Yuan Qi in the Martial Arts

From 萇乃周 Chang Naizhou's (1736 - 1795) writings on Internal Martial Arts:

苌氏武技书 卷一



中气论

中气者，即仙经所谓元阳，医者所谓元气，以其居人身之正中，故武备名曰中气。此气即先天真乙之气，文炼之则为内丹，武炼之则为外丹。然，内丹未有不借外丹而 成者也。盖动静互根，温养合法，自有结胎还元之妙。俗学不谙中气根源，惟务手舞足蹈，欲入元窍，必不能也。人自有生以来，禀先天之神以化气，积气以化精。 当父母构精，初凝于虚危穴內，虚危穴前对脐，后对肾，非上非下，非左非右，不前不后，不偏不倚，正居人一身之当中，称天根，号命门，即《易》所谓太极是 也。真阴真阳，俱藏此中，神实赖之。

此气之灵明，发为五脏之神：心之神、肝之魂、脾之意、肺之魄、肾之精与志。赖此主持，呼吸依之，吸采天地之气，呼出五脏之气。呼自命门而肾而肝而脾而心而 肺，吸自肺而心而脾而肝而肾而命门，十二经十五络之流通系焉。经络者，气血之道路也。人一呼气血流三寸。呼吸定息，共行六寸。人一日一夜凡一万三千五百 息，昼夜行八百一十丈，阳行二十五度，阴亦行二十五度，共计昼夜凡五十度，遍周于身。自脏腑而出于经络，自经络而入于脏腑，从此而生两仪。乃生肾而骨(肾有左阴右阳)， 肾属水脏，水能生木。肝属木脏，而生筋；筋附于骨，乃生肝而长筋，木能生火。心属火脏，而主血脉，火能生土。脾属土脏，而生肌肉，土能生金。肺属金脏，而 主皮毛，乃生肺而长皮毛。五脏以次而长，六腑以次而生，是形之成也。因真乙之气，妙合而成，气之聚也，由百骸毕具而寓。一而二，二而一，原不可须臾离也。 武备如此，练形以合外，炼气以实内，坚硬如铁，自成金丹不坏之体，则超凡入圣，上乘可登。若云敌人不惧，尤其小焉者也。

{Chang Family Martial Skills Book Part One

Middle Qi Theory

"Middle (中 Zhong) Energy (氣 Qi)" is also what the Ancient Daoist Classics call "元陽 Yuan Yang" (Original 'Yang'), and TCM calls "Yuan Qi" (Original Energy). Since it resides in the center/ middle of the human body it's called "Zhong Qi" in the Martial Arts.

This type of Energy is our Initial Pre-Heaven Energy. On the Mindful side it's cultivated using Neidan (internal practices). On the Martial side it's cultivated using Weidan (external practices). Thus Internal and External practices are always combined to achieve the cultivation of 'Zhong Qi'.

Using both Movement and Stillness is the basis for generating warmth and building up a solid supply of Energy in the body, which is like depositing money in a bank. Common people don't know of 'Zhong Qi' because they're worried about day to day business and then going out and enjoying their free time. Doing what they desire is like only taking money out of a bank, only having enough money to live day to day.

From birth one is getting Pre-Heaven 神 'Shen' (Spirit) from the conversion of Energy (氣 Qi), they have an abundance of Energy from the conversion of 精 'Jing' (Essence).

From the mother and father we get 精 'Jing' (Essence). It first concentrates at an empty space on the inside behind the navel and in front of the kidneys. No higher, no lower, not left, not right, not too far forward, not too far back, just exactly in the center of the whole body and the center of gravity. It's commonly referred to as the 'Mingmen' (gate of life) but is also called 'Taiji' (point of transformation) in the classics. It's the True Yin and True Yang and is concealed in the Center on which our 神 'Shen' (spirit) depends. This energy is quick and moves like sunlight breaking through the clouds. It gives rise to the 神 'Shen' (spirit) of the Five Organs: Heart 心神 'Xin - Shen' (Mind Spirit), Liver 魂 'Hun', Spleen 意 'Yi', Lung 魄 'Po', Kidney 精 'Jing' (Essence) and 志 'Zhi' (Will). Together these allow the person to live in the world and take in energy from the world and invigorate the Five Organs. Breathing out/ exhaling starts at the 'Mingmen'/ Gate of Life, goes to the kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, then the lungs and out. Inhaling comes into the lungs, to the heart, spleen, liver, kidneys, and back to the Gate of Life/ 'Mingmen'.

