What is Qigong?

Compiled by Garri Garripoli, Author and Documentary Producer AsianConnections is offering advance video copies of Garri's outstanding documentary "Qigong - Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century" premiering on PBS-TV this summer 1999. (Click here for details)

• Qigong is pronounced "chee-gung" and literally means "energy exercise"
• An ancient Chinese healing system similar to Tai Chi and Yoga
• Estimated to be 5,000 years old
• The foundation of both acupuncture and Tai Chi
• Practiced by over 80 million people each day
• A typical workout can last from ten minutes to one hour
• An exercise system that combines slow movement with deep breathing
• Qigong facilitates the movement of Qi (Chi) throughout the body to increase vitality
• Found to be effective in lowering high-blood pressure
• Regular practice can minimize the effects of diabetes
• Has shown to reduce the amount of medication necessary for treatment
• Studies show post-operative recovery time can be dramatically shortened
• It is a holistic way to bring the body into balance and good health
• Qigong is very effective for most chronic conditions and painful symptoms
• Post-Cultural Revolution Chinese government is allowing Qigong to finally be brought out into the public awareness
• The U.S. National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) in Washington, DC has funded in-depth Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) research projects at 12 major universities across the U.S. including Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and others.
• Thirty-four medical schools have included CAM courses in their basic curriculum. Some of these universities have even set up departments to incorporate Qigong into their research criteria.
• Qigong is an excellent complement to Western treatment for lowering stress and increasing the immune system
• Qigong is a simple, daily exercise system for maintaining good health

Compiled by Garri Garripoli, Wuji Productions - copyright 1999 Garri Garripoli