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Yang Jwing-Ming — Tai Chi Qigong: The Internal Foundation of Tai Chi Chuan (reading overview)

Type: Reading overview — summary of content, no verbatim excerpts Author: Yang Jwing-Ming (Dương Chưởng Minh / 楊俊敏) Original size: ~11.2 MB · 355-page PDF (thick, textbook-style) Original PDF: tai-chi-qigong-internal-foundation.pdf

What this book is about, in my reading

This is the thickest and most systematic book in my Tai Chi library. Yang Jwing-Ming is a Chen-style Tai Chi disciple and founder of the YMAA school system in the United States. This book is a textbook on the qigong foundation of Tai Chi — not a form-teaching book.

The book structure has 4 large parts: 1. Theory of qi and qigong — what qi is according to TCM, different from qi in physics 2. Marrow (bone marrow) and Essence (jing) — the biological foundation of qi 3. Specific qigong exercises — Mars, Earth, Marrow Washing, Dantian 4. Application to Tai Chi — how to bring qigong foundation into form

About the author Yang Jwing-Ming

Yang Jwing-Ming (born 1946) is Taiwanese, studied Hsing-I under master Hsu Ching-Dong, and Chen-style Tai Chi under master Chen Pan-Ling. He came to the US in 1974 and founded the YMAA school system. He has written many books (over 30) on Tai Chi, Bagua, Hsing-I, and qigong.

What I like about Yang: he tries to bridge TCM concepts with modern scientific explanation (biology, physics). This helps Western practitioners avoid confusion when reading old Chinese texts.

Concepts I noted

  • Jing (精): Basic essence, the source of qi. Stored in the kidneys.
  • Qi (氣): Biological energy, circulating through meridians.
  • Shen (神): Spirit, consciousness. Directs qi.
  • Sui (髓): Marrow, the nutrient for bone and brain. The "sea" of jing.

These three are closely related: Jing → Qi → Shen. Jing transforms into Qi, Qi becomes Shen. Lose Jing, lose Qi. Lose Shen, lose Qi.

The Mars exercise (Ma Tsai / 馬藏)

Yang Jwing-Ming introduces the Ma Tsai (Mars) exercise — a foundation qigong said to be passed down by Laozi. The exercise has 3 parts: 1. Inhale, raise hands up 2. Exhale, lower hands down, relax 3. Gather qi at the dantian

Effect: warms the kidneys, strengthens jing, nourishes qi. I practiced for 3 months and found my back warmer and sleep deeper.

Download the original

📄 tai-chi-qigong-internal-foundation.pdf — 11.2 MB · 355 pages · English

Note: This article is a personal reading overview. The book is copyrighted by the author — for personal reference only.

  • Qigong — foundation before form
  • Jing - Qi - Shen: three layers of internal practice
  • Ma Tsai (Mars) exercise — beginning of internal practice