To truly understand the meaning of "qi sinking in the abdomen", we must first understand the two concepts of "qi" and "abdomen" and how to sink.
First, dantian
Where is the "abdomen" in the human body? The following lists various statements for reference and analysis.
1, Shenque point. It belongs to Renmai and is located in the umbilicus. The back is opposite to Mingmen point (Du meridian, the depression under the second spinous process of lumbar spine), which is where the umbilical cord breaks.
2. Qihai point. It belongs to Renmai, also known as Xia Qihai. Located in the midline in front of the body, one and a half inches below the umbilicus.
3. Shimen point. It belongs to Renmai, alias Dantian. Located in the midline in front of the body, two inches below the navel.
4. Guanyuan point. It belongs to Renmai, located on the median line in front of the body, three inches below the umbilicus.
From the point of view of acupoints, there is a difference of three inches from top to bottom.
Some people divide dantian into three places: upper, middle and lower.
5, go to Dantian, Tang Yindian. Aliases include Zuqiao, Xuanqiao, Kongqiao, Stealing Roots, Mountain Roots, Zonggen, Tiangen, Rooted Roots, Square Inch, Yuanmen and Zhongmiaomen. It is the place where the Yuan "God" originated and the gateway of Niwan Naofu, which is very important in the human body.
6. Zhongdiantian, Zhongshan Point. It belongs to Renmai, also known as Shanghai Qi Sea, which is a sea of "Qi". Located on the median line of the forebody, between the breasts, on the median line of the sternum, and between the flat fourth ribs.
7. Xiadantian, it is said that there are points such as Shenque, Qihai, Shimen and Guanyuan. In order to store the "boutique" warehouse.
In addition, the upper abdomen, the middle abdomen and the lower abdomen are defined as:
8. Go to Dantian and Baihui. It is located seven inches above the hairline, about the midpoint of the line connecting the pinna tips on both sides, in the center of the head.
9. Xiadantian, Yin Hui Point. Located in the middle of perineum, between the anterior vulva and anus. This is the starting point of Ren and Du.
10, Zhongdian Day, located at the intersection of Baihui point in Shangdantian and Yin Hui point in Xiadantian, Shenque point and Mingmen point.
The connection between Baihui point and Yin Hui point of human body is called "pulse-rushing". Shenque point passes through Mingmen point, and the circle line around the waist is called "belt pulse". "Pulse pulse" is equivalent to the head and upper torso of the human body. In this way, its position is farther away. Most parts of the Tian Chan mentioned above are used for Qigong. Tian Chan mentioned in martial arts is considered to be in the lower abdomen. Although there is a distance between Qihai, Shimen and Guanyuan, the understanding of "face" is the same.
Second, qi
China people's understanding of "Qi" is very complicated. It is not just a gas in physics. The "qi" mentioned here refers to the "qi" inside the human body. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the origin of "Qi" is an extremely subtle and profound problem, and it is also an important topic to be studied and discussed in the development of modern anthropology.
Some people in the field of traditional Chinese medicine believe that the growth, development, movement and change of everything in the universe (birth, growth, transformation, collection and storage) are all the functions of "qi" The reason why people have life activities is also caused by the function of "Qi". "The sky is big, and people are Xiaotian". The atmosphere of the universe (the air in the sky) and the vitality of the human body (the air of life) are constantly moving. The human body is a whole, and so are man and heaven and earth. Because human anger is closely related to the atmosphere of the sky. Zhang Jingyue, a sage of traditional Chinese medicine, said in his classic works: "Qi is the basis of a person's biochemistry, and nothing in the world can do anything about it ... A person's life depends on it." Since the embryonic period of human beings, qi has sprouted, because the fetus absorbs nutrition and develops by the mother's internal breathing, which requires relying on the mother's ancestral qi (essence). After the fetus left the mother and cut the umbilical cord, it began to exchange gas with the atmosphere with a cry of "wow" by virtue of its own function.
"Qi" has no certain shape and can't be seen or touched, but it is a substance that can spread freely. "Qi" flows in the human body, and it can be found anywhere in the whole body, whether inside or outside the body. Being born in nature and the day after tomorrow, it is known as congenital ancestral qi (essence qi) and acquired valley qi (stomach qi).
