzi said ―Qi runs throughout the entire world‖ (Zhuangzi: Zhi Bei You). Huang
Di Nei Jing: Su Wen: Bao Ming Quan Xing Lun says: ―when Qi between the heaven and earth was integrated, man
was created‖ and ―man was created with the Qi between heaven and earth and lives by the rules of the four seasons‖.
Man can actively and consciously realize the ―concordance of Qi‖ of his body and mind and merges his own life into
the tremendous steam of life in the cosmos. Man can actively maintain his own health and assist the circulation and
development of life between heaven and earth.

Qi is the source of life and motive power for vitality. Qi ―cannot be seen, cannot be heard, and cannot be touched‖
(Lao Tzu). Qi is beyond our sensory organs. We cannot represent it, objectify it, or consolidate it. But we can learn it
by establishing a concept with our mind.

Qi has is intrinsic rules and principles of operation, which are exact ―Dao‖. There is only one way to master Qi: to
merge ourselves into ―Qi‖ and ―Tao‖. We should ―get relaxed and natural‖, lay down our preoccupation and sensory
organs, empty our heart and mind, and then The forms of things all in it crouch; Eluding touch, eluding sight; There
are their semblances, all right. Profound it is, dark and obscure; Things' essences all there endure. Those essences
the truth enfold‖ (Lao Tzu).

The movements of Qi in the human body can be understood as ―ascending, descending, incoming, outgoing‖
circular movements. ―Extension Tao Outlook‖ is advocated by the Chinese culture. It is believed that all things in the
world moves in circles like the universe. This is also the case with the operation of Qi in the body. Qi runs in the body
through the Twelve Regular Meridians and the Eight Extra Meridians like rings. Qi of the human body also
communicates with Qi of the heaven and earth through acupoints on the body surfaces. The human body is an open
―macrosystem‖ (Qian Xuesen). On the one hand, our body performs material metabolism with the outside world. On
the other hand, the functional activity systems (e.g. meridians, spirit, Qi, and essence) of our life also have energy and
information transmissions and exchanges with the outside world. ―Man is connected to heaven and earth‖ (Huang Di
Nei Jing: Ling Shu: Xie Ke). Man is a small cosmos. The changes of things in the environment have certain
connections with the physiological changes of man. This is called ―Induction between Heaven and Man‖.

By carefully analyzing every movement of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we can find that all three movements
embody the association and connection between the human body and Qi of heaven and earth. In ―Holding the Hands
High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs‖, both arms are required to be rounded and pushed upward and
both feed are required to be firmly pressed onto the ground as if taking roots in the ground. The exerciser will be like
―standing upright on his two legs between heaven and earth‖, connecting the upper and lower Qi of the human body
and merging it with Qi of the heaven and earth. In ―Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed‖, the
exerciser is required to draw an imaginary bow as if shooting an arrow, pulling the arms, shoulders, and the back
leftward and rightward and directing the thought towards the boundary between heaven and earth in the distance. And
the legs are kept in a Horse Stance with five toes anchored onto the ground. This can be called ―shooting the heaven
and anchoring the earth‖. In ―Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖, one arm
is held up against the heaven and the other is held down towards the earth as if holding up a cauldron with great
power. This is called ―propping up heaven and pressing earth‖. In ―Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and
Strain‖, both arms rotate outward, the head and arms are turned, the chest is square and the abdomen is drawn back.
Qi is concentrated in Baihui Acupoint. The entire body looks like a high tower which takes in Qi from heaven and
earth. This is called ―twisting heaven and bending earth‖. In ―Shaking Head and Tail to Dispel Heart Fire‖, the head
and hips are shaken while the waist is rotated and the body is turned. They respectively take circular movements
which are corresponding to the rotating movement-one of the fundamental movements of the universe. This is called
―turning heaven and rotating earth‖. In ―Both Hands Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist‖, both
hands move downward from the top, run along the body to the back, reach to the ground and stretch forward, and
finally slowly move up from the front of the body, as if both hands are moving in a circle around the body to infuse Qi
of heaven and earth into the body. This is called ―receiving heaven and connecting earth‖. In ―Thrusting the Fists and
Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖, both fists are clenched and thrust alternately into the air. Both legs are
firmly kept in a Horse Stance. And the eyes glare at the same time to produce tremendous power and grandeur. It is
called ―thrusting heaven and clenching earth‖. The last routine ―Seven Movements of the Back to Eliminate all
Diseases‖, the heels are feet are lifted and then released. The head and neck are kept straight and lifted as if propping
up something. The lower part of the body is held to the ground as if being pressed by a very heavy object. This is
called ―propping up heaven and bumping earth‖.

