Baduanjin

Baduan literally means "eight sections" and jin, "brocade". In the course of its development, baduanjin has appeared in a number of different versions. In the versions given below, Part I was devised by Zhong Li in the Tang dynasty (618-907) and rearrand rearranged by Li Shixin, a lecturer in the Physical Education Department of Beijing University. Part II was compiled by Zhuo Dahong, associate professor at Zhangshan medical College, on the basis of several already existing versions .

Part One

Form 1 Holding Mt. Kunlun with Both Hands

Loosen your belt and clothing . Sit upright on a mat or towel with legs bent, the right calf over the left with both soles facing obliquely upward. Relax your whole body and concentrate your mind, looking straight ahead. Tap your teeth together lightly 36 times, with tip of tongue touching hard palate, and pause briefly. When your month becomes filled with saliva, swallow it in three gulps with a gurgling sound. Then cover your ears with your palms, fingers spread out like a fan. Place forefingers on middle fingers and tap on the back of the head 24 times. Take a deep breath, in hailing and exhaling slowly and evenly (Fig.1)   

Form 2 Shaking the Heavenly Pillar

Sit upright with legs bent , right calf over the left, with soles facing obliquey upward. Place right palm on left above navel, with fingers slightly bent. Turn your head to the left, eyes looking backward as far as possible, for one or two seconds (Fig.2). Then turn your head to the right, reversing the position of palms with a friction. Repeat 24 times. keep torso erect while turning your head.   

Form 3 Raising Arms

Sit upright with palms resting on bent knees, right calf over the left, both soles facing obliquely upward, and eyes straight ahead. Make relaxed fists and raise them overhead as if you were hanging form a horizontal bar (Fig.3). Move your tongue around the inside of your month 36 times to produce saliva, and swallow this in three mouthfuls. Close your eyes and imagine that your heart is being warmed by a torch with the flames spreading gradually throughout the whole body. Return palms to knees.   

Form 4 Rubbing Lower Back

Strip to waist and sit upright with legs bent, right calf over the left and sole facing obliquely upward.

Rub palms together until they are warm and place them on your sides with thumbs pointing forward and fingers pointing obliquely downward (Fig.4). Rub hands up and down at least 36 times against both sides of spinal cord. Put on your garment and place left palm below navel, right palm on back of left hand. Breathe gentle and imagine a flame in your heart spreading down to the region below the navel . You feel warm all over.   

Form 5 Twisting the Torso to the one Side

Sit as in Form 4 with right hand on hip and left palm on abdomen above navel, eyes looking straight ahead. Turn left shoulder forward and right shoulder backward, and then return to orighinal position . Repeat 36 times, turning head together with shoulders.   

Form 6 Twisting the Torso to Both Sides

Sit as in Form 4

Turn left shoulder forwar and right shoulder backward, and then reverse this motion. Repeat 36 times, gradually increasing degree of rotation (Fig6). Place left palm on lower abdomen, and with right palm resting on back of left hand. Close your eyes gently and imagine a flame spreading from the lower abdomen up to the waist, then continuing up between the shoulder blades to the top of the head. Stretch legs forward, toes pointing up and muscles relaxed. Close your mouth lightly and take three deep breaths through your nose.   

Form 7 Propping Up the Sky with Fingers Interlocked

Sit upright with legs bent, right calf over the left, both soles facing obliquely upward. With palms facing upwards, lock fingers together, pressing the little fingers against abdomen. Look straight ahead. Raise palms to chest level and then above head while graduallly twisting wrists until palms face upward (Fig. 7). Then return palms to abdomen. Repeat nine times, inhaling when raising palms and exhaling when lowering them.   

Form 8 Pulling Toes with Both Hands

Sit upright with legs stretched forward, feet shoulder-width apart. Place palms on floor at your sides, with thumbs touching body and fingers pointing forward. Look straight ahead. Bend forward and grasp the ball and toes of one foot with both hands , pulling back the top of the foot as you thrust heel forward. Repeat with the other foot. Eyes should follow the moving foot. Repeat 12 times, taking a deep breath each time (Fig.8).Sit quietly for a few moments with eyes and mouth gently closed. Move your tongue around inside your mouth to produce saliva and swallow it quickly. Report six times. Then shrug your shoulders and twist your waist. Finally relax your whole body.

This set of exercises may be practised both in the morning and in the evening. Persistent practice will sharpen your appetite , help you to sleep more soundly and increase your resistance to disease. 

Part Two

Form 1 Propping Up the Sky with Finger Interlocked

Starting position: Stand at attention with heels together or feet sperated sligtly, with toes on floor and arches lifted. Arms hang naturally at your side. Place tip tongue lightly against roof of the mouth and breathe through your nose. Look straight ahead and relax all joints. Maintain this stance for several minutes (Fig.1) 

Movements:

1.  Raise arms slowly and interlock fingers overhead, palms turned up as if propping up the sky; raise heels at the same time(Fig.2).
2. Return to starting position.

Repeat these movements many times. You may coordinate them with repiration, inhaling when raiseing arms and exhaling when lowering them. This exerciese helps to increase lung capacity and relieve fatigue. It also aids in strengthening the muscle and bones of the back.
This exercise prepares muscles and internal organs for the forms which follow

Form 2 Drawing the Bow on Both Sides

Starting Position:Stand at attention.

