GLOSSARY OF PINYIN TERMS

This is a glossary of Pinyin Chinese terms used in this book and in previous titles by Damo Mitchell. It can be confusing coming into the Daoist arts and encountering so many Chinese names and words. The fact is that direct translation into English can be difficult with many of these terms, but we have attempted to make them as clear and concise as possible.

BA GUA 八卦 The Daoist theory of the eight key energies of the universe. This is the basic tenet of the Yi Jing as well as countless other aspects of the tradition.

BAI HUI 百會 (DU 20) An acupuncture point situated on top of the head. It is translated as ‘hundred meetings’. In esoteric Daoism, it is also the point where numerous spirits converge and the point where the Chong Mai extends upwards out of the body.

BI YAN HU 碧眼胡 The ‘blue-eyed foreigner’; a name for Bodhidharma, the patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China.

CHAN 禪 The form of Buddhism commonly taught in China. A combination of Buddhist and Daoist theory.

DA ZHOU TIAN 大周天 ‘Large Heavenly cycle’, also known as the ‘large water wheel of Qi’. This is the primary circulation of energy out of the body which can be achieved through consistent Nei Gong or Nei Dan training.

DAN 丹 The Dan is the ‘elixir’ which is sought out through alchemical training in the Daoist tradition. Often depicted as red and likened to the ore of cinnabar.

DAN TIEN 丹田 Usually refers to the lowest of the three main ‘elixir fields’, although there are three main Dan Tien within the body. The primary functions of the lower Dan Tien are the conversion of Jing to Qi and the moving of Qi throughout the meridian system.

DAO 道 The nameless and formless origin of the universe. Daoism is the study of this obscure concept, and all internal arts are a way of experientially understanding the nature of Dao.

DAO DE JING 德道经 The ‘virtue of following the way’. The classical text of Daoism written by the great sage Laozi. Also written as Tao Te Ching.

DAO YIN 導引 ‘Guiding and pulling’ exercises. These are the ancient exercises developed by the shamanic Wu people to purge the energy body of pathogenic energies.

DAO ZANG 道藏 The Dao Zang is the Daoist canon of classical writings which includes more than 1400 pieces of scripture.

DE 德 The congenital manifestation of the transient emotions. De is born from deep within the true human consciousness which is usually buried beneath the various layers of the acquired mind.

DING 鼎 The ‘cauldron’ of Daoist Nei Dan. This is a location within the energy body where two energetic substances are being combined. Named after the Ding which sits within most Daoist temples.

DUI 兌 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is metaphorically likened to a lake, although Dui does not directly mean lake.

FENG SHUI 风水 ‘Wind and water.’ This is the Daoist study of environmental energies and the influence of the macrocosm upon the human energy system and consciousness.

FU 符 The magical talismanic drawings of the ancient Daoists. The skilled practitioner of magical Daoism could draw Fu to heal sickness, curse people or perform countless other functions. An almost extinct art in modern times.

GEN 艮 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is likened to that of a mountain.

GONG 功 The attainment of a high-level skill in any art. To truly attain Gong took a lifetime of dedicated study, especially in the internal arts.

GUA 卦 ‘Trigram.’ These are the eight sacred symbols that make up Daoist Ba Gua theory. They are a way to conceptualise the various vibrational frequencies of the energetic realm and how they interact.

HOU TIAN 後天 The ‘post-Heaven’ state in which we exist according to Daoist thought.

HUI YIN 會陰 (CV 1) ‘Meeting of Yin’ is an acupuncture point located at the perineum. It is so named because it is situated within the most Yin area of the human body.

HUN 魂 ‘Yang soul’, the ethereal soul which continues to exist after our death. It is usually housed within the Liver.

HUNDUN 混沌 A term generally translated as referring to ‘original chaos’. In Daoist philosophy, it refers to a state which lay dormant within the centre of human consciousness as well as an aspect of the process of creation. It is also the name of a stance used in female-specific Nei Gong training.

JI BEN QI GONG 基本气功 ‘Fundamental energy exercises.’ The primary exercises taught in the Lotus Nei Gong School of Daoist Arts.

JING 精 The lowest vibrational frequency of the three main energetic substances of man. Usually translated as ‘essence’ and often misunderstood as being human sexual fluids.

JING GONG 精功 ‘Essence exercises.’ The technique of building up and refining our Jing.

JING JIN 經筋 Lines of connective tissue that run throughout the body. These lines serve as ‘riverbeds’ for the flow of Qi that runs through the meridian system. The term is generally translated as ‘tendon collaterals’, but it is the authors’ opinion that in many respects this term is actually referring to lines of fascia.

JING LUO 经络 The human meridian system which is made up of numerous energetic pathways which regulate the body and transport Qi to and from our organs and tissues.

KAN 坎 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory which is usually likened to the energetic manifestation of Water. Especially important in the practice of Nei Dan.

KUA 胯 The area of the body that includes the hip region and inguinal crease. As a term the Kua also refers to the manner in which this region of the body moves and connects into the rest of the body’s physical and energetic structure.

