Early history of chi kung

[Starjumper]

I just started a new class here today and one of the students asked me about the history of chi kung.

 

I've heard a couple of versions of the origins.  One is that it is descended from ancient prehistoric Chinese shamanism, and the other is about some feller, I think his name was Yu, that danced the pattern of the big dipper.  Those two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

 

I've also read that the original shamanism came from Siberia after the last ice age, about ten thousand years ago, and spread around Asia.  I see a little problem with that because during the ice age no one lived in Siberia, those people would have had to move in from the South when the ice receded, like from China for example. 

 

i'm also familiar with the recent and modern aspect, how it used to be just vast nei kung systems which were kept secret and shared by and for a few masters, to the huge circus that it is now.

 

I started learning chi kung when it was relatively unknown, and my teacher told me that it would become popular.  At the time, not being aware of human nature like I am now, I didn't know that popular was another word for huge circus.

 

Anyway ...

 

I'm more curious about the middle ground, the early history like what happened after Mr. Yu did his dance but before the circus started.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Starjumper

[Aetherous]

http://www.nri.cam.ac.uk/yinshu.pdf  some qigong from 186 BCE, not as old as Yu, but pretty dang old.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Handbook-Chinese-Qigong-Ancient/dp/1848191979/  this book contains some later qigong stuff. It's not as academic, so perhaps sometimes less accurate info, but it's a decent first overview of some things.

https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Medical-Qigong-Tianjun-Liu/dp/1848190964/  this has some historical snippets in the back of the book.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Aetherous

[LAOLONG]

Void gave it to Noform that

Gave it to Noname .

It was in the time of Notime .

And so qigong was born .

[dawei]

I have this book, Chinese Medical Qigong , which gives some history as:

 

In ancient times many different terms were used to label the exercises we now call "Qigong", all of which suggest that Qigong originated in early attempts to seek health and nurture the body.  Thees terms include Tu Na (exhalation and inhalation), Dao Yin (guiding and conducting exercises), An Qiao (massage/stepping on the body), Xiu Lan (cultivating and practicing), JIng Zuo (sitting meditation), and Xing Qi (circulating Qi). 

 

During the New Stone Age, around 3000-2000 BCE, Qigong gradually evolved into a skill or exercise intended for adjusting and training both the mind and the body.  No literature can directly indicate an accurate time for Qigong's very beginnings; nevertheless, it may be inferred indirectly from sources and findings that follow... [which are listed as Historical Texts, Medical Texts and Archeological Discoveries- including Gulping Qi, Turtle breathing, standing meditation, and primitive dances as Life-Stimulating Qigong].

 

There was no clear division or differentiation between medicine and shamanism in ancient times; perhaps shamanism was the only medical service available to primitive humans.   According to the Confucian Analects, one could only be considered a shaman after years and years of persistent cultivation of what today would be called Qigong.  

 

After the Xia, Shang and West Zhou... mind-body techniques now called Qigong flourished too and drew attention from scholars and cultivators alike [many texts are mentioned]. 

 

Qigong advanced further during the Han dynasties.  Forms became more specific and theories evolved....   [too much more to try and write out]...