The qi of the human body, also called "true qi", said in the chapter "Jie Zhen vented by Ling Shu La": "Those who are really angry are subject to heaven, and those who are full of qi are also". This shows that the true qi itself is inherited from nature, derived from the natural qi, merged with Shui Gu's dietary qi, and has the function of nourishing the whole body. "The true qi is vitality. The air in the sky is influenced by the nose and dominated by the throat. Shui Gu's breath enters his mouth and is swallowed. But the clock (concentrated) was called congenital qi at the beginning of its birth. What is born after birth is called acquired qi. The qi in yang is yang; The qi in yin is yin, and the qi in exterior and interior is Wei Qi; Qi zaiying; Flatulence in the spleen; Stomach qi is in the stomach; Zongqi in Jiao Yue; Medium coke means medium gas; In Xiajiao, it is called the Qi of Yuan Yin and Yuanyang.
The primordial qi includes the qi of Yuan Yin and Yuanyang, also known as "primordial qi", because it comes from innate essence, but it is constantly propagated through acquired nutrition. "Thirty-six Difficult Classics" said: "Those who are predestined friends are gods, the home of essence, and the home of vitality." "Mingmen" has the key meaning of life portal, where the innate qi lies, the source of human biochemistry and the foundation of life. So Zhang Jingyue said, "Mingmen is the root of vitality, the house of fire and water, and the Yin Qi of the five internal organs, otherwise it can't nourish. The yang of the five internal organs can't be sent without it. " The fire of "Mingmen" embodies the function of kidney yang (Yuanyang); The water of "Mingmen" embodies the essence of kidney yin (Yuan Yin). Therefore, "Mingmen" is the home of fire and water, and the fire of "Mingmen" (the kidney's Yuan Yang) also includes the function of adrenal cortex in modern medicine.
Kidney controls water and stores essence, which is the place where the human body is yin; The life gate is dominated by fire, rising, and it is the place where the human body is Yuanyang. Yuan Yin is the innate true water, and Yuanyang is the innate true fire. The relationship between the two is that yin and yang are mutually rooted, and water and fire help each other. Only by combining yin and yang with fire and water can the true qi be produced. True lacquer is not only the vitality of human beings, but also the source of personal biochemistry.
The "Qi" with various names mentioned above belongs to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. These "qi" referred to by Chinese medicine are the driving force for the normal operation of various organs of the human body. Obviously, this kind of "qi" is not the "qi" that we discussed.
As I said before, "those who are angry in heaven are subject to their noses and throats." In other words, the atmosphere in the sky enters through the nose, enters the lungs through the throat and exchanges gas with the human body. This "qi" is a real gas that can enter people's bodies. Everyone knows this common sense of breathing oxygen and carbon.
Third, how does the law "sink"
Some practitioners call it "gas penetration abdomen" (mainly refers to the lower abdomen, lower abdomen), also known as "gas sinking abdomen" or "abdomen gas injection method" That is: when inhaling, I feel angry and go down to my lower abdomen. When exhaling, this "qi" is slowly spit out from the lower abdomen, intentionally sinking, so that the lower abdomen feels something, which is called "qi permeating the abdomen". When inhaling deeply, the diaphragm decreases greatly, which can directly squeeze the liver, spleen, stomach, intestine and other organs, producing downward force. In addition, through purposeful air introduction, the feeling of air penetration will naturally appear over time, and the sense of force will be integrated into one, thus forming the abdomen of air penetration. The gas permeates the abdomen, which can make the gas move down and promote the formation of abdominal breathing. In addition, when the gas penetrates the abdomen, the lower abdomen does protrude when inhaling and retract when exhaling.
There are still many practitioners who only interpret "qi sinking in the abdomen" as "deepening breathing as much as possible, lengthening the frequency, and leading the breathing gas down to the abdomen".
