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Basic Posture
Sit upright on a chair without a backrest at a comfortable height. Keep both feet together, pointing forward, and press the knees gently together. Bend the knees at roughly 90 degrees, with the soles flat on the ground.
Engage the perineum (lift the pelvic floor), straighten the torso, slightly retract the chest and extend the back. Keep the head and neck upright, and draw the jaw slightly inward (do not overexert). The eyes may be open or closed—follow what feels natural.
- Left hand: Form a palm and place it about two cun1 in front of the lower abdomen. The palm faces the Zhongji point2 (located on the midline, four cun below the navel, one cun above the pubic symphysis; the distance from the pubic symphysis to the navel is five cun).
- Right hand: Form a palm and place it about two cun in front of the left chest, with the palm facing the Ruzhong point3 (located at the nipple).
Keep the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and all fingers relaxed. Focus on sinking the shoulders and letting the elbows drop.
Once the body is aligned, ensure that the head, neck, spine, shoulder joints, and elbow joints are completely relaxed.
Breathing and Mental Focus
Breathe naturally and silently count your breaths. Begin by counting only the inhalations, not the exhalations, up to 120 breaths. Then switch to counting only the exhalations, again to 120, while ignoring the inhalations.
While counting inhalations, visualize a beam of warm light rising from the perineum to the Baihui point4 on the crown of the head.
While counting exhalations, visualize the energy (qi) exiting from the Yuzhen area5 at the base of the skull.
Maintain breathing that is slow, fine, even, and long.
Place your intention in the Laogong point6 of your palms, sending a beam of light towards the heart.
Circling Energy
After completing 120 breaths of inhalation and exhalation:
- Slowly raise the left hand from the lower abdomen to a position about two cun above the top of the head, palm facing the head.
- Move the hand in a counterclockwise circle above the head (from back → right → front → left), guiding the qi from Baihui inward. The number of circles depends on your health: healthy individuals may circle 49 times; those with illness only 7 times.
After circling, slowly lower the left hand in front of the body, palm facing inward, guiding qi from Baihui to the lower abdomen. Lower both hands gradually to stop about two cun in front of the lower abdomen, with the left hand inside (closer to the body) and the palms crossing at the tiger’s mouth (space between thumb and index finger). Collect the qi in the Dantian7.
This completes the full set of the exercise.
Practice Notes
- The practice is most effective when performed according to the 24 solar terms8.
- Optimal practice time is Zi hour (11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.).
- Practicing together with friends or family enhances the effects.
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Footnotes:
[^1]: Cun – A traditional Chinese measurement roughly equal to the width of the thumb at the knuckle, about 3–3.5 cm. Used extensively in acupuncture and qigong.
[^2]: Zhongji (CV3) – An acupoint on the lower abdomen, midline, important for qi cultivation and reproductive health.
[^3]: Ruzhong (CV17) – An acupoint located at the nipple, associated with heart and chest energy flow.
[^4]: Baihui (GV20) – Crown point of the head, commonly used in meditation and qigong for consciousness and energy circulation.
[^5]: Yuzhen – Refers to the area near the external occipital protuberance at the back of the skull. Qi is visualized as exiting here during exhalation.
[^6]: Laogong (PC8) – Palm center acupoint, linked to heart energy; used to guide qi to the heart.
[^7]: Dantian – Energy center in the lower abdomen, considered the “reservoir” of qi in traditional Chinese medicine.
[^8]: 24 solar terms – The traditional Chinese calendar divides the year into 24 periods that guide agricultural and energetic activities; qigong practice often aligns with these.