usual numbering of Brocade

numbering of Brocade in Yang 1988

1^st

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd

2^nd

4^th

3^rd

[omitted]

4^th

5^th

5^th

6^th

6^th

[omitted]

7^th

7^th

8^th

[omitted]

[9^th] C.m.

8^th

p.

Brocades

180

"The text appears first in the Xiuzhen shishu ... (Ten Books on Cultivating Perfection, DZ 263), an extensive compendium that dates from the thirteenth to fourteenth centuries and collects materials associated with the Bai Yuchan ... school of inner alchemy ... . ... According to this, the Eight Brocades are a mixture of internal qi-guiding and

181

simple physical movements executed on the basis of deep concentrative meditation and serving the purpose of "burning the body" (fenshen ...), an important practice in inner alchemy, executed on both the second and third levels, that serves to eliminate ... demonic influences that might hinder the entering of the in-depth meditations needed for the completion of the immortal embryo (Baldrian-Hussein 1984, 160). The technique focuses on the breath (dragon) as opposed to the concoction of the elixir that uses the body fluids (tiger). It involves swallowing qi ... and guiding it into the lower cinnabar field where, in conjunction with the fire of the heart, it turns into a wheel of fire that gradually expands and burns throughout the body, eliminating demonic ... hallucinations during meditation."

p.

#

title of Brocade

technique of Brocade

181

1.

"assemble the gods :

... beat the heavenly drum"

2.

"Shake the Heavenly Pillar :

Shake the Heavenly Pillar to the right and the left".

3.

"The red dragon churns the ocean :

... After that you can circulate the qi in accordance with the proper firing times."

4.

"Massage the hall of the kidneys :

Massage the hall of the kidney with both hands".

5.

"Single-pass rotation :

Rotate the torso at the single pass like an axle".

6.

"Double-pass rotation :

Rotate the torso at the double pass like a pulley".

7.

"Interlace fingers ... :

... interlace fingers, palms facing out ... .

182

"

Then press the hands against the top of the head."

8.

Hands and feet hook together :

With both hand formed into hooks bend forward and press the soles of the feet."

[9]

Concluding meditation :

... the hundred meridians will naturally be harmonized and the River Chariot [at the base of the spine] will create the perfect circulation [of qi]. Thereby you develop a fire that burns the entire body."

p.

#

Brocades

182

1.

"They ... snap their fingers against the back of their heads to wake up the gods inside the body ... .

2.

Following this, they turn the neck to the right and left ..., so that they can swallow the qi more easily.

3.

The qi, next, is collected by moving the tongue around the mouth and begins to circulate around the body in accordance with the "firing times" (huohou ...).

4.

To activate the lower body, where the qi is the center and turn the wheel of fire, adepts next

183

"

massage the kidney area, the so-called Gate of Essence (jingmen ...), while ... visualizing a radiant fire descending from the heart area.

5.

In the second half of the practice, adepts first roll their shoulders to cause the qi to move upward from the abdomen,

6.

then twist the torso to allow it to flow smoothly along the spine toward the head.

7.

As the qi fills the chest area, they eliminate its fire from the body by focusing on the heart, exhaling with he, and raising their palms up above their heads. ...

8.

Going into a seated forward bend, they hook their hands around their feet and stimulate the first point of the kidney meridian, Bubbling well (yongquan ...) in the center of the soles."

"Born in Henan ..., ... he stayed for a while on Mount Wudang ... in Hunan ... . ... He then resumed his migrations to settle eventually ... on Mount Hua in Shaanxi. Here ... the Yuntai guan ... (Cloud Terrace Monastery) became a flourishing center ... . ... In 984, he was awarded the official honorary title Xiyi xiansheng ... (Master of the Invisible and Inaudible), a reference to chapter 14 of the Daode jing."

p.

exploit

184

1^st "he was a physiognomist who could predict the fate and fortune of people by looking at their facial features".

2^nd "he is credited with formulating the philosophy of Taiji, the Great Ultimate, and creating the diagram that became famous in Neo-Confucian circles".

3^rd "he was a master of sleep exercises ... . A number of stories relate exploits that often involved several months of catatonic trance. ...

185

Other accounts also record songs he composed on the wonder and high quality of the sleep state; ... he even explained ... that no palace in the world could compare with his heavenly visions (Knaul 1981, 200)."

"He has numinous powers, calling forth the spirits and summoning the gods to support his work, and he can whirl spiritually out of his body to converse with immortals and visit the palaces above."

{This is spirit-guide-assisted "shamanic travel" (= astral-body travel into astral worlds), which is often commenced in a dream of whirling.}

As my body floats along with the falling rays of light."

p.

Explanation

186

(Takehiro 1990, 83 ...)"

187

(Takehiro 1990, 84)."

(Takehiro 1990, 94)"

188

"Press the tip of the tongue against the upper palate,

{This is likewise a practice in Kun.d.alini yoga.}

(Takehiro 1990, 75 ...)"

(Takehiro 1990, 75 ...)"

Realized ones never sleep : they float up with the clouds. (47.10b)"

"A popular form of Shaolin practice, much used among qigong practitioners today, is a standing version of the Eight Brocades".

fn. 12 : "The practice is also used frequently as a preparation for qi-healing, notably in contemporary ju-jitsu. See Teeguarden 1975."

p.

#

movement’s title

191

1.

"Uphold Heaven with two Hands"

2.

"Open the Bow"

3.

"Raise the Hands Separately"

4.

"Looking Backward"

5.

"Punch with Angry Eyes"

6.

"Hold the Toes and Stretch the Back"

192

7.

"Swing Torso and Head"

8.

"Press the Knees"

Then, ... "Laozi suddenly ... pushed his fishtail coronet to one side, and three column of gas released from his head transformed into three immortals, called the Clarities" (Gu 1992, 2:260)."

p.

#

position’s title

195

1.

"Wei Tuo Presents a Club"

196

2.

" " " " "

3.

" " " " "

4.

"Plucking the Stars to Move the Dipper"

5.

Pulling Nine Bulls’ Tails"

6.

"Extending Claws, Spreading Wings"

7.

"Nine Ghosts Pull Swords"

8.

"Three Plates Drop to the Ground"

9.

"Green Dragon Extends Claws"

10.

"Crouching Tiger Catches Prey"

11.

"Bending in a Bow"

12.

"Wagging the Tail"