Analyzing these explanations, it is not difficult to see that people who speak this truth are imaginative. Anyone with a little knowledge of physiology knows that the gas exchange between the human body and the outside air mainly depends on the lungs. The only internal organ in which air can enter and exit is the lung. It is impossible for outside air to pass through the lung floor and diaphragm to reach the abdomen, let alone go deep into the abdomen. It should be said that "abdominal deep breathing" has the contraction and expansion of abdominal muscles and the breathing movement of the chest, which increases the inhalation volume.
Others regard "staying in the belly" as "sinking into the belly". They say that when practicing, concentrate your spirit, thoughts and ideas on your abdomen. Because of long-term careful guidance and observation, we can realize the spirit, which is the so-called "stomach sinking with qi" and "consciously guarding the stomach" is one of the methods of qigong exercise. In Qigong, the "guiding technique" is concentrated in "Xuanqiao" (Tangyin point in Upper Dantian), Zhongshan point in Middle Dantian and abdomen in Lower Dantian. Then the "idea (air mass, heat sensation)" is circulated as "small Sunday". After in-depth work, it can also be extended to the eight veins of upper and lower limbs, such as "Yin dimension, Yang dimension, Yin orifices and Yang orifices" to operate and become "big Sunday". This is Qigong, not Tai Ji Chuan. ) Tai Ji Chuan can only show "ideas" on the applied body parts. You can't apply "ideas" to the abdomen, feet or other parts. There are many similarities, similarities or similarities between Tai Ji Chuan and Qigong, but it can never be said that Tai Ji Chuan is equal to Qigong. Therefore, "sinking belly" is by no means "keeping belly" (sinking belly).
There is also a saying among people in the field of traditional Chinese medicine: vitality is dantianqi.
"The vitality comes from the innate nature. The knot of the embryo has a little qi in the middle, which is born of the innate essence. Even the vitality of the sea is acquired. Get the shadow of your mother and play a role. The vitality of the day after tomorrow depends on the constant nourishment of the essence (the author should press: the gas of the five grains of diet and nutrition) in order to maintain the normal growth and development of the human body. Therefore, the stronger the vitality, the stronger the viscera and the stronger the body. Therefore, practitioners attach great importance to cultivating vitality to lay a solid foundation. " The theory of traditional Chinese medicine can be said in this way, but it cannot be applied to Tai Ji Chuan. Otherwise, the vitality is the vitality of the abdomen, that is, the vitality of the acquired gas sea. This qi naturally exists in the abdomen of Qi Hai, so why should we say "the abdomen of Qi Shen"?
Both ancient Chinese medicine and modern Chinese medicine theory say that human body "Qi" has various names. This kind of "qi" is not found in western medicine, physiology and anatomy, and needs to be studied and discussed. We should admit that this kind of "qi" exists in human body. But it is not the "qi" of the "qi sinking in the abdomen" we discussed. Of course, there are many gases in the human body, most of which are in the lungs, followed by the abdomen. There are gases in other organs and even cells. However, these gases cannot be dominated by consciousness, nor can they change their posture and position. In other words, these gases can't be concentrated in the abdomen (lower abdomen) because of people's thoughts or actions.
So, how can we "sink into the sky"? According to the author's own experience and research on many predecessors' expositions, combined with general scientific principles, the argument is as follows:
1. Determine the position of the abdomen first.
The Tian Dan position mentioned by practitioners has been introduced before, and it may not be added if there are omissions. Generally speaking, Tian Dan is in the lower abdomen. Is it just a point or area on the epidermis? That's not true. The acupoints of acupuncture do not refer to epidermis, but to the place where you feel and find "qi" after needling into the tissue for a fixed depth.
"Dantian" is what Taoism (Taoist, alchemist) calls a place to practice "elixir" in the body. Of course, this place where Dan is hidden cannot be on the surface. So, how deep should it go from the skin surface? Unfortunately, the author did not find reliable data. So this distance was chosen by the spokesman himself. The author now stipulates that the specific position of "Dantian" is the vertical intersection of the central axis (impulse) when standing from the highest point of the lower abdomen to the body. Expand this point into a group. It fully meets the requirements of "Xiadantian" conditions. People in China often say that "essence, qi and spirit" have their own positions, and they live in the lower, middle and upper abdomen respectively. Hiding essence in Xiadantian is "the place to practice essence"; Zhongdian Tianzang Qi is a "place to practice Qi"; Going to Dantian to hide the gods is "the place to cultivate gods is still empty." The present "Dantian" is located between the small intestine, which is the main storehouse for the output of nutritional essence and the base camp for reproductive semen.