KUN 坤 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is usually likened to that of the planet.

KUN LUN SHAN 崑崙山 In Daoist legend, a mythical mountain which was said to reach up into the Heavens.

LAO GONG 勞宮 (PC 8) An acupuncture point situated in the centre of the palm. Its name means ‘palace of toil’ due to it being on the human hand which carries out a lot of physical work. In Daoism, this point is very important in venting heat from the Heart and so it is rarely at rest. It is a very important point in Qi Gong practice because it regulates the internal temperature and also allows us to emit Qi in practices such as external Qi therapy.

LAOZI 老子 The great sage. The ‘original Daoist’ who wrote the Dao De Jing. Supposedly, he left this text with a border watchman when he retreated into hermitage in the western mountains of China.

LI 離 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is usually likened to fire. It is especially important to understand in the context of Nei Dan training.

LIANG YI 兩儀 The collective name for Yin and Yang. Literally translated as the ‘two poles’.

LONG DAO YIN 龍導引 ‘Dragon Dao Yin.’ A set of four sequences based upon the preliminary training methods from the martial style of Baguazhang. They twist the spine and open the joints to assist with the energetic purging process.

LU 爐 The ‘furnace’ of Daoist Nei Dan. This is the place within the body where expansion is created which generates heat. This heat is then usually added to the Ding in order to create alchemical change.

MING 命 Your predestined journey from life to death. Usually translated as ‘fate’, but this really does not explain the true meaning of the term.

MING MEN 命门 (GV 4) An acupuncture point in the lower back that is very important in Nei Gong practice. This point is referred to several times in this book and serious internal arts practitioners should work very hard to awaken the energy in this area of their meridian system.

NEI DAN 內丹 The Daoist form of alchemical meditation usually associated with the northern sects of Daoism. Through working with various energetic and spiritual substances within the body, the practitioner seeks states of transcendence and, ultimately, immortality.

NEI GONG 内功 The process of internal change and development which a person may go through if they practise the internal arts to a high level.

NEI JING TU 內经图 The ‘chart of the inner landscape’. One of two important alchemical charts carved into a courtyard wall of the ‘White Cloud Monastery’ in Beijing.

NU DAN 女丹 The practice of ‘women’s alchemy’. A slightly different process exists for women due to the nature of their energetic systems.

PO 魄 The ‘Yin soul’ which dies with the human body. Largely connected to our physical senses, the Po resides in the Lungs.

PU 樸 ‘Simplicity.’ Often likened to being like an ‘uncarved block’. The ideal state of mind according to the Daoist tradition. This has much to do with shedding the layers of the acquired mind which pull you away from existing in a simple state.

QI 氣 ‘Energy.’ A term that is difficult to translate into English. In Nei Gong theory, it is an energetic vibration which transports information through the energy system.

QI GONG 氣功 Usually gentle exercises that combine rhythmic movements with breathing exercises to shift Qi through the body. The term means ‘energy exercises’, although it is sometimes translated as ‘breathing exercises’.

QI HAI 氣海 (Ren 6) An acupuncture point which sits in front of the lower Dan Tien. In English its name means ‘sea of Qi’ because it is the point where Qi is generated and from where it flows. Like water returning to the sea in rivers and streams, Qi returns to the lower Dan Tien when it circulates in the ‘small water wheel of Qi’.

QIAN 乾 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is usually likened to the movements of Heaven.

REN 人 In Daoism, Ren is ‘humanity’. Humanity sits between Heaven and Earth and is a reflection of their fluctuations and movements. Ren is nourished by Earth and stimulated to development through the actions of Heaven.

SAN BAO 三寳 The ‘three treasures’ of man, which are Jing, Qi and Shen.

SHEN 神 The energy of consciousness. Vibrates at a frequency close to that of Heaven. It is manifested within the body as a bright white light.

SHEN GONG 神功 This is the arcane skill of working with the substance of consciousness. In Daoism, it is said that a skilled Shen Gong practitioner can manipulate the very energy of the environment.

SHEN XIAN 神仙 The ‘Heavenly immortal’ is essentially full realisation of the possibility of spiritual immortality, which is the final goal of Daoist Nei Dan.

SHENGMU YUANJUN 聖母元君 Female deity within the Daoist tradition to whom various myths are attributed, the most noted of which are that she was the mother of Laozi as well as his first teacher.

SUN 巽 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is usually likened to that of the wind.

TAIJI 太极 A Daoist concept of creation which can be translated as meaning the ‘motive force of creation’.

TAIYI 太 The ‘great pole’ of Daoist philosophy is the single point of union which moves out of stillness. It is also the name of a standing posture utilised in advanced female-specific Nei Gong training.

TIAN 天 ‘Heaven.’ Not to be mistaken for the Christian concept of Heaven, this refers to the vibrational frequency of the macrocosm. Within the microcosm of the body, Heaven is used metaphorically to refer to human consciousness.