―Coordinated Form and Spirit‖ in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin Exercise

Health Qigong exercise is a resting and growing process. In our daily life and work, all kinds of mental and
physical damages are inevitable and consume the resources and energies of the body. And Health Qigong is exactly
a ―magic weapon‖ for restoring the resources and energy of the body. Our predecessors pointed out that the purpose
of Qigong exercise is to ―nourish the vital Qi‖, ―regulate the meridian Qi‖, and ―consolidate the defensive Qi‖ in order to
help us achieve ―sufficient essence, full Qi, and complete spirit‖, keep us away from or eliminate diseases, and
maintain the internal equilibrium and stability of both the body and mind.

Health Qigong exercise involves thought, which is a great feature of Qigong. The thought has major influences on
both our body and mind. Compared with animals, man is more susceptible to diseases, probably because our
thoughts are too disorderly and frequent. It is believed in traditional Qigong theories that thoughts have to be ―neither
forgotten nor assisted‖ and have to be placed between adherence and non-adherence. Huang Di Nei Jing says: ―To
treat deficiency pathogens, we need to avoid wind with good timing. If we stay indifferent to fame or gain and keep a
vacant heart, the genuine Qi will follow us, the essence spirit will be contained, and diseases will be prevented.‖
During health Qigong exercise, we should learn to maintain an indifferent mental state and draw back into our own
body. We should neither eradicate thoughts nor become over-absorbed by the mind.

Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is a moving exercise dominated by Daoyin of movements. As a Qigong exercise,
however, it has its own requirements on thought. ―Being relaxed, serene, and natural‖ is the threshold and orientation
of Qigong. During the exercise of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we should always maintain a long and unhurried
thought, keep our mind peaceful and delighted, naturally relaxed our body, and make our movements smooth, round,
and continuous. In the preparative stance of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we should not only bring our body into an
empty and relaxed state, but also quiet our mind, eliminate distracting thoughts, evil intentions, and stupor in order to
keep our mind in ―subtle and continuous‖ indifference and delight. As is described in Qigong tips, ―when we keep our
spirit in a serene state, the form will be naturally upright‖ (Zhuangzi: Zai You). While quieting, emptying, and relaxing
our body and mind, our body will naturally become soft and comforted. In this way we can ―maintain both body and
spirit and live to the full length of our life‖ (Huang Di Nei Jing: Su Wen: Shang Gu Tian Zhen Lun).

To sum up, Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is dignified and graceful. Its movements are internally smooth and
externally straight and full and circular. Its process is like moving clouds and flowing water. Qi circulates throughout
the body to straighten bones, soften tendons, and facilitate blood and Qi circulation. While practicing Health
Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we need to enter a good state of ―integrated Qi of heaven and earth‖ and ―coordinated form and
spirit‖ through the ―Three Regulations‖ in order to achieve the fundamental objectives of Health Qigong exercise.
Health-Preserving Characteristics of Ba Duan Jin