2. What kind of "Qi" can be moved by changes in consciousness and form.
The Qi of Tai Ji Chuan's Shen Dantian is actually the center of gravity of the human body. The center of gravity is like a bubble in a level. When properly placed, this bubble is in the center.
3. "Tian"
It is through the change of body posture that the center of gravity sinks to the "abdomen" of this statement.
The center of gravity is the resultant force of gravity (gravity) of all parts of an object. The point of action of this resultant force is called the center of gravity of this object. The center of gravity of the human body is not constant at one point like an object. Because physiological processes such as respiration, digestion and blood circulation are carried out in the human body all the time. And more importantly, the human body has different shapes and often changes into various postures and motion States. Therefore, the center of gravity of human body moves within a certain range with the progress of physiological process and different postures. According to the research results, in general, when standing upright, the body center of gravity is about 7 cm in front of the upper edge of the third sacrum, which is equivalent to about 4 ~ 5 cm behind the frontal axis of the hip joint.
Because of the above reasons, the center of gravity often swings up and down, back and forth, left and right in the range of 5 ~ 10 cm.
Now let's talk about how to make the center of gravity sink to the abdomen.
People can move their center of gravity up when they are hard, straight and stiff. On the other hand, if you can relax all over, you can keep your original posture and lower your center of gravity.
To make the center of gravity sink to the middle of the lower abdomen, the two most critical conditions are:
1, which makes the diaphragm move in vivo, most people can feel and experience it. When you do "chest breathing", you hold your chest out, put your back under your armpit, and lift your cervical spine backwards, and you will feel that you have grown taller. This is actually a "side effect" of the center of gravity shift. If you follow many postures of Tai Ji Chuan, such as "holding your chest and pulling your back, loosening your shoulders and hanging your elbows ..." and "abdominal breathing", you can lower your center of gravity. At this time, the rise and fall of the center of gravity mainly depends on the rise and fall (contraction) and sinking (relaxation) of the diaphragm. Usually, the functional activities of internal organs are not controlled by consciousness, but skeletal muscle and physical activities can really affect internal organs, lungs and diaphragm, which is the most obvious example. Relatively speaking, the diaphragm can adjust the proper position of some internal organs. Therefore, "Neijia" Kung Fu advocates "empty stomach", that is, let the diaphragm relax, promote the center of gravity to sink to "Dantian", make breathing smooth and calm, and let the brain get rid of other thoughts and enter the realm of tribute.
2. In vitro, if the waist is tightened forward or relaxed backward, the center of gravity can move up and down, which is not easy for people who have not practiced. To make sure it can be moved, you can do an experiment like this.
People who can swim generally know that if you want to float on the water, the specific posture must be as far back as possible, with your ears immersed in the water and your nose and mouth exposed. This is not only to facilitate breathing through the nose and mouth, but also to reach the neck and back and stand up. Second, the navel should be above the water. The requirement of this method is to tighten the waist and increase the curvature of the lumbar spine protruding forward. Its purpose is to make the body's center of gravity rise. The mass ratio of human lower limbs is greater than that of chest and abdomen. If you want to make the heavier lower limbs float, you must lift the center of gravity upwards, otherwise it will not float.
If you can't swim, it doesn't matter if you can't get into deep water. You can experience it in the shower. The body leans in the water, the back of the head leans against the pool and the legs are straight. Without changing other parts of the body and posture, if the waist is slightly stiff forward, the buttocks can float, and if the waist is slightly relaxed backward, the buttocks naturally sink. This experiment can also show that standing and relaxing the waist can make the center of gravity rise and fall.
Therefore, in order to make the center of gravity of the practitioner sink to the abdomen, we must first adjust the correct posture. Especially the internal and external two key points. To practice Tai Ji Chuan, we must be "empty-minded and energetic", take care of each other, be consistent from top to bottom, and never neglect one thing. And practice special posture requirements. Such as: hanging head, straight eyes, natural face, tight lips and teeth, tongue and palate, breathing through nose, loosening shoulders and elbows, stretching out the chest and pulling back, loosening waist and folding hips, slipping hips and wrapping hips, bending knees and folding ankles, and spreading fingers (toes) and palms.
