Yì Jīn Jīng

The Yì Jīn Jīng ( _zh. 易筋經; Wade-Giles: I Chin Ching; literally "Muscle/Tendon Change Classic") is a qìgōng manual most notable as the source of the attribution of Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma, though this has been doubted by several martial arts historians.

Origins

As Dr. William C.C. Hu reports in his thoroughly researched paper on Yijinjing, published in 1965 by Black Belt Magazine:

The Yijinjing is attributed in legend to Bodhidharma who is supposed to have been in China during the early 5th century A.D. However, there are many other versions of how the Yijinjing was handed down through history. The most popular story about Bodhidharma relates that when he went to reside in the Shaolin Monastery, he saw the monks were weak and unhealthy. In order to strengthen them, he devised a system of exercises called the Yijinjing. Before Bodhidharma's death, he gave to his successor, Hui-neng, two sacred books, the Xisuijing, and the Yijinjing. The Xisuijing unfortunately, did not survive history, but the other did.

This story cannot be documented by historical record; neither can its authors or sources be substantiated. It is found in the preface of a 1875 edition by Surig Kuang called the "Weisheng Yijinjing". The preface is said to have been written by Li Jing, a great military officer of the Tang Dynasty (618-906 A.D). It is dated the second year of the reign of Emperor Tai Zung of the Tang Dynasty (629 A.D). According to the foreword, Li Jing wrote:

In the time of the Hou Wei dynasty (424-535 A.D.), in the year of Tai Ho (477 A.D.) when Emperor Xiao Ming was on the Dragon throne, the Indian priest Bodhidarma (Da Mo in Chinese), arrived at the court of Wu Di, the first emperor of the Liang dynasty. He then went to the Kingdom of Wei in Northern China and lived in the Shaolin Monastery. After a residence of nine years, he died and was buried at the foot of the “Xiung-erh” Mountain, between the present day provinces of Honan and Shansi. After a course of years while his monument was being repaired, an iron box was discovered within his coffin.

The inside of the box was filled with wax which protected the contents. The contents were two books, one termed the Xisuijing and the other the Yijinjing.

The Yijinjing concerned the conservation of the body. The Xisuijing, however, was later lost to the world after several generations. The surviving text of the Yijinjing was written in the language of T'ienchu (as India was then called). There was great difficulty in having the text translated and the real meaning of the Yijinjing was lost.

What the priests of the Shaolin Monastery derived from the Yijinjing was the advantages of self-defence methods. One of the monks at the monastery argued that what Bodhidharma left could not be unimportant and just methods of self-defense. This monk went on a pilgrimage to the O-mei Mountains in the province of Szechwan in Southwestern China in search of one who could translate the work and extract the true meaning of the Yijinjing.

He soon met an Indian priest by the name of Pramiti. Pramiti told him that the language of Buddha cannot be readily translated because it is extra-ordinarily deep in meaning. Pramiti explained the Yijinjing only as far as he was able. The monk was invited to stay at the temple and be initiated by degrees into the details of the Yijinjing. In one hundred days of practicing, he became quite strong. In the second one hundred days, his entire body had received the full benefit. After the third one hundred days, his constitution became as hard as steel, and he felt he could be a Buddha. The visiting monk was so pleased that he accompanied the Indian priest wherever he went.

A person by the name of Xu Hung met the monk and Pramiti and obtained from them the secret method of the Yijinjing. Hsu Hung then gave the texts of the Yijinjing to a red-bearded person who in turn gave it to the writer of this preface.

Commenting on this preface attributed to Li Ching, the author Hu concludes his article stating:

This story attributed to the pen of Li Ching, is a bit suspicious. If it were really written by Li Ching, then two questions must be answered. First, Li Ching during the time that the preface was supposed to have been written, was the president of the Board of Rites. With the changing of an emperor (Tai Zung being the second Emperor of the Tang dynasty) there would be very little time for the President of the Board of Rites to be writing prefaces. Also, there is a void in the biography of Li Ching concerning the Yijinjing.A second question then arises. Why was there no mention in any other work of the existence of the Yijinjing from the seventh century A.D. until the mid nineteenth century?

The Yijinjing is supposed to have been a mid fifth century work; however, throughout the national bibliographies, catalogues, and historical annals, there is no mention of this work. It is strange that no Buddhist text should mention a work handed down by the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism.

