Taoyin (Daoyin) vs Qigong

Taoyin is ancient Taoist practice believed that first time appeared before 2000B.C. The term “Tao Yin” was first used in Chuang Tzu: Chapter 15 Rigid and Arrogant. During the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC–220 AD) further progress in Taoyin exercise was made. The Sui and Tang Dynasties (581 AD–907 AD) witnessed the further advancements of Taoyin practice and had great influence on later generations.

There is an error in presuming that Taoyin is or was equal in method and objectives as the current, collective topic of Qigong. Qigong is of recent nomenclature and collects a body of knowledge not extending as far back and being equivalent to Tao yin. Many people believe that Taoyin is a forerunner of Qigong and that is true but only to certain extent. The only truth is that large portion of Taoyin practice was absorbed into Qigong practice but with different goals and altered way of practice. Many wrongly use words Qigong and Taoyin as synonymies. In China Taoyin is defined as the ancient health practice and that opinion spread to the West and it is widely supported by western Qigong teachers, but this definition is inaccurate and incomplete. While both practices deal with health and Taoyin influenced greatly later practice of Qigong there is a significant difference between these two. Qigong, as it was explained before was created in early 1950’s as a therapeutic method which supposed to fill the gap in the health care created by civil war and lack of real medical doctors. Whine Taoyin does preserve health and can be used for the same purposes as Qigong, and both practices have foundation in Taoism, there is a significant difference. Taoyin literally means guiding and leading. Tao refers to the fact that physical movements are guided by the strength of the mind and in turn stimulate the internal flow of Qi within the body. Yin means that with the aid of physical movements, Qi can reach the extremities of the body. On basic level Taoyin exercises generally to emphasize the clearing of the tissue channels to open and invigorate the body. The mind is directed to the extremities and even a distance outside the body. Breathing also tends to be slightly more vigorous than in Qigong. Taoyin exercises are often more complex with precise body mechanics to open and stretch. As such, it is more demanding and strenuous than Qigong. Through physical movements, practicing Taoyin exercise can create the harmony of Qi and blood in the body, thus achieving the purpose of preventing disease, improving health and accelerating the recovery of limb function. Taoyin exercise involves breathing, massaging through stretching and twisting arms and legs, particular set of precisely executed movements and mental focus which act together to direct the flow of Qi. In this sense Taoyin and Qigong are quite similar, but similarities stop here. Main and only focus of Qigong is physical health, nothing beyond that. Some teachers on the west and in recent years in China are trying to promote Qigong as a spiritual practice but that is certainly not true and Qigong was not originally created for any spiritual and religious purposes. On the other hand Taoyin focuses on the body as the main vehicle of the attainment, health is necessary in order to start transformation that leads to self-realization and perfection. The body in Taoyin is an integral part of body-mind-cosmos continuum and can’t be viewed separately or independently from this continuum. In the very foundation of this continuum is Tao , the unconditional and unknowable source and guiding principle of all reality. Although Tao is beyond human perception and understanding it manifests its self actively in natural world though rhythmical processes and changes. Qi is concrete aspect of Tao, the material energy of the universe, the basic building material of everything that exists, it animates life, gives shape to the mater and manifests as functional power. Qi is the base of human life, the quality and flow of Qi determine the state of the body. Health manifests as balance and harmony of Qi flow which can be moderated and regulated. The state of harmonious flow of Qi which manifests through health is called Zhengqi Life is accumulation of Qi, death is dispersal of it. Qi can be accumulated through breathing, food, emotional and social interaction, sex. Qi can also be lost through all these activities if not done properly. The opposite of health is xieqi or pathogenic Qi which occur when harmonious flow of Qi in the body is disrupted and no longer support life and causes decline of health. When xieqi becomes dominant it turns the body against its self and depletes the body resources. This means that person is no longer in harmony with himself and with the world. Qi manifests its self through two opposites Yin and Yang which interact and change through five phases (Wuxing). The purpose of Taoyin is to create perfect harmony among these various forces and processes. Taoyin in conjunction with other Taoist’s practices aims to develop perfect persons who have identified their life rhythms so completely with the rhythm of the forces of nature that they have become indistinguishable from them and share their immortality and infinity, which is above the cycle of ordinary life and death. At the beginner’s stage practitioners gain good health and over time as they become more proficient in their practice, they regain youth vitality and prolong their lives. In higher stages of practice, with the transformation of the practitioner the practice of Taoyin transforms as well and changes into deep meditation practice (word meditation is used in absence of better term, Taoist’s meditative states are different from Buddhist or Hinduist meditation practices). Practitioner reaches higher level of awareness and oneness with the Tao.  

There are many “ancient” martial arts today that teach Qigong as a part of their curriculum, most of them claim that Qigong part is as “ancient’ as their art. Some style undergone extreme changes, like Tai Chi Chuan and Bagua and in recent times completely new styles were formed like Liu He Ba Fa to completely incorporate “Qigong” in their forms and complete practice. These styles don’t look anything like same styles 100 years ago. It is obvious that no styles could have Qigong part simply because Qigong simply didn’t exist until early 1950’s. On the other hand there are very few styles that incorporate Taoyin in their practice and there is a style which is completely based in Taoyin, that style is Zonghe Quan, Vibrating Crane. All White Crane styles find basic foundation in Taoyin tradition. ‘’Three battles” form or San Jin is a complete Taoyin exercise. When we talk about Zonghe Quan it is more than obvious that complete style is an elaborate system of Taoyin created to be used for fighting purposes as well as for personal development and growth. San Jin form of Zonghe Quan is incredible, multilevel training exercise. On purely physical level this form teaches proper body mechanics, body structure, proper ways to generate force, proper footwork, etc. On intellectual level forms contains basic principles and strategies of the system and from those principles and strategies additional forms and drills were derived. On spiritual level, persistent practice of San Jin form will bring different effects upon different practitioners. 

One ohter style has a foundation in Taoyin. Sanke Crane Wing Chun first form , much like Zonghe San Jin form is an elaborate, multy level exercise that among onter things incoroporates Taoyin , or more precisely, Taoyin was further developed to serve the martial purpose on purely phisical and also intelectual level. Whether Snake Crane Wing Chun was originally made this way or it was developed in the direction of using Taoyin as a foundation later will remain a mystery but it is the only Wing Chun style that is based in this ancient practie.

 As we can see Taoyin and Qigong are not synonimes and these terms define two distinct and very different practices