Movements:

1. Take a step to the side with the left foot and bend both legs. This is the "on horsebak form". Cross arms at chest levle, right arm on the outside. Extend left arm to the left with forefinger pointing upward, thumb stretched back, and other fingers bent. Turn head to the left and look at left forefinger. At the same time make a fist with the right hand and extend it to the right at shoulder level with arm bent as if you were drawing a bow (Fig.3).
2. Return to starting position. Repeat 1, reversing sides.
3. Return to starting position.

Repeat these movements many times. You may also coordinate them with respiration , inhaling when drawing arms sideways and exhaling when returning starting position.
This exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the chest , arms and shoulders, and stimulate the repiratory and circulatory functions.

Form 3 Raising One Arm

Starting position: Stand at attention with heels together or feet shoulder-width apart, arms hanging naturally at both sides.

Movements:

1. Raise right hand overhead with palm up and fingers together pointing to the left. At thee same time press left hand downward, with palm facing the floor and fingers pointing forward (Fig.4).
2. Return to starting position. Repeat 1, reversing sides.
3. Return to starting position.

Repeat these movements many timesss. You may coordinate them with respiration, inhaling when raising and lowering hands, and exhaling when returning to starting position.
This exercise stimulates the internal organs and aids in the prevention of gatro-intestinal disorders.

Form 4 Turning Head of Look over the Shoulder

Starting position: Stand at attention with palms pressed lightly against thighs.

Movements:

1. Turn head slowly to the left and look over left shoulder. Return to starting position. Turn head slowly to the right and look over right shoulder (Fig.5).
2. Return to starting positon.

Repeat these movements many times. You may coordinate them with respiration, inhalling when turning head and exhaling when returning to starting position.
This exercise aids in strengthening the muscles surrounding the eye sockets, strengthening the neck muscles to prevent cervico-vertebral ailments, and in stimulating blood circulation in the head to eliminate weariness, dizziness and other functional disturbances of the central nervous system. It is particularly beneficial to sufferers of hypertension and arteriosclerosis.

Form 5 Swaying Head and Buttocks

Starting position: Stand with feet about three foot-lengths apart and bend knees to assume the "on horseback" form, Place palms on thighs with thumbs pointing backward.
Movements:

1. Lower head, bend trunk forward, and sway to the left side. At the same time , sway buttocks to the right, aiding the movement by stretching out left leg and hip. Hands may move along with trunk movement(Fig.6). Return to starting position. Repeat 1, reversing sides.
2. Return to starting position.

Repeat these movements many times. You may coordinate them with respiration, inhaling when swaying trunk and exhaling when returning to starting position.
This exercise aids in "ridding the heart of fire", a traditional Chinese medical term which means overcoming strain in the nervous system caused by physical exertion and which cannot be eased through rest.

Form 6 Pulling Toes with Both Hands

Starting position:Stand at attention.

1. Bend forward slowly, keeping legs straight, and grasp toes with both hands. If you cannot reach them, just touch ankles with fingertips. Raise head slightly (Fig.7). Return to starting position.Please hands against the lower back and bend slowly backeward.
2. Return to starting position.

Repeat these movements many times. Breathe as naturally as possible.
This is an exercise for the waist which aids in developing the lumbar muscles adn preventing and curing strains. It is also effective in improving the functions of kidneys and the adrenal glands. People suffering from hypertension and arteriosclerosis should not lower head too much when doing this exercise.

Form 7 Clenching Fists and Looking with Eyes Wide Open

Starting position: Assume the "on horseback" position, with toes gripping the floor, hands tightly clenched at the waist, and knuckles facing down . Look ahead with eyes wide open (Fig.8).

Movements:

Thrust right hand slowly to the right until arm is fully extended, with knuckles facing up. Return to starting positon. Repeat 1, reversing sides.

Return to starting position.

1.  Repeat these movements many times. You may coordinate them with respiration, inhaling when thrusting out fist and exhaling when returning to starting position.
2. This exercise helps to stimulate the cerebral cortex and autonomic nervous system, to propote blood circulation, and to build up muscular strength and stamina.

Form 8 Raising and Lowering the Heels

Starting position: Stand at attention, with palms pressed against the front part of thighs and legs straight.

Movement:

Raise both heels simultaneously, drawing head up as if there were a weight on its top.

Return to starting position

Repeat these movements many times. You may corrdinate them with respiration, inhalling when raising heels and exhaling when lowering them. This exercise sets off light vibrations in the body which serve as finishing touches to the whole set of exercises.

Points to remember

1. Exercise persistently. You'll never keep fit or cure chronic diseases if you "go fishing for three days ad dry the net for two", as a Chinese saying goes. When doing the exercises , relax both physically and mentally. When exertion is called for , use force gently by " integrating hardness with softness"- a principle governing all traditional Chinese fitness exercises. Oce you have relaxed, concentrate your attention on the acupuncture point of dantian(about 4 cm below the navel). Such concentration will aid abdominal respiration, promote blood circulatin in the abdominal cavity and conduct qi(vital energy) to the lower part of the body. Take a few deep breaths before you start the exercises. Breathe naturally and evenly. Practise in a place where the air is fresh. Do not exercise within an hour after eating .
2. The duration of practice sessions and the intensity of exericse will vary from person to person. Generally speaking, you may stop when you start sweating lightly. In addition to baduanjin, you may take up other fitness exercises which suit your health condition, such as jgging, swimming, cold baths or sun baths.