TIAN GAN 天干 The ‘Heavenly stems’ is a model of the Yin and Yang divisions that take place in the Wu Xing within the Heavenly realm.

TIAN GUI 天癸 An energetic component involved in the formation of menstrual Blood for women. The term is often translated as ‘Heavenly Water’.

TUI NA 推拿 A form of Chinese medical massage which means ‘push and grasp’.

WU 巫 The shamanic Wu were the historical ancestors of the Daoists. They served as medicine men, bringers of rain and general mystics to the ancient tribes of China.

WU SHEN 五神 The ‘five spirits’. The collective name for the Shen, Hun, Yi, Zhi and Po.

WU WEI 無為 The act of ‘non-governing’. An important philosophical concept in the Daoist tradition. This term is often misunderstood to mean that Daoists should ‘do’ nothing and thus are essentially lazy.

WU XING 五行 The five elemental energies. An important part of Daoist creation theory, psychology and medicine.

WU XING QI GONG 五行气功 ‘Five Element energy exercises.’ They are an important part of the Lotus Nei Gong School of Daoist Arts syllabus.

WUJI 无极 The Daoist concept of non-existence. The blank canvas upon which reality is projected and an important part of Daoist creation philosophy.

XIAN TIAN 先天 The ‘before Heaven’ congenital state which is all-important in Nei Dan training.

XIN-YI 心意 ‘Heart-mind.’ This is the framework with which we attempt to understand the various aspects of human consciousness. Originally a Buddhist concept, it was absorbed into Daoist teachings.

XING 性 Your ‘nature’. This is the expression of the various energetic and spiritual components of consciousness.

XIU ZHEN TU 修真图 The ‘chart of cultivating perfection’. A highly influential chart in the Daoist alchemical tradition.

XIWANGMU 西王母 The ‘holy mother of the west’ is a Daoist immortal and deity associated with the power of the western Heavens, prosperity and immortality. She is often the patron deity of many female Daoist practitioners. She is often associated with the seven-star constellation.

YANG 陽 The Daoist philosophical extreme of movement, masculinity and action. One of the two great points required to manifest existence.

YANG QI 阳氣 In Chinese medicine, this refers to our internal Qi which moves out towards the surface of the body and the congenital meridians. In Nei Dan theory, it can also refer to the state of energy prior to its movement into the realm of existence.

YANG SHENG FA 养身法 Literally ‘life-nourishing principles’. This is the Daoist practice of living healthily, which should be studied alongside all internal arts.

YI 意 ‘Intention’ or ‘awareness’. An important element of human consciousness to cultivate in Nei Dan training.

YI JING 易经 The ‘classic of change’. An ancient Daoist text which is based upon Ba Gua theory. Commonly written as I Ching.

YIN 陰 The Daoist philosophical pole of stillness, femininity and quietude. One of the two poles required in order for existence to come into being.

YIN QI 阴氣 Our internal Qi which moves inwards to nourish the organs of the body. Can also be used in alchemical theory to describe the movement of Wuji as it coalesces around the condensed energy of Yang Qi.

YIN TANG 印堂 A meridian point situated between the eyebrows. Translated as the ‘hall of impression’, it is often equated with the spiritual third eye of the Eastern arts.

YONG QUAN 涌泉 (K 1) An acupuncture point on the base of the foot which means ‘bubbling spring’. This is the main point through which Earth energy is drawn into the body.

YUAN JING 元精 The original essence which exists prior to the beginning of the movement of the acquired essence. It is said to reside in the space between the Kidneys.

YUAN QI 元氣 The original state of Qi prior to its movement into the acquired realm.

YUAN SHEN 元神 The original state of human psyche prior to the movement from the congenital to the acquired. It exists as a brilliant white light within the space of the human Heart-mind.

YUAN XI 元息 ‘Original breath.’ The breath of life that is passed down into existence from Dao. Yuan Xi is an expression of the movement of Yuan Qi.

ZANG FU 脏腑 The collective name for the Yin and Yang organs of the body.

ZHEN 震 One of the eight trigrams of Daoist Ba Gua theory. Its energetic manifestation is often likened to thunder.

ZHEN REN 真人 The ‘true person’ of Daoism is a high-level state of attainment possible through alchemical cultivation of the inner state.

ZHI 志 An element of human consciousness which is directly linked to the state of our Kidneys. The nearest translation in English is ‘willpower’.

ZHUANGZI 莊子 An important sage in the Daoist tradition. Zhuangzi was known for his humour and the fact that he poked fun at almost every aspect of life.

ZI BAO 孑胞 The ‘child container’ is the Uterus as well as the energetic matrix associated with this physical organ within the female body.

ZI FA GONG 自發功 The process of releasing spontaneous energetic movements through the body. This happens as stagnant energetic pathogens are released and the body begins to return to some kind of order.

ZIRAN 自然 The Daoist philosophical concept of acting in harmony with nature and returning to an original state.

ZUO WANG 坐忘 This can be translated as ‘sitting and forgetting’. This is the entering of the silent state during Daoist meditation.