Chinese Qi Gong is one of the treasures of
Chinese culture. While it is usually thought of as useful for
prolonging life and healthy lifestyles, Qi Gong also
incorporates other classical arts from the Chinese tradition.
In the Tang Dynasty Chinese people used Qi Gong
as a means for maintaining and improving health. In recent
years, Qi Gong is regaining its popularity. Qi Gong exercises
have been shown to heal disease, maintain health, prolong life,
and increase wisdom and well being. Millions of Qi Gong
practitioners are using scientific methods to research Qi Gong.
Ancient Chinese Qi Gong is dancing on the stage of modern
science.
THE LOST MUSIC
THERAPY APPEARS AGAIN
Shen Wu developed his
original Musical Qi Gong after studying the "Yellow Emperor's
Manual of Internal Medicine". The music is based on the theory
of classic tones and of Yang and Yin in Chinese traditional
medicine. The effects of Shen Wu's Musical Qi Gong have been
confirmed by many experimental procedures.
| Medicine |
Music |
White |
Wood |
Silk |
|
藥 |
樂 |
白
|
木 |
絲 |
A Chinese character is composed of the form and
the meaning. However, people seldom notice the composition of
the character for "medicine” (note1). The symbol for “grass” is
on the top and the symbol for music, on the bottom. The
character that indicates "music" is composed of the words of
"white", "wood", and "silk" respectively. In ancient times,
these were all musical instruments. According to the five
elements, the white color corresponds to the metal, gold. In the
Yellow Emperor's Manual, it is the symbol for the lung,
which takes air into the body (inspiration), and where the
spirit is said to lie. Wood is the symbol for the liver, which
corresponds to the circulation of blood. The ancient Chinese
describe the soul as hidden there.
Tradition accepts that the combination of the
soul and the spirit result in strong blood circulation and well
being, allowing for the emergence of enlightenment.
On the top of the character for "music", there are
two characters for "silk" on either side. Music played with the
musical instrument, silk (or strings), can touch the heart and
soothe the heart meridian. Also, the music strengthens the heart and
keeps the spirit and the soul circulating throughout the body. One,
having recovered from illness would express joy. Therefore, the
character "music" came to represent joy.
Judging from the above explanations, music and
musical instruments offered medicinal care to the human body. In
ancient times, people used music as a kind of therapy.
According to "The Yellow Emperor's Manual of
Internal Medicine" written five thousand years ago, a doctor
named Mio‑Fu, sat on the floor, playing a bamboo pipe as medical
treatment. As time passed, people discovered that herbs could be
useful in treating physical ailments. People then added "grass" to
the top of the character for "music", completing the word for
“medicine”.
Gong, Shang, Jieu, Zhe, and Yu are five notes,
corresponding, respectively, to the five tastes--sweet, sour,
bitter, salty and spicy. The idea of medical treatment using the
five notes came before that of the five flavors, but both were
popular among the people of the time. However, with the increase in
efficacy of herbal medicine, the use of music as medicine vanished
completely.
Apparently, politics was alive and well in ancient
China. The disappearance of music as medicine has an interesting
history. In the beginning of Spring and Autumn (about 722‑484 B.C.),
patients went to doctor "Tsu Yo" for medical treatment. Tsu Yo
would wave a tender bamboo stick in an orderly rhythm, making
simultaneous sounds like a song or melody. Gradually, the emperor
chose this music for its calming qualities. The ruling class,
however, feared that people would be so intoxicated with music that
the military forces would be weakened and the country would become
defenseless. Therefore, they tried to monopolize the music,
dictating that music could only be played in the palace.
Subsequently, saint Confucius decided to rate music, allowing each
level to be listened to in accordance with one’s social class.
During the Chin Dynasty, the ruler burned all the books and killed
the scholars. All the musical scores were burned and music as a
medical treatment disappeared. Though recollected by the people in
the Tang Dynasty, to serve as medical treatment, music was only
permitted for the royal families. The rulers of the Shung Dynasty
regarded music as an extravagant way of life, thus rendering it
unpopular.
Only under two conditions would music therapy
emerge again: (1) the appearance of a student who is familiar
with the five tones and rhythm, as well as a knowledge of
musical instruments and proficiency in the five elements; and
(2) one who is a great Qi Gong practitioner. There was only one
such person in a period of five hundred years.
Shen Wu was born in the central part of Mainland
China. He played musical instruments and practiced Qi Gong from
an early age. He was inspired to apply his learning to
re-develop musical therapy into an alternative medical treatment
that has brought great benefit to thousands of patients.
According to "The Yellow Emperor's Manual of
Internal Medicine", the five musical tones correspond to the
five internal organs--Gong‑spleen, Shang‑lung, Jiao‑liver,
Yu‑kidney, and Zhi‑heart. Sound waves, known as mechanical
waves, serve as an electrical medium, stimulating the organs in
the body through acupuncture points. Music, therefore, enhances
circulation of the blood, balances the energy systems and
restores the health of the body.
Brief
history of Chinese Music and Medicine.
