Wang Bin, Zheng Jinke

Liu Zi Jue, also called Liu Zi Qi Jue, is a method for body building and health preservation. As Qi in various organs moves and regulates, the rising, descending, coming in and going out of Qi Movement between different organs form the harmonious unity of opposites in the body, thus to ensure continuous substance in-taking from nature and maintain metabolism and dynamic balance of energy conversion through transformation, purification and excretion, and to accomplish metabolism of the whole body and promote normal life activities. This series of exercises interpret the basic TCM theories and methods of Health Qigong - Liu Zi Jue and theirs body building effects by means of leading Qi by sound with coordination of body to regulate the organs.

Ready Position

This exercise takes loose, static and natural position with feet standing apart the same width of shoulder, neck strengthened, chin slightly lowered. Then strengthen spine to make all parts of body in their places to guide Qi Movement go up into brain to nourish spirit which controls activities of body and enhances the functions of the activities, so that the outer appearance showing a quiet and peaceful state. Let tongue slightly touch palate, which will connect Ren Vessel and Du Vessel and circulate blood inside entire body. Slightly close eyes and relax the respiratory muscles to achieve a smooth breathing and bend knees slightly at the same time, which is conducive to descending of Qi Movement and achievements of stable abdominal breathing, peaceful mind and fatigue relieving state.

Starting Position

The rising, descending, coming in and going out of Qi in body are the fundamental activities of human life. Once Qi Movement stops, life itself terminates. Two up-facing palms moving upwards and legs standing straight will be conducive to up-moving Qi. Two down-facing palms moving downwards and the knees bending slightly will be conducive to downwards Qi Movement. Moving two palms outwards leads Qi inside body to go out and moving two palms inwards leads Qi outside body to come in. It coordinates the rising, descending, opening and closing of Qi in body and stimulates generation of genuine Qi in Dan Tian. Thus starting position is ready for the following exercises. Relaxing knees is crucial for Qi channels, vessels, Qi and blood to connect to feet; the mild and rhythmic movements of knees help Qi channels, vessels, Qi and blood connect to feet and smooth Qi and blood circulation throughout entire body.

XU Exercise

XU exercise corresponds to Liver. Pronounce "XU" sound and the sound leads Qi, which function to regulate liver by getting rid of wastes of liver and generating Qi in liver.

"Liver controls ribs on both sides" and its residing positions (residing place of Qi) are in ribs on both sides of body. The mood of liver corresponds to anger which is expressed through eyes. When producing XU sound, practitioners should keep two eyes wide open, with mind on residing positions of Qi; at the same time, conceive anger in mind but this anger cause no real depression but enhance the practicing effects by cleaning liver and brightening eyes. Liver mainly functions to regulate and circulate around. Moving palms and arms are helpful to circulate Qi around and nourish entire body.

"Waist is the residing place of kidneys," and kidneys are of water in the theory of Five Elements, liver is of wood. From the theory of mutual promotion and restraint between the five elements, water promotes wood, so let palms face waist and penetrate to help kidney water promote liver wood and liver wood will be regulated with enough kidney water. Turning body right and left can exercise waist and organs inside abdomen. Kidneys control waist and knees. Strong waist and healthy kidneys increase waist and knee functions for the elderly. The intra-abdominal organs will be massaged due to body turning so that the digestive system functions have been strengthened. Dai Vessel is around waist and constrains all vessels, so body turning can smooth and regulate Dai Vessel and help Qi Movement rise and descend.

HE Exercise

HE exercise corresponds to heart. According to TCM, heart is of fire, which corresponds to South in nature, locating in the upper heater of human body. The mood of heart corresponds to happiness; Qi converts and grows. Kidneys are of water, corresponding to the North and are in the lower heater of human body. Relation between heart and kidneys is mainly manifested in coordination between Yin and Yang, the rising or descending of water and fire and spirit interoperability, right positioning of sequence.

A joyful mood with raised eyebrows, relaxed cheeks and loosened facial muscles is required to take this exercise to regulate heart by opening Shan Gen Point (Shan Gen Point is of heart and is connected to brain). Pronouncing HE sound has the functions to eliminate dirty Qi from heart and regulate heart. Meanwhile, looking downwards is helpful for spirit to concentrate, which in turn controls Qi Movement and achieves harmonization of form and spirit, and furthermore, reaches the state of unification of form, Qi and spirit.

Moving the palms up, straightening knees to coordinate breathing will cause kidney water to rise and suppress heart fire, reaching the state of cultivating spirit calmness. Turning the palms facing downwards, swinging outwards and bending knees slightly to coordinate breathing will cause heart fire to descend and warm kidney water, reaching the regulating functions of crossing and complementing heart and kidneys. The upward moving, turning, downward moving and swinging of the palms and the soft and continuous stretching and turning of shoulder, elbows, wrists, fingers and knees smooth the channels, vessels, Qi and blood between upper limbs and knee joints.

HU Exercise

According to TCM, HU exercise corresponds to spleen. Spleen corresponds to central part of body, which controls thinking. So thinking is required to complete this exercise. Thinking is the deep thought with concentration; thinking is free from worrying (worrying belongs to pathological symptom). The theory of TCM holds that the functions of spleen include the functions of stomach and small intestines. Navel, also called Shen Que, is one important Point in Ren Vessel in the system of channels and vessels in human body. Although Shen Que Point sits on the running line of Ren Vessel, it is closely linked to vessels and channels of liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, Chong Channel, Ren Vessel and Du Vessel. Shrink the relaxing area between palms and navel and propel the movement inside body and pronounce HU sound, with knees stretching and bending, and spirit opening and closing internally to extend and shrink whole abdominal cavity, achieving the functions of enhancing spleen and stomach and generating genuine Qi by removing dirty Qi from spleen and stomach. Spleen controls transporting. This exercise helps digestion, blockage relieving and Qi transportation of water and food throughout body.