by Mr Zhao Yi Gang, Health Qigong Administration Office of Kunming, China

In traditional Chinese medicine, the viscera of the human body and all tissues and organs on the body surfaces are
considered an organic entity. At the same time it is believed that the four seasons and environmental factors have
various influences on the physiology and pathology of the human body. Emphasis is laid on both the unity in the
human body and the unity between the organism and the surrounding environment, forming a unique overall point of
view. Traditional Chinese medicine also stresses the decisive effect of the health Qi of the organism on the
occurrence of diseases. It is believed that ―Qi‖ is the most fundamental substance that constitutes the human body
and maintains the life activities of the organism. Changes in all things in the nature come from the ascending and
descending movements of Qi between heaven and earth. The motion of Qi and conversion between form and Qi are
used to explain the problems about life, health and disease. The human body is believed to be an organism that
constantly has Qi conversion through ascending, descending, incoming, and outgoing movements. The movements of
Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin are exactly designed according to the theory of the overall outlook and the rules of Qi
motion. It is featured by combined relaxation and tightness, alternating motion and stillness, coordinated spirit and
form, and residing Qi. The traditional Chinese theories and health-preserving ideas run through the movements of the
entire exercise.

The Triple Warmer is one of the six Fu viscera in traditional Chinese medicine. It is divided into the Upper
Warmer, Middle Warmer, and Lower Warmer. The Triple Warmer relates to the entire process of Qi conversion which
covers the intake of water and food, the digestion and absorption, and the transportation and excretion. It is the
―general master of all viscera‖ (Lei Jing Fu Yi: Qiu Zheng Lu). By practicing ―Both Hands Heaving Heavenly Triple
Warmer‖ to enhance the stretching movements of the limbs and the trunk, we can influence the redistribution of blood
flows in the chest and abdomen, facilitate the expansion of the lungs, deepen respiration, inhale more oxygen, and
promote gas exchange and enhance the circulation of vigor. Ba Duan Jin exactly starts with this movement. Through
the stretching motion of the entire body accompanied by the deep respiration and the regulated ascending and
descending of Qi, the fatigue will be eliminated, all muscles and internal organs will be mobilized and ready for the
next movements, and the Triple Warmer will be properly regulated.

―Drawing the Bow with Both Hands like Shooting an Eagle‖ is focused on the chest. According to the rules of the
ascending, descending, opening, and closing movements of Qi, this movement can dredge the channels of Qi. The
chest expansion and arm stretching will have active effects on the health of the organism: on the one hand, it can
strengthen the muscles in the sternocostal part and the shoulders and arms, promote blood circulation, enhance the
cardiac and pulmonary functions, and further regulate the Upper Warmer; on the other hand, it can stimulate the Du
Channel and Yu Acupoint on the back as well as the three Yin and three Yang channels of hands in order to dredge
the Qi channels.

In ―Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach‖, one upper limb is held up and
the other is held down. Both arms pull with force to further draw the internal organs and muscles on both flanks of the
body. This will massage the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach, stimulate the gastrointestinal motility, enhance the
digestive functions, and help the stomach and spleen to convert water and food. As a result Qi in the Middle Warmer
will be dredged and the spleen and stomach (liver and gallbladder) and channels of the viscera will be regulated.

In ―Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain‖, the head repeatedly rotates leftward and rightward and
the eyeballs look backwards to the greatest extent. The movements of the head have significant effects on activating
the blood circulation in the head and enhancing the motion of neck muscles. And it also helps eliminate the fatigue
and other physiological functional disturbances of the brain and the central nervous system. There are usually two
explanations of the Five Strains: One of them refers to strains of the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The other
refers to ―Excessive staring impairs blood, excessive sleep impairs Qi, excessive sitting impairs flesh, excessive
standing impairs bones, and excessive walking impairs tendons‖. Whatever the explanation is, they always refer to the
several impairments caused by imbalance between labor and leisure and poorly-regulated motion. The Seven
Impairments are exact the injuries by the seven modes of emotions (happiness, anger, worry, anxiety, grief, fear, and
terror). The sharp transitions between mental activities and persistent or excessive stillness and depression will cause
mental disorder and disturbance and thus impair the blood and Qi in the viscera. The head-rotating movement of
―Looking Backwards‖ will stimulate some Yu acupoints at the neck, benefit the head (central nerves) and cervical
vertebrae (general nerve channels to all parts of the body), enhance and improve their functions, regulate blood and
Qi in the viscera and functions of various parts of the body, and thus control and prevent the strains and impairments.

