Tim,

First let me say what a great forum this is and what a great book Tim's XingYi Nei Kung is. It's a rare opportunity to be able to read a book, then ask its author a question so directly.

Unfortunately the question might be seen as contentious, but I'll ask it anyway.

Tim, in the book you translate Wu's translation/compilation of the XingYi classics by Dai Long Bang on the 'XingYi body', specifically talking about taking the 'chi' around the body to various points.In essence he's going around the famous 'microcosm orbit', but with a few detours along the way.

However in your notes later on you specifically rebuke the idea of chi as being fictional, instead seeing internal training as being about the power of the mind to direct a relaxed body. I do like what you've written. It's one of the best explanations of the power of 'song' in martial arts out there. This is such an important concept that it bears repeating, practicing, and practicing over and over again.

However, what you've written about 'song' doesn't necessarily preclude the existence of 'chi' to add an extra 'ooommmph' to what you've described with 'song'.

I think you can see where I'm going with the question.... if chi is not real then what is Dai Long Bang talking about? What exactly is he guiding around the body? Is he mistaken? Or is your take that it's just a visualisation, in which case, why bother visualising something going around the body following the microcosm orbit- what functional use is there in that?

I'm curious to know what your take is on what he was talking about if you think there's no such thing as 'chi'. It's just that it's unusal to have first given a case for chi by one author in the book and then have another author say it doesn't exist, all within the same book!

Thanks in advance.

A Reader,

In answer to your questions: "if chi is not real then what is Dai Long Bang talking about?"

I can't answer, Dai lived a couple hundred years ago. He may have believed in some kind of energy flowing around the body. He may have been describing a visualization. I just translated what he purportedly wrote (it was part of the Chinese text).


"why bother visualising something going around the body following the microcosm orbit- what functional use is there in that?"

Exactly.

Thanks Tim.

Dear Tim and A Reader,
As an acupuncturist I would have to say that qi is function. If your body is functioning smoothly then you have good chi. This implies structure, movement, balance and overall health. Qi is much less a noun. It is more a verb. It does something. The ancient chinese had no word for energy.
Take Care,
Chuck

do you do anything... are you a verb?

oh-wait 'chuck' is a verb nevermind. drat. another attempt at humor foiled by reality.

Bob#2

#2 Bob,
what is your point?
oh-wait you are finding humor in something you don't know anything about. drat. another attempt at trying to explain qi wasted on a knucklehead. nevermind.

Chuck

my point was; YOU said Qi is a verb because it does something. I asked if YOU do anything, implying you, too, might be a verb (ha-ha,ho-ho) [speaking as a person who has endured many barbs about my name being a verb- I know PAHLENTY about what I found humorous- and assumed, wrongly you could apprciate a friendly joke from a like-verb named fellow... admit it any heterosexual would rather 'chuck something' than 'bob something' right?]. I didn't realize acupuncturists where so prickly.

And if you think that 52 word post of yours was an actual attempt to explain qi.... the real knuclehead will be awaiting you in the mirror.

Hey Bob #2,
I apologize for the misunderstanding. I didn't get the joke until after I sent the mail.
I got the prickly joke this time. You are right you can't describe qi in 52 words but my definition comes close especially for martial artists.
Sorry about the mix up again.
Chuck

My teacher described "qi" much the same way as Chuck. He said that when all the systems in your body (nervous, hormonal, endocrine...) are functioning properly and in balance, a kind of "vitality" (qi) is the result.

I had heard that qi are just electrical or magnetic fields, bioelectricity in case of humans.