In a successive article, Dr. Hu explains why the Indian origin of Yijinjing must be refuted and goes back to Daoist classics:

I have consulted the work of Xu Ming-feng of Feng-cheng, and other medical works. All men require gymnastics, pressure and friction. This in turn divides itself into external actions and internal merit. The ancients divided actions into 12 types and wrote in poetry the method to be followed (this poetry is the reference to the Yijinjing) in order that all might remember the rules. All can do them, at all times, and every one can understand them.

There is no necessity here for claptrap and nonsense, the true and important object is to drive away or ward off disease and procure long life. Belief in this plan will bring merit. Lao-tzu and his Daoist doctrine; Chih Sung-tzu, a legendary being who controlled the rain and wind in the mythical age of Shen Nong and Chung Li-Zu, the first and the greatest of the Eight Immortals of Chinese mythology who possessed an elixir of immortality, are not superior to the precepts of this poetry.

If a person performs daily, once or twice, the exercises prescribed, his body will become strong and elastic; and no matter how many diseases he may have, all will vanish and the vital essence Qi will exist in adequate quantity. This is surely good and on this account I have taken up my pen to write this preface.

Dr. Hu completes his theory as follows:

Pan Wei was a devoted student and practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, and this treatise in the form of- a preface reflects his vast knowledge of this subject. Pan Wei implies that this system of exercises was performed by such legendary personages as Chih Sung-Zu and Chung Li-Zu. The author also suggests that Lao-Zu contributed to this system of exercises. It is common knowledge that within the works of Lao-Zu, Chuang Zu, and even Mencius, many references are made to the ancients practicing various forms of breathing exercises. Pan Wei says that he had consulted various medical treatises; however, he did not mention that any had been an Indian work translated into Chinese, nor did he mention that Bodhidharma was the source. Indeed, Pan Wei suggests the exercises are more Chinese and Taoistic in origin than Indian and Buddhistic.

Historicity

The attribution to Bodhidharma and the authenticity of the "Yì Jīn Jīng" itself have been discredited by several martial arts historians such as Tang Hao, Xu Zhen and Matsuda Ryuchi.

After Bodhidharma faced the wall for nine years at Shaolin temple, he, according to the history, left behind an iron chest; when the monks opened this chest they found the two books “Xi Sui Jing” (Marrow Washing Classic) and “Yi Jin Jing” (Muscle Change Classic) within. The first book was taken by his disciple Huike, and disappeared; as for the second, “the monks selfishly coveted it, practicing the skills therein, falling into heterodox ways, and losing the correct purpose of cultivating the Real. The Shaolin monks have made some fame for themselves through their fighting skill; this is all due to having obtained this manuscript. [cite book | last = Lin | first = Boyuan | title = Zhōngguó wǔshù shǐ 中國武術史 | year = 1996 | publisher = Wǔzhōu chūbǎnshè 五洲出版社 | location = Taipei 臺北 | language = Chinese | pages = 183]

The "Yì Jīn Jīng" has two forewords, one of which purports to be written by the General Li Jing in 628 during the Tang Dynasty, while the other purports to be written by the General Niu Gao of the Song Dynasty. There are several inaccuracies and inconsistencies in these forewords however that cast doubt on the authenticity of the "Yì Jīn Jīng".

It was specifically the foreword by "Li Jing" to which Tang Hao traced the attribution of Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma. [cite book | author = Tang Hao 唐豪 | title = Shàolín Wǔdāng kǎo 少林武當考 | origyear = 1930 | year = 1968 | publisher = Qílín tushu | location = Hong Kong 香港 | language = Chinese] The "Li Jing" foreword refers to "the tenth year of the "Tàihé" period of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei." [Lin 1996:182–183] The "Tàihé" reign period did not occur under Emperor Xiaoming but under Emperor Xiaowen and, in its tenth year (487 CE), the Shaolin temple did not yet exist according to the "Jiaqing Chongxiu Yitongzhi", which states that the Shaolin temple was built in the twentieth year of the "Tàihé" era (497 CE), though the "Jiaqing Chongxiu Yitongzhi" was itself compiled much later in 1820. [ [http://riccilibrary.usfca.edu/view.aspx?catalogID=4077 "Jiaqing chongxiu yitongzhi" 嘉慶重修一統志.] The Ricci Institute Library Online Catalog.] The "Li Jing" foreword also claims that he received transmission from Qiuranke, a fictional character from an eponymous Tang short story.

