Names of the 1st 5 postures in Zhan Zhuang.

[yinqi]

Could somebody kindly spell out phonetically the names of the 1st 5 postures that Lam Kan Chuen teaches in his The Way of Energy? The book doesn't have the names for some reason. He does say them in the videos on YouTube but I'd like to know the exact names as its not very clear in the videos. Thank you

[Gerard]

Hi,

 

1. Wuji

2. Embrace the Tree/Holding the Balloon

3. Holding your Belly

4. Standing in the Stream

5. Holding the Balloon in front of your Face

 

Is this what you are after?

 

Regards

Edited August 8, 2016 by Gerard

[yinqi]

No Gerard, but thank you for taking the trouble. I'm looking for the Chinese names. The first one sounds like Bo Tek the way Lam Kan Chuen pronounces it, the 2nd Cheng Bao and so on. But I'm sure that's not correct!

By the way I live in India. No qigong teachers. Hell, no practicioners even.

Be in qi.

[smallsteps]

Hi yinqi,

 

I can't catch what Lam Kam Chuen says for Wuji posture and I don't think he says anything in Chinese for posture n°3.

Here is what I found from other sources. For postures 2, 4 and 5; it seems confirmed by what Lam Kam Chuen actually says in the youtube vids.

 

 

1. Wuji Ti Cha zhuang

2. Embrace the Tree/Holding the Balloon Cheng Bao zhuang

3. Holding your Belly Tuo Bao zhuang

4. Standing in the Stream Fu'an zhuang

5. Holding the Balloon in front of your Face Tui Tuo zhuang

 

[yinqi]

Thank you smallsteps! Tui tuo sounds familiar, yes. I wonder why his book doesn't give us the names. Also the order of the postures: I do them in the following order:

Wuji

Embracing the tree.

Holding the balloon in front of the face

Standing in the stream

Holding the balloon in front of the belly

 

The book teaches it differently though. Like what Gerard said.

I guess it doesn't matter though. As long as one relaxes totally into each position, while maintaining the upward and downward pull of the spine. Zhan Zhuang is magic, however you might practice it.

Thank you again.

[smallsteps]

You're welcome

 

 I wonder why his book doesn't give us the names.

 

I guess that's an editor thing. Also, the book was written with a westerner, disciple of Lam Kam Chuen, and they perhaps decided that it was not very useful to give the chinese names. It is generally the same for Taijiquan. 

Edited August 9, 2016 by smallsteps

[Gerard]

By the way I live in India. No qigong teachers. Hell, no practicioners even. Be in qi.

Hi there,

 

Good to see people posting the pinyin names you were after.

India traditionally follows a very different path than the Chinese, bear that in mind. Not even Buddhism is

popular there. It never was as a matter of fact and at one stage it almost disappeared.

Too much Yang in that country, lacks Yin except in the Himalayan region but still

Earth energy is too strong in there which in turn controls Water and conflicts with Wood.

Maybe is not a good place for you due to the 5E configuration

of that country. Very similar to Africa, both ruled by the Heart energy. India is Heart Yin.

 

Happy practice!

[yinqi]

@Gerard I discovered qigong purely by chance three years ago, when I was struggling to make sense of the loss of my husband. I had been practising yoga for many many years but was not getting any solace from it. Qigong has brought me to a place of acceptance. Unfortunately it's all been self taught except for a week at Mantak Chia's workshop in Thailand. I am slowly developing a practice of my own. It's many different forms but Zhan Zhuang seems to be the main focus. There is no community here which is why I found my way to the forums.

 

Be in qi.

Edited August 10, 2016 by yinqi

[smallsteps]

Hi yinqi,

 

I am really sorry to hear about the loss of your husband.

You may send an email to the address given on this page to ask if there is any Lam Kam Chuen disciple in India who teaches zhan zhuang. Who knows?

 

Best qi

[yinqi]

[Gerard]

yinqi,

 

Maybe you could give Vipassana a go. Definitively a lot better, profound and life changing than Mantak Chia's method. I know several places that teach it. The cost is free, only a non-compulsory donation (you decide how much you are willing to donate) is required. But what will be taught to you is deep, will remain with you forever and it is deeply rooted in a millenary tradition.

 

If this sounds you interesting you can send me a PM and I will give you the details of the Buddhist centres that run Vipassana for lay practitioners in Thailand, Burma, India and Malaysia.

 

The method is broken down into three components: prostration (warm-up), walking meditation and seated meditation. The first is completed in 5 min and the last two have an equal weight: 50/50.

 

It is very demanding, some people walk out because they can't handle maintained concentration for many hours a day.

 

About self-learning, I'm afraid will give you very small results in our modern world.

 

Good luck!