Popular Qigong methods were breathing and no eating methods before Tang Dynasty to the remote ancient. Internal Dan methods were gradually popular after Tang and Song Dynasties, Internal Dan methods were conducted under the Zhouyicantongqi written by Wen Boyang at the beginning of Tang and Song Dynasties, previous interpreters were all exercisers in External Dan. This point was proved by Prof. Meng Nanchang who investigated the books about Cantongqi before Tang and Song Dynasties in Dept. of chemistry Shanxi Technical University.
Breathing and no eating methods were mentioned by many famous people before Tang Dynasty, the content in detail was kept in Collected Taoist Scriptures. Cavity and Mind Department. Method Category and Cavity Truth Department. Method Category, writers of which were Xu Man, Sun Simiao, Sima Chengzhen and etc. Who were famous people in Taoism School, most writers can not be mentioned and Searched for.
Classical works of breathing and no eating methods was Huangting Cannon which was cited in following works. Up to now the earliest works unearthed is treatise on Breathing and No Bating Methods in tomb of Ma Wang Dui Chang Sha.
Breathing and no Bating Methods are classified from references into the following.
1. Selections of tine, location and preparation of objects
There are three points of view The first is proper selection that air before noon was considered as living energy stream and air after noon dying energy stream The former Day be taken in and the latter can not except time period of all Earthly Branch The second is the treatise on four seasons energy stream in tine period of Zi Earthly Branch can not be breathed in the winter, energy stream in time period of Wu Earthly Branch in the summer, The purpose is that 'Yang is cultivated in the spring and the suffer and Yin in the autumn and the winter . Or time period are not fixed, if any, just breathe and do not think about living and dying energy stream The third is between the two above that at the beginning of breathing in the time period should be choose, and after a long period of time, paths go through automatically and do not select period of breathing in, when hungry air is breathed in, otherwise do not At any how, the weather are paid such attention to.
Locations are chosen in the place where the position is high, dry, avoiding wind and humidity the bed for sitting and zing can be too low, the prone gesture is selected for energy stream flowing to the below, keeping back and head at the same level
2. The processes of carrying out breathing in were summerised in formula which included Entrance Formula and Drainage Formula which dealt with the drainage of chaotic gases in abdomen in the preparation stage, Regulating Breathing Formula, Breathing in Formula which was Related to the flowing down process, Running Formula which connected with the running process, exercise Formula, No breathing Formula which indicated the scattering process, Energy stream Fluid Adjusting Formula which talked about regulations of cold and warm in body, running saliva and expiration methods.
The following are three regulations in Qiqong
(1) Body regulating Sit-ups and prone position sit-ups include kneeling forward position which is a kind of situps with hip on heels and the present sit-ups another is Jiafu sit-up , people who emphasized on sit-ups think that lying down makes the flowing of energy stream difficult , which say be harmful for chest and heart In fact there exists many people who insist on prone positions which can be changed with tire periods of Earthly Branches , such as face-up prone position and face-down prone position , moreover side prone position is also considered by the end of breathing in first left and then right side prone positions.
Tightening with two hands is not suitable for beginners who have not obtained passing channels of energy stream are passing through with sweat out , it can be used Massage on chest and abdomen with hands helps the flowing down of energy stream in breathing in.
(2) Regulation of breathing Breathing in is with nose and without mouth. Beginners breathes in with sounds , and gradually breathing times are increased forbidding strong and ore breathing in , after some success , energy stream attacks disease, breathing in times may increased and stopped by the end of sweet out In no eating 36 is the number breathing in passes diaphragm of Sanjiao , what is the important is making energy stream get into dantian.
expiration: Breathing methods stress naturally inhalation sore and exhalation less , the indicator is considered that exhalation quantity is equal to two third of inhalation , energy streak is full of abdomen or sweat goes out of foot centres with no breathing The application of 6 Character Formula is one of the greatest features.
Inhalation is related to Saliva , eating Five Buds in taoism books of saliva.
(3) Mind regulating keeping ideas means that gases of five elements are thought about and true energy stream runs to balance five organs and connect five directions , another method is to keep idea that energy stream runs to dantian along spinal column to Niwan , scattering down chest and abdomen to Yongquam , that is circulation shift of Internal Dan , patients lead true energy steam to Dantian Keeping no idea means that do not think of anything to get under the natural state by automatic regulation of body and do not be afraid of anything.
The relationship between breathing in and no eating.
The success of breathing in works a good condition for no eating which is a necessary step of profound breathing in, breathing in and no eating promote each other, people Of breathing in insist on 'exhalation of the old and inhalation of fresh,' the old includes massed food and excrement. Normal reactions are the drainage of exhausted gases and others, some people do not think that exhausted gases can be borne In order to inhale the fresh energy stream, food is forbidden to eat No eating begins with the decrease in food or just full food at noon, the food is also light food he changes were introduced in Taoism books, uncomfortable reactions exist in the first three ten days and later disappear and people go to health Food and drugs at no eating stage were recorded in detail in Taoism books.