The "Niu Gao" of the foreword mentions the Qinzhong temple, which wasn't erected until 20 years after the date he claims to be writing.He also claims to be illiterate.Dictation could resolve the question of how an illiterate could write a foreword, but it is almost certain that a general of Niu Gao's stature was not illiterate.

Moreover, Bodhidharma, by all accounts, stressed direct personal transmission and downplayed—even denigrated—textual scholarship, yet the "Bodhidharma" of the "Yì Jīn Jīng" disappears leaving his followers only books to learn from.

During the 18th century, the scholar Ling Tingkan concluded that the author of the "Yì Jīn Jīng" must have been an "ignorant village master".

Matsuda Ryuchi could attest to the existence of the "Yì Jīn Jīng" only as far back as 1827. [cite book | author = Matsuda Ryuchi 松田隆智 | authorlink = Ryuchi Matsuda | title = Zhōngguó wǔshù shǐlüè 中國武術史略 | year = 1986 | publisher = Danqing tushu | location = Taipei 臺北 | language = Chinese] Lin Boyuan attributes the "Yì Jīn Jīng" to the Taoist priest Zining writing in 1624. [Lin 1996:183]

In the course of his research, Matsuda found no mention of—let alone attribution to—Bodhidharma in any of the numerous texts written about the Shaolin martial arts [Such as Cheng Zongyou's "Explanation of the Original Shaolin Staff Method" or Zhang Kongzhao's "Boxing Classic: Essential Boxing Methods".] before the 19th century. [Matsuda 1986]

The "Yì Jīn Jīng" appears to be the source for two other popular Qigong forms which are also attributed to various authors. Both the Eighteen Luohan Hands (also associated with Shaolin) and the Eight Pieces of Brocade (Baduanjin) forms seem like abridged versions of Yijinjing sets. The Baduanjin is sometimes attributed to Yue Fei. Of the many versions of all 3 of the above, some also contain forms from the older Wuqin, or Five Animal Frolics of Hua Tuo.

Yijinjing – The Forms

Other sources around the ’50s claim that Yijinjing was born from the farmers and the people working hard on the fields, and that these exercises would help them in their daily work and are derived from that country life style. Although this claim can be easily brought to political reasons, this is still another possibility. Classic Chinese authors tend to insist on the ancient lineage of this practice, but there is no evidence of the connections to Shaolin systems or to a specific routine. Number of exercises tends to change, 18 should be the correct one (according to the 18 Lou Han), but can vary from 10 to 24, to 30. Today the most respected routine is that of Wang Zuyuan, composed of 12 exercises, and has been adopted by the most authoritative Academies of Chinese Medicine in China. Chang Renxia together with Chang Weizhen proposed an alternative 14 series, which can be of interest for the therapeutic effects he promises. Deng Ming Dao presents a version of 24 series, but with another name, Xisuijing. In fact, another point of crossing is the relationship between the Xisuijing (Method or Classic of Marrow Transforming and Cleansing) and the Yijinjing. Some authors tend to use those two names for the same routine; others keep things separated and invoke different results and different effects on the body; other authors have written different books and created different theories, sometimes not just for the quest of the final truth. Still the source is the famed name of Bodhidharma.

[http://shaolinkf.110mb.com/yjj1.htm Tradition YiJinJing ] form demonstrated by ShaoLin Monk Shi DeQuan with illustration.

The 12 Posture Moving Exercise kept to this day is something that Wang Zuyuan learned at Shaolin Temple at the Song Mountain. It is somewhat different from the original “Picture of stationary exercise” and “Guide to the art of attack” (as Guangdong sources refers). Some specialists (Liu Dong) refer of a later integration of Yijinjing, Daoyin, Tuna and XingQi methods. However Wang’s 12 Postures found to be concise through practice and helps to enhance one’s physical health. As the name implies, “sinew transforming exercise” is the method to train the tendons and muscles. The exercise is designed according to the course and the characteristics of Qi circulation in the 12 regular channels and Du and Ren channels. During practice, Qi and blood usually circulates appropriately with proper speed and no sluggishness or stagnation. Because of this efficacy, Yijinjing has existed for centuries as a favorite with the populace and is still widely used in sanatoria and hospitals for therapeutic purposes. Two ancient written and illustrated routines remained, one from Chen Yi’s “A collection of Annals” published during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and another more recent published in 1882, from “Internal Work Illustrated”, that of Wang Zuyuan.

