| Neigong | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 內功 | ||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | internal strength or skill | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Neigong (internal strength[1] or internal skill[2]), also spellednei kung,neigung, ornae gong, refers to a series of internal changes that a practitioner goes through when following the path toDao, and these changes may be achieved through practices includingqigong ortai chi.[3]Neigong is also associated withxingyi quan.[4]
Neigong practice is normally associated with the so-called "soft style", "internal" orneijia Chinese martial arts, as opposed to the category known aswaigong外功 or "external skill" which is historically associated withShaolin kung fu or the so-called "hard style", "external" orwaijia Chinese martial arts.[citation needed] Both have many different schools, disciplines and practices and historically there has been mutual influence between the two and distinguishing precisely between them differs from school to school.[citation needed]
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The martial art school ofneigong emphasises training the coordination of the individual's body with thebreath, known as "the harmonisation of the inner and outer energy (內外合一)", creating a basis for a particular school's method of utilising power and technique.
Neigong exercises that are part of theneijia tradition involve cultivating physical stillness and or conscious (deliberate) movement, designed to produce relaxation or releasing of muscular tension combined with special breathing techniques such as the "tortoise" or "reverse" methods. The fundamental purpose of this process is to develop a high level of coordination, concentration and technical skill that is known in the martial arts world asneijin (內勁). The ultimate purpose of this practice is for the individual to become at one with heaven or theDao (天人合一). AsZhuang Zhou stated, "Heaven, earth and I are born of one, and I am at one with all that exists (天地與我並生, 萬物與我唯一)".
Martialneigong is about developing internal power. One way to possibly achieve this is to train particular exercises regularly where the breath is matched with movements of blood or to effect the movement of blood throughout the body. Through these exercises it can be possible to move the blood to a particular area during a particular movement to have a particular result. One of the benefits of martialneigong exercises is the relaxation of blood vessels, nerves, muscles and sinews to help the body move more freely. With the body moving freely and an excess of blood moving to a particular area with little or no effort, the practitioner can possibly develop many benefits. These benefits may include:
Anyone looking to learnneigong sincerely is more likely to learn it from a good teacher of internal martial arts likexingyi quan. It is rare to learn authentic Daoist practices from a true master of the subject as quite a lot of theneigong skills are an essential part of a complete system of martial arts.Neigong is not a philosophy, but a technique and an art of inner cultivation. There are intellectual guidelines to the practice ofneigong, but it is "Inner Work" which means effort has to be put in to develop real, substantial and testable skills. This is not something that can be imagined or talked about, only from direct experience and hard effort can an understanding of neigong develop.
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Wuxia andxianxiafiction often portray the training of neigong as giving practitioners superhuman powers. For example, one may useqi to attack opponents without physical contact, fly withqinggong, or harden the body to resist weapon attacks. These can be seen in novels byJin Yong andGu Long, films such asCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,Shaolin Soccer andKung Fu Hustle, as well as video games such asThe Legend of Sword and Fairy andXuan-Yuan Sword.
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| TCM and philosophy | ||
| Traditional practices | ||
| Qigong forms and styles | ||
| Qigong masters |
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| Spiritual movements and politics | ||
| Related topics | ||
