Neigong

Neigong, also spelled nei kung, neigung, or nae gong,

refers to any of a set of Chinese breathing, meditation and
spiritual practice disciplines associated with Daoism and
especially the Chinese martial arts. Neigong practice is
normally associated with the so-called soft style, internal or neijia
Chinese martial arts, as opposed to the
category known as waigong
or external skill which
is historically associated with shaolinquan or the so-called
hard style, external or wiji
Chinese martial arts.
Both have many dierent schools, disciplines and practices and historically there has been mutual inuence between the two and distinguishing precisely between them
diers from school to school.

particular movement to have a particular result. One of

the benets of martial nei gung exercises is the relaxation
of blood vessels, nerves, muscles and sinews to help the
body move more freely. With the body moving freely and
an excess of blood moving to a particular area with little
or no eort, the practitioner can possibly develop many
benets. These benets may include:
faster recovery from injury to the hands
an ability to hit with more force
an ability to move faster (speed is crucial in martial
arts)

There is both martial and non-martial neigong. Well

known examples of martial neigong are the various
breathing and focus trainings taught in some traditional
Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan schools. An example of non-martial neigong is the discipline known as
Daoyin.

the health benets of being relaxed

in increase in connection to your legs, spine, arms
and head
increased stamina
increased athletic ability and health

Neigong and the internal martial

arts

regulating blood pressure

actually experiencing the channels of the body as
they truly are, which can possibly be dierent from
the books

The martial art school of neigong emphasises training

the coordination of the individuals body with the breath,
known as the harmonisation of the inner and outer energy(
), creating a basis for a particular schools
method of utilising power and technique.

developing an authentic dan tien that is consciously

nourished and deliberately formed which is not dened in the books

Neigong exercises that are part of the neijia tradition

involve cultivating physical stillness and or conscious
(deliberate) movement, designed to produce relaxation
or releasing of muscular tension combined with special
breathing techniques such as the tortoise or reverse
methods. The fundamental purpose of this process is to
develop a high level of coordination, concentration and
technical skill that is known in the martial arts world as
neijin ( ). The ultimate purpose of this practice is for
the individual to become at one with heaven or the Dao
(
). As Zhuangzi stated, Heaven, earth and I are
born of one, and I am at one with all that exists (
,
)".

greater sensitivity for sparring and ghting

It is important to understand that anyone looking to learn
Nei Gung sincerely, is more likely to learn it from a good
teacher of internal martial arts like Hsing-Yi (one of the
easiest and most powerful forms of martial cultivation).
It is rare to learn authentic Daoist practices from a true
master of the subject as quite a lot of the Nei Gung skills
are an essential part of a complete system of martial arts.
There are people who claim that Nei Gung is a philosophy, this is incorrect. There are intellectual guidelines
to the practice of Nei Gung, but it is 'Inner Work' which
means eort has to be put in to develop real, substantial and testable skills. This is not something that can be
imagined or talked about, only from direct experience and
hard eort can an understanding of Nei Gung develop.
A true practitioner and teacher will take you on a journey growing your inner-world and showing you how to
demonstrate the skills you are developing.

Martial Nei Gung is about developing internal power.

One way to possibly achieve this is to train particular exercises regularly where the breath is matched with
movements of blood or to eect the movement of blood
throughout the body. Through these exercises it can be
possible to move the blood to a particular area during a
1

Neigong and meditation

This type of practice is said to require concentration

and internal reection which results in a heightened selfawareness that increases over time with continued practice. Neigong practitioners report awareness of the mechanics of their blood circulation, peristalsis, muscular
movement, skeletal alignment, balance, etc.
What is said to be occurring as the result of continual
practice is a type of internal alchemy, that is a renement
and transmutation of the Three Treasures or San Bao
( ), in Chinese. The Three Treasures are known as Jing
( ), Qi ( ) and Shen ( ) and can be loosely translated as
Essence, Vitality and Spirit.
According to Daoist doctrine the Three Treasures can be
described as three types of energy available to humans.
The Dao De Jing purported to be written by Lao zi states
in chapter 42 that The Dao ( ) gives birth to the One, the
One gives birth to the Two (Taiji ( ) or Yin and Yang
( )) and the Two gives birth to the Three (which some
interpret to mean Jing , Qi and Shen , or sometimes
Heaven Tian , Earth Di and Man Ren ) and lastly
the Three gives birth to the 10,000 Things (Wanwu );
which is all that exists in heaven and on earth.

See also

EXTERNAL LINKS

Wile, Douglas Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the late

Ch'ing Dynasty State University of New York Press,
Albany, 1996. ISBN 0-7914-2653-X
Wu Gongzao. Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (
),
Hong Kong, 1980, Toronto 2006, ISBN 0-97804990-X
Keen, Thomas. Iron Vest Qigong. ISBN 978-160243-000-6
Danaos, Kosta, Nei Kung, The Secret Teachings of
the Warrior Sage, Inner traditions, 2002, ISBN 089281-907-3
Chen Kaiguo and Zheng Shunchao, Opening the
Dragon Gate. The Making of a Modern Taoist Wizard.. ISBN 0-8048-3185-8
Miller, Dan and Cartmell, Tim Xing Yi Nei Gong:
Xing Yi Health Maintenance and Internal Strength
Development, Unique Publications, North Hollywood, 1999. ISBN 0-86568-174-0

6 External links
Neigong.net is a site devoted to original texts of
neigong, neidan, neijia and qigong

Baguazhang

Interview with Nei Kung practitioner, Master C.K.

Chu

Dantian

Video of Nei Kung practitioner, John Chang

I Ching

website for Xing Shen Zhuang practice as a foundation training

Qigong
Silk reeling
Taijiquan
Traditional Chinese medicine
Xingyiquan
Zhan zhuang
Zhang Sanfeng

References

Further reading
Blofeld, J. Taoism, The Quest for Immortality,
Mandala-Unwin Paperbacks London, 1989. ISBN
0-04-299008-4
Cheng, Tinhung. Tai Chi Transcendent Art, The
Hong Kong Tai Chi Association Press Hong Kong,
1976. (only available in Chinese)

QigongJouranl.com a website dedicated to all things

Qigong and Neigong
Explanation of Nei Gong in the practice of standing
postures (Zhan Zhuang)

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

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