SI Exercise

SI exercise corresponds to lungs. Lungs are in both sides of chest, which control air breathing and Qi. Both air breathing and Qi depend on the respiratory functions of lungs. Normal lung breathing is vital for exchange of air; besides, it ensures the generation of Zong Qi and circulation of Qi Movement. Let mind reside in the chest with both elbows affixing to ribs on both sides and palms holding in front of stretched shoulders and broadened chest, then open chest to absorb clean Qi, so that the air in lungs coordinates with two arms. At the same time, shrink the lower abdomen, and let Qi in Dan Tian rise to chest. Now the air and Qi in chest fuse to produce steady and deep breathing. Then, pronounce SI sound with two hands pushing forward and knees bending slightly to achieve the functions of strengthening breathing system of lungs and promoting exchange of Qi and blood in lungs by eliminating dirty Qi and enhancing the relieving and calming effects of lungs.

The area between two scapulae seldom gets enough exercises. The shrinking of scapulae and neck and extending scapulae coordinate to exercise this area, which not only relax the area but also stimulate the important points around neck, shoulders and back, such as, Feng Men, lung Yu, heart Yu, Gao Huang to relatively relax the movements of muscles, tendons and achieve the functions of lungs and heart and the circulation of Qi and blood in neck, shoulders and back.

CHUI Exercise

CHUI exercise corresponds to kidneys. According to TCM, kidneys are on both sides of lumbar spine, and their residing positions are navel in front side and Gate of life in back side, so "waist is the residing place of kidneys." Of the five internal organs, kidney holds essence, the source of life and the foundation of yin and yang of organs. It is called "innate essence", also known as "foundation of sealing." Only ample essence in kidney can hold fresh Qi inhaled by lungs and help lungs maintain deep breathing. The mood of kidney is fear and Qi transforms into the state of torpor. Facing abyss and treading on thin ice should be felt when practicing CHUI exercise. This mood can prevent inner Qi from dispersing and help kidney transform into the state of torpor.

There are a number of channels and vessels on waist and back. For example San Yang Channel and Du Vessel pass waist; Zu San Yin Channel and Ren Vessel pass abdomen. Waist is the residing place of Gate of Life, and the functions of Gate of Life are similar with those of kidneys. The essence and Qi in kidneys are the foundation of the five internal organs. Ample Qi in kidneys is a prerequisite for adequate healthy internal organs and entire body. Rotate two arms inward and swing two palms backward, and let mind guide Qi to waist and place two palms on the places where kidneys reside. At the same time, think of anatomic structure of kidney and blood circulation system in kidneys. Now mind and form are gathered together to strengthen Qi Movement here, achieving the functions of strengthening waist, kidney and innate Qi.

Pronounce CHUI sound with two palms moving down along waist, sacrum, and outer sides of thighs to lead Qi in channels and vessels move downward; the Yong Quan Point of Shen Channel (kidney channel) connects to earth and the dirty Qi is emitted. Squat partially to ease the stretching of spine and the center of gravity falls on the lower abdomen of body. This position is helpful for Qi to sit in Dan Tian, and spine, Du Vessel, Yang Guan Point are stimulated. It has a positive massaging effect on kidneys, adrenal gland, ureter, etc. Therefore, it has rehabilitating effects on chronic diseases of the genitourinary system. This exercise further strengthens communications between air in nature and Qi in body.

Dai Vessel (belt vessel) starts from Ji Xie Point and Zhang Men Point of Channel of Zu Que Yin, the same as Channel of Zu Shao Yang, and then runs around waist like a belt. The main functions of Dai Vessel are to "control and constrain all channels." As Dai Vessel comes from Ren Vessel and runs around waist and abdomen where Chong Vessel, Ren Vessel, Du Vessel originate from (vessels of Chong, Ren and Du all originate from uterus). Moving two palms along Dai Vessel from front to back can massage the eight extra channels, yin and yang channels of foot to achieve the function of circulating blood and Qi inside entire body.

XI Exercise

XI exercise corresponds to Qi of Shao Yang San Jiao (triple burner). "San Jiao (triple burner)" is a term in TCM, one of the six internal organs (stomach, small intestine, large intestine, pericardium, bladder and triple burner). Triple burner presides over all Qis, controls Qi Movement of body, and has the function of transforming and circulating liquids in body. Press down two palms and loose them, exhaling when hands open outward. Now pronounce XI sound to circulate Channel of Shao Yang and enhance opening and closing of Qi Movement of triple burner, achieving function of circulating Qi Movement inside entire body. Channels and vessels of hands and feet are located on arms and legs. Move two palms upward and separate in opposite directions, then turn outward and face up, position two arms in a curve. The up-facing palms will stretch channels of San Yin and San Yang on hands and feet, Ren Vessel and Du Vessel and also the corresponding tendons, achieving the functions of circulating blood and Qi inside the whole body and massaging internal organs by coordinating with breathing.

Closing Form

Above six breathing exercises are performed through sound-led Qi with body movements to guide opening and closing of Qi Movement inside entire body, realizing the unification of form, Qi and spirit. Practitioners can quit practicing state by rubbing umbilical abdomen as transition from practicing Qi to cultivating Qi, i.e., sitting mind on Shen Que Point and returning primordial Qi to its root to cultivate primordial Qi of kidney and accumulate it inside body.