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Complementary and Alternative Healing University Back to main campus Back to qigong home page Eight Sections of Silk (Eight Sections of Brocade, Eight Pieces of Brocade) Taught by: Joe Hing Kwok Chu Recorded by: Vera Eby Retyped and reformatted by: Arnie Miller ( Vera Eby is an English teacher in San Francisco. Arnie Miller is an engineer, a corporate data base supervisor.) Introduction These are mainly stretching exercises coming from the Shaolin Monastery which is well known for its martial arts. They are the preliminary exercises of the martial arts, including eye exercises, massaging points, stretching, and punching. Traditionally these are not classified as neigong exercise. (Neigong was the term before the term qigong became popular). The name "eight sections of silk," also translated as "eight pieces of brocade," is a misnomer. The correct name is "pull and break tendons." Eight Sections of Silk has nothing to do with the number "eight." In Chinese, the names sound almost the same. The former is written as: The latter is written as: Today the name "eight sections of silk" is commonly used. Most books describe the exercise as consisting of eight postures (movements). The first author made the first mistake. Almost all of the subsequent books followed the same mistakes. Today, you can buy books or charts , written by wise men of the Orient, on "twelve sections of silk," "fourteen sections of silk," etc, much more impressive than just "eight sections." Traditionally Chinese authors prided themselves in doing "research" in ancient texts. If there were mistakes in the ancient texts, the mistakes might perpetuate. Some "scholars" even did questionable research by fabricating ancient texts. Many books on "eight sections of silk" describe the exercises as consisting of what they called the scholars' eight sections and martial artists' eight sections. The former exercises are performed sitting on the floor and the latter exercises are performed standing up. Actually the "pull and break tendons" exercises are performed in standing positions and in sitting positions and also in lying down positions. In the class we focus on the more important exercises. The Exercises Click here to see some of the warm up picture. The Outlines (1) Roll the Eyes 36 times (3) Roll the Tongue 36 times (4) Self-Applied Acupressure (5) Movements (6) Stretches
Detail Descriptions * Rolling the eyes With the eyes closed, roll the eyes 36 times to the left and 36 times to the right.With the mouth closed, tap the teeth together lightly 36 times. * Tapping the bones behind the ears Tap the bones lightly 36 times with your index fingers. * Massaging the body Massage the temples. Massage the jaw muscles. Massage the neck muscles, both sides. Massage behind the neck, both sides. Massage the points at the beginning of each eyebrow. Massage each arm, starting on the inside of the arm: the shoulder the upper arm the lower arm the hand Pass one palm over the other, slowly, a few times. Massage the outside of each arm, moving up: the hand the lower arm the upper arm the shoulder W Washing the legs Massage the lower back in the area right above the buttocks; find the sore spot on both sides; press & rub. Massage each side of the hips, where the trunk of the body joins the legs. Massage each leg/foot: the middle of the thigh the knee the lower calf the side of the ankle, four fingers above the bone
Click on the thumb nail picture for a larger and detailed picture for the acupoints.
To Maintain Spleen Channel and Stomach Raise One Arm 調理脾胃單舉手 Stationary Turning the Body Two Hands Supporting the Sky to Maintain Triple Fire Channel 雙手擎天理三焦 Spreading The Bow Left and Right as if Shooting the Eagle 左右開弓似射鵰 Stationary With moving stances Peacock Spreading its Screen The Giant Eagle Spreading its Wings Seven Rocks and Eight Rolls to Get Rid of Hundreds of Illnesses Moving the Head and Swaying the Tail to Get Rid of Fire in Heart Channel Look to the Side and Back To Get Rid of Chronic Problems Two Hands Holding the Feet To Strengthen the Waist and Kidney Channel Twist out the Punches with Angry Look 怒目攥拳增氣力
First warm up the body by loosening from toes to the neck. 1. With hands resting on the waist, men step forward with the left, women step forward with the right. Place more weight on the front and less weight at the back. Rotate the foot at the back in circle to left and right directions while the balls of the foot contacting the ground. Do about 16 circles on each foot. 2. With hands resting on the waist, spread the feet to the left and right about shoulder's width. Rotate the hip in both directions about 16 times. 3. Place the feet together and hands on top of the knees with fingers pointing inward. Rotate the knees about 16 times in both directions to loosen the back. 4. Spread the feet to one leg's length and place the hands on top of the legs a little behind the knees with fingers pointing inward. Look back to the left and to the right and stretch the shoulders one at a time while pressing the shoulder downward and look back. 5. Straight the legs while still holding the legs to rest the body weight partly on the arms and look back to the left and to the right to loosen the back. 6. Stand straight up and stretch the left hand down while stretch the neck up and to the right. Repeat on the other side. Do this a few times. 7. Stretch both hands down and stretch the head up. Do this a few times. The following #8 stretches were recorded by Peter Croke. 8. Place one hand on opposite shoulder. Place other hand under the * 1. Spread the legs & lean forward. 2. Bend one knee & move the leg so the foot is positioned at the crotch; lean towards the straight leg; put your hands behind your back, twist, and turn, looking out to stretch the shoulder. At the same time, with the elbow on the inside of the knee, grip the ankle with your hand. 3. Bend the left leg with the foot positioned at the crotch; bend the right leg with the foot facing out. Lean to the right & massage the right hip joint. Reverse and do the other leg. 4. In a sitting position with your feet together and touching at the bottom, roll forward & back, gripping the ankles or feet. 5. Lie on the floor with the arms extended and palms out. Bending the knee & keeping the foot flat on the floor, raise the right leg. Cross the left leg over the right with the ankle on the right thigh, just above the knee. Stretch the neck and look back. Reverse & do the other leg. 6. With the arms extended and the knees up, turn toward the right and look to the left; then turn toward the left & look to the right. 7. With the right knee up, grasp it with the left hand and pull it to the left & then back to the right. Then reverse and bring up the left knee, pulling it with your right hand. 8. Bring both knees up toward the chest; first, grip the left with your hand, pulling down and toward you; then do the same with the right. 9. Cross the right knee over the left. Then do the opposite. 10. Raise the legs up high and do the windmill (walking on a cloud). 11. With knees bent and feet flat on the ground, raise the buttocks slowly, straightening the spine, one vertebra at a time. Now gradually lower the buttocks & flatten the back, one vertebra at a time. 12. Lower the legs, so they are extended straight out. Exhale deeply. Begin to loosen the body, starting with the toes and loosening the parts of the body in the following sequence: the toes the ankles the knees the legs the hips the perineum the dan tian the belly button area the upper belly the chest the shoulders the elbows the wrists the hands the neck the head the face the throat eventually the whole body
Closing: With eyes remaining closed, roll them in big circles. Then open the eyes, looking far in the distance, then closer and closer, and finally blinking, looking around you.
Click here to see a research report on the beneficial effect of Eight Sections of Silk. Classes held in San Francisco Bay Area Sponsors' Ads by Google:
Last update: Sept 29, 2008; 12:27 p.m. LAH |
(eight sections of silk)
(pull and break tendons)