These requirements are to relax the joints and muscles of the whole body, and not to make the joints forcibly closed and the muscles tense and stiff. Similarly, the spirit, mood, emotions and thoughts should be relaxed, calm, comfortable and focused. More even, relaxed, slow and deep breathing. Internal factors are also the conditions to promote the rise and fall of human center of gravity. The above also applies to Qigong techniques of pranayama and intentional defense. Qigong experts pay attention to the "three games-Xuanqiao, Zhongshan and Qihai" before, and the "three passes-tail, spine and jade pillow" after. Further achieve the spirit of "such as nine curved beads, no shortcomings". All these high-level kung fu must start with posture. If you can't make the body's center of gravity drop to the "abdomen" in the lower abdomen, other kungfu is equal to white practice. Maybe some people have not realized that they want to do this subjectively, but people with profound kung fu can do it naturally. If we know this truth when popularizing and popularizing Tai Ji Chuan, when we begin to learn Tai Ji Chuan or are about to get started, and learn the essentials of sports, we can get twice the result with half the effort.
Finally, talk about why practicing Tai Ji Chuan will "hold your breath". People usually refer to Xingyiquan, Bagua and Taiji as family boxing. The main difference between them and other martial arts boxing is to bend your knees and lower your center of gravity. Taiji Chuan not only bends the knees, but also requires attention to "looseness and intention" from beginning to end, so that the center of gravity in the body drops to the lower abdomen (abdomen) without sudden changes in movements. This is the most important feature of Neijia Boxing. According to the particularity of Tai Ji Chuan, there are the following reasons for demanding "sinking the stomach and abdomen":
(1) empirical abdomen refers to people standing or moving on the ground, the center of gravity has dropped to the lowest possible position. We all know that the stability of the human body when standing determines whether the vertical line is in the supporting bottom area. If it is in it, it is stable, and if the vertical point is in the best position in the center of the supporting bottom area, it is the most stable. If you are close to the edge, you are in danger of tilting. If you move out of the support zone, it will fall. This is not only the true meaning of "healthy and upright, full of support". With the same large supporting bottom area, the lower the center of gravity and the larger the stability angle, the more stable you stand, and the easier it is to master your own balance. Of course, lowering the height of the center of gravity is based on the principle of facilitating movement.
(2) When the human body is standing or exercising, if it descends to an appropriate low level, the limbs can stretch and flex longer, which is beneficial to advance and retreat. In addition, according to the parallelogram graphic law of force, the smaller the angle formed between the human body and the ground when standing forward, the greater the resultant force. For example, if someone leans against an object that is not greater than his weight, he can push the object as long as his body makes a certain inclination angle. Although he himself has no subjective desire to push hard. In fact, the force generated by his own weight tilt is enough to push the object.
③ The lower the center of gravity, the more relaxed, light, agile and free the movements, and the more stable, even and deep breathing. A low center of gravity makes the spirit, thoughts and emotions comfortable, concentrated and calm. In order to better guide actions with consciousness.
"thirteen potential exercises" says "practice with your heart" and "mind first, body later" Master Yang Yuting also said: "Take intention as the command and body as the guide", "Consciousness is the first leading factor". Therefore, when shaping various postures or completing the required actions, we must first be guided by ideas. The vanguard role of thought is also an indispensable internal factor to realize "Qi Shen Dan Tian".
Based on the above examples and viewpoints, it can be concluded that "Tai Ji Chuan's requirement for Shen Dantian" means that when pushing hands in boxing, whether it is "static" between fixed moments or "movement" in the process of continuous action, it is necessary to use "consciousness to guide the action" and "completely relax the body and mind". In particular, the relaxation of the waist (making the largest waist arch on the spine bend forward and vertical backward) can make your center of gravity sink to the intersection of the central axis and the lower part of the lower abdomen. In this way, we really achieved the goal of sinking into the sky.