The breath and blood spread through Yin and Yang meridians and blood vessels to every part of the body. So from the organs stems the flow to the meridians. From the meridians the energy flows back to the organs, called: 兩儀 Liang Yi (Yin and Yang), and thus is born the two kidneys, and from the kidneys comes bones (the left kidney is Yin, the right is Yang). The Kidney is the Water Organ. Water gives birth to the trees (Wood). The Liver is the Wood Organ and develops the Tendons. The Tendons attach to the bones (kidneys). Thus the Liver is the controller the Tendons. Wood is capable of starting Fire. The Heart is the Fire Organ and controls the blood vessels. Trees burning return wood to the Earth. The Spleen is the Earth Organ and controls the Muscles. From the Earth is mined the precious Metals. The Lung is the Metal Organ and develops the skin and hair. Thus the Lungs are the controller of the exterior opening to the world (skin, inside lining of the lungs). The Five Yin Organs, and their sequence, also control and invigorate the Six Yang Organs. Thus the True Qi invigorates all the Organs, Tissues, and the Bones of the body but rely on one another and the whole will die without each other.

For Martial Development training the outside/ external shape of the body along with the internal health of the body makes the whole body like a hard yet flexible, unbreakable weapon. And it feels like other people are just small clouds when you meet/ [strike] them.}

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(see The Five Shens ~ http://bloguazhang.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-five-shens-hun-and-po.html)
[In the Chinese Martial Arts we talk about 意 'Yi' and not so much about 心神 'XinShen' (Mind Spirit) because our mind is our consciousness, which initiates the thought, it's our 意 'Yi' that does all the work to carry out the thoughts. Our 意 'Yi' is our Mind's tool. It's the one aspect we naturally have, (and actually need to have) somatic control of, as it controls the 肌肉 Jirou (skeletal muscles and flesh).

The movement of Skeletal Muscle in turn moves our bones and structure - Bio-Mechanics, called: 力 Li.

The changes and variations in the Flesh; where there is a shifting between 鬆 sōng (relaxation) and 緊 jǐn (tension) is called: 勁 Jin.


靜 Jing/ Stillness:
The 魂 'Hun' has control over the tendons and by using our 意 'Yi' we can only impart a gradual change in the tendons over a period of time. This is done through the use of 'Standing Practices' (Externally Still, Internally Moving) while using our 意 'Yi', controlling our muscle and flesh to be constantly stretching the tendons and extending the tendons outward. Through daily practice the tendons then become reconditioned so that instead of impeding our martial movements they're actually aided by the newly conditioned tendons. The result is a significant increase in the speed that one can move when the muscles aren't being hindered by the tendons.

The 魄 'Po' has autonomic control over the exterior. The opening and closing of the pores of the skin - aka the 'Exiting' and 'Entering' of 'Guardian Energy' (Weiqi), is how the skin contracts and tightens instinctively when one is being hit or struck to protect the interior. During 'Standing Practice' there is movement of Blood and 'Nourishing Energy' (Yingqi) going out the extremities as the 意 'Yi' is activating the muscles and signaling the need for more blood. We can also urge the Spirit and 魄 'Po' by using our Eyes to look at the hands or tips of the fingers, or look to where we want the most blood to move to in the Standing Posture, which is typically the 出手 'Chu Shou' (Outgoing hand) in the Posture. Over time, more and more capillaries are opened up and the skin is further nourished. This increased nourishment of the skin allows the 魄 'Po' to work more efficiently and there is a change at the cellular level of the skin and tissues.


動 Dong/ Movement:
In Moving Practices (Externally and Internally Moving) we are limited by our 魄 'Po' - Pre-Heaven' condition. But, when learning a Martial Art, we at first use our imagination combined with our 意 'Yi' so that the 魂 'Hun' (as Kevin mentioned - is who or what we want to be) can gradually impart changes on our 魄 'Po'. When someone is in a car accident the 魄 'Po' takes over control of our body because it's in control of our relationship with the outside world, "our senses", and it's direct control of the senses happens at a much faster speed than we can think or react. In a fight or dire situation our 魄 'Po' also takes over but through practice and training we can impart a new set of Martial tools for our 魄 'Po' to employ by practicing everyday with intent (意 'Yi'); visualizing and imagining movements and applications in our mind's eye; and ultimately practicing enough so that our 魂 'Hun' imparts a change in our 魄 'Po' at the spiritual level.

This is considered going in reverse(逆 Ni) of the Natural Order of Things, where the Post-Heaven imparts changes and transforms the Pre-Heaven.]



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