―Shaking Head and Tail to Dispel Heart Fire‖ is a systemic movement. By stooping on both legs and shaking the
coccygeal end, we can stimulate the spinal column and Du Channel. And the Du Channel is the converging point of
Yang channels. By shaking the head and tail, we can stimulate the Du Channel and Dazhui Acupoint on the spinal
column (purging method in TCM) and thus dredge channels, purge heat, balance Yin and Yang, and help remove the
pathogenic fire from the heart and liver. In the pathology of traditional Chinese medicine, ―fire‖ is a reflection of the
sympatheticotonia. Normal activities of the human body will more or less cause sympatheticotonia. Healthy people will
eliminate this sympatheticotonia after a rest. And when it cannot be eliminated after a rest, the person must be in
pathosis. This pathosis is a pathological embodiment of the excessive heart fire in TCM. Therefore removing heart fire
is a method for eliminating abnormal sympatheticotonia.

―Both Hands Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist‖ contains both stooping and forward-
stretching movements which can fully extend the muscles in the waist and back. At the same time, both arms are
stretched downwards as much as possible to enhance the functions of the waist and the lower abdomen. The waist is
the container of kidneys. The Lower Warmer of the Triple Warmer is located right here. Being a key part of the motor
of the entire body, it not only serves as a container for the waist muscles, lumbar vertebra, and important nerves, but
also protects the important internal organs. Movements of the waist actually include the movements of body tissues
and organs of and contained in the abdomen. The forward-bending and backward-stretching movements can
stimulate the spinal column and the Du Channel, and Mingmen Acupoint and massage Yangguan and Weizhong
Acupoints to strengthen the kidneys and waist. Persistent practice of ―Both Hands Touching the Feet to Strengthen
the Kidneys and Waist‖ will extend and exercise the waist muscles, enhance the functions of tissues and organs in the
waist, and facilitate the regulation of the functions of all viscera in the Lower Warmer.

In ―Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength‖, ―thrusting fists and glaring eyes‖ will
stimulate the liver channel, replenish liver blood, purge liver Qi, and thus strengthen tendons and bones. This
movement requires that both legs stoop and toes grip the ground with great force. Fists are clenched, wrists are
rotated, fingers are gripped segment by segment, the entire body is filled with force, the mind is concentrated, and the
eyes glare. These movements can excite the cerebral cortex and autonomic nerves and promote the circulation of
blood and Qi. In addition, glaring eyes will also enhance the force of clenched fists and involve the application of
strength. Long-term exercise will stimulate the Yu acupoints on the three Yin and three Yin channels of the hands and
feet and regulate the meridian Qi of the liver and gallbladder.

In ―Seven Movements of the Back to Eliminate all Diseases‖, the five toes grip the ground, both legs are moved
closed to each other, the anus is lifted, the abdomen is pulled back, the shoulders are lowered, Baihui Acupoint
pushes upward, and the feet are jolted. Relaxation is required for the entire movement. It is quite opposite to ―Both
Hands Heaving Heavenly Triple Warmer‖. ―Both Hands Heaving Heavenly Triple Warmer‖ means to stretch and pull
the entire body. And this movement means to return all organs and systems of the body to their original positions
through gentle vibration. ―Eliminate all Diseases‖ does not meet these seven movements can eliminate all disease.
Instead it means long-term persistent practice of Ba Duan Jin exercise will harmonize Qi movement in the Triple
Warmer, calm Yin and Yang, strengthen the viscera, enhance the functions of the entire organism, and fight various
diseases. This represents the idea of ―preventive treatment of diseases‖ in traditional Chinese medicine.

Generally speaking, the effects of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin are comprehensive and systemic. By practicing all
the eight routine together, we can dredge the Triple Warmer, regulate the spleen and stomach, harmonize Qi
movement, remove heart fire, balance Yin and Yang, dredge channels, strength the waist and kidneys, and thus
preserve health and strengthen the entire body.

©BHQA 2018
Official Member of the International Health Qigong Federation
United Kingdom Official Body for Health Qigong