The 12 Posture Moving Exercise is most closely describes what is called the 12 fists of Tamo in Many southern martial arts most notibly Hung Gar & Wing chun. Ascribing the 12 exercises to 12 animals that Tamo studied after his 9 years of meditation. The exercises were developed based on the movements of the 12 animals. These exercises healed the sickly monks of the Shaolin Temple, and contribute to the many animal based martial arts in China.

Purposes of Yijinjing

The basic purpose of Yijinjing is to turn flaccid and frail sinews and tendons into strong and sturdy ones. The movements of Yijinjing are at once vigorous and gentle. Their performance calls for a unity of will and strength, i.e. using one’s will to direct the exertion of muscular strength. It is coordinated with breathing. Better muscles and tendons means better health and shape, more resistance, flexibility, endurance, and is obtained as follows:
*postures influences the static and nervous structure of the body
*stretching muscles and sinews affects organs, joints, meridians and Qi
*torsion affects metabolism and Jing production
*breathing produce more and better refined Qi
*active working gives back balance and strength to body and mind (brain, nervous system and spirit).

Power and endurance are of paramount importance if we look at becoming qualified in whatever practice we choose, be it Tuina, martial arts, or simply better health and wisdom. Already another known Qigong system, Baduanjin, in its more radical and strong forms was used in the past from schools of Xingyiquan and Tijiquan as bodily preparation to fighting arts, in order to make body strong and flexible. Baduanjin still remains the first, entry-level routine to learn at Shaolin training schools in Song Mountains. We can still see today Japanese Kata like Sanchin, postures and forms like Siunimtao in Wingchung, “Iron thread” in Hung Gar and all sorts of Neigong in Neijia. Martial artists need to be powerful in the martial practice, like non-martial people need to be healthy. But there is also something supple and flexible inside of Yijinjing. Movements are energetic and intense, but you can see through a kind of peace. Yijinjing unifies in fact Yi (intention) with Li (strength), consciousness (yang) with muscular force (yin). The mind is free from thoughts, has a correct and well-disposed attitude, the breathing is harmonious. Internal and external movement must be coordinated, like movement with relaxation. Externally must be fortification; inside must be purification; unifying matter and spirit.

Some classic recurring points of Yijinjing can be described as follows:- Most of the movements use open palms, fists are used only for stretching the tendons.- The name of exercises changes, but often the basic idea of movement remains the same. I.e. Wei Tuo greets and offers something (Nanjing Ac. of Tuina); Wei Tuo offers gifts to the sky (Liu Dong); General Skanda holds the Cudgel (Zong Wu-Li Mao).- Movements are done standing, sometimes bending forward, but never lying or sitting.- Eyes are always open, never closed.- Movements are slow but full and tensed, face and body shows relaxed attitude.- All directions of the upper body section (especially shoulders) are active and moved.- Dynamic tension rules the moves.- All parts of the body works together.- There are different ways of practicing the same Yijinjing form, according to the basic rules, to the body shape, to the time of practice and to the general health conditions.

According to traditional verbal formulas, we have that:- The first year of training gives back physical and mental vitality- The second year enhances blood circulation and nurtures meridians- The third year allows flexibility to muscles and nurtures the organs - The forth year meridians are better and viscera are nurtured- The fifth year the marrow is washed and the brain is nurtured

The Five rules of Yijinjing are:- QuietnessLike lake water reflects the moon, a calm spirit allows energy to move inside the body- SlownessIn order to use and flex muscles deeply, to get maximum extension and move Qi and Xue, slow movements are required- ExtensionEach movement must be brought to the maximum - PauseEfficacy comes through waiting and keeping tension for longer time- FlexibilityLimbs and trunk must be extended so that blood and energy can circulate, so we have flexibility.

Breathing in Yijinjing is a controversial point. Modern sources insist on a deep, forced, reverse breathing in order to develop power. Other sources, and among them Robert W. Smith, in his article on the J.A.M.A. in 1996, suggest that there are differences between the northern and the southern way of breath. The southern systems seem not to have a deep understanding and good use of breathing and working on Qi as energy. In his work on “Breathing in Taiji and other fighting arts”, Smith analyses not only Taiji veterans and classics, but also known fighters out of his personal experience, and invariably the right kind of breathing, be it for martial or for health purposes, is located between classic abdominal breathing and a slow, unconscious breathing, where there is place for sudden explosions, typical of martial arts and hard blows.

Notes

ee also

*Baduanjin
*Liu Zi Jue
*Qigong