Music has been a part of human existence for an incredibly
long time; it is generally believed that human species lived on the
land of China in the Paleolithic period about a million years ago.
Archeologists have found musical instruments in China that are over
100,000 years old. These ancient people lived very close to nature.
Music played an important part in the ceremonies connecting and
harmonizing people with nature, their bodies, families, community,
ancestors and spirit. The first evidence of music used for healing
was about 8,000 years ago. The Chinese tale of a Master healer named
Fu-Shi, he used music and specific musical tones, tones were
associated with organs and the health of that organ could be
improved by music having those tones. For example, the heart is
associated with stringed instruments, the lungs metal, such as
bells. Music became the first and oldest form of medicine practiced
in China. This has been confirmed by archeological lands and
writings for that time. About 5000 years ago, which is 3000 years
after Fu-Shi
a very famous
person in Chinese medicine appeared Wang Di. Wang Di translates to
yellow Emperor, Wang Di created many of the concepts that form the
basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine today, he developed the
concept of Qi, meridians, yin yang, acupuncture points, 5 elements
and tones. This foundation has been built on for 5000 year, the
well-known book The Yellow Emperor's Manual of Internal Medicine was
written about 2,700 years ago. This classic book was written over
2,000 years after Wang Di; Emperor Yu is believed to have created
the first Qigong exercise about 4,000 years ago. His people became
very sick from a flood. Their legs swelled, joints ached and they
were in a great deal of pain. The Emperor created steps and a dance
for healing; the people followed the instructions and became
healthy. Qigong or energy exercise was born, 4,000 years have passed
since Fu-Shi used music as medicine, now 4000 years ago China has
music, Qigong, and the concepts introduced by Wang Di. As time
passed herbs were being discovered to have healing properties and
became a part of Chinese Medicine. This can be seen in the Chinese
character for medicine. A Chinese character is composed of the form
and the meaning.
The
Chinese character medicine has the word grass or herb on the top and
character for music on the bottom. China’s history has been marked
by periods of innovation, learning, and enlightenment and periods of
fear, tyranny and destruction. There have been Dynasties that
supported literature, philosophy, arts and medicine and dynasties
that destroyed the great works of prior dynasties in fear that
knowledge could overthrow their rule. Around 2000 years ago the Chin
Dynasty burned all the books and killed all the scholars they could
find. Fortunately, some of these texts and knowledge was saved, but
it is certain a great amount of wisdom accumulated over thousands of
years has been lost, knowledge was passed on secretly and after at
great risk. Many times having this knowledge or texts was punishable
by death. This has persisted into recent times. Later the Tong
Dynasty supported music as a medicine, however it could only be used
by royal families and was a closely guarded secret. Over the past
2000 years Chinese medicine became separated into the tangible forms
which include acupuncture and tui-na or massage and the intangible
forms which include music and Qigong. Only royal families could use
the intangible forms. The Sung Dynasty and more recently the
Cultural Revolution considered this knowledge dangerous to their
rule and banned from the general population.
Master Wu has dedicated his life to rediscovering this ancient
wisdom, bringing it to people and combining it with modern science,
technology and medicine. He has a unique combination of
intelligence, family background, Chinese culture, healing gift,
musical talent, desire to help others, good heart and hard work. He
wants to help people become healthier, more at peace and harmony
with themselves, others and nature. He has studied the original
works of Chinese Scholars. Some at these are familiar to the west
such as Confucius, many are not familiar. He learned Kung Fu and
Qigong from his family and other master teachers. He is a
professional musician and able to play many types of musical
instruments. He understands and uses the mathematical concepts that
are basic to Chinese culture. These concepts relax tones,
frequencies and rhythm to specific internal organs and bodily
functions. His music is created to heal the mind, body and sprit
bringing a person into harmony with nature. Master Wu then combines
this with Qigong and we have a very powerful healing force. The
music and Qigong exercises are available to everyone. Finally
combining Master Wu's music, Qi Gong with a healing treatment from
Master Wu can open a person to the possibility - there is a great
deal more to life and health than we may have previously believed.
Master Wu describes his treatments as putting good Qi energy into a
person at the point area or organ where the person's own Qi is low
or blocked. His analogy as when we jump-start a car the car will
start and run. Another analogy is the flow of energy is similar to
one road on highway system. When there is an accident a traffic
problem the flow slows or stops until problem is cleared. Qi energy
flows like this and can be slowed on blocked. The more good Qi
energy we have the stronger and healthier we are. Master Wu treats
the intangible energy body and we can measure the affects on our
tangible physical body. One of the first and most common benefits
noticed by patients is less or no pain. To be and feel truly healthy
both our tangible physical body and intangible energy body must be
balanced, flowing and healthy. Whether you have an illness or
injury, are currently healthy, wish to enhance your own health, feel
and look better, maintain good health for a long happy life or are a
professional world class athlete, or a health practitioner wanting
to improve. Master Shen Wu and Music Qigong have something to
contribute. Combining ancient wisdom with modern science, technology
and medicine to contribute to the health, well-being peace and
happiness of all peoples. |
