Qigong (气功) is a centuries-old system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training.
Qigong comprises a diverse set of practices that coordinate body (調身), breath (調息), and mind (調心) based on Chinese philosophy. Practices include moving and still meditation, massage, chanting, sound meditation, and non-contact treatments, performed in a broad array of body postures. Qigong is commonly classified into two foundational categories:
- dynamic or active qigong (dong gong), with slow flowing movement;
- meditative or passive qigong (jing gong), with still positions and inner movement of the breath.
From a therapeutic perspective, qigong can be classified into two systems:
- internal qigong, which focuses on self-care and self-cultivation,
- external qigong, which involves treatment by a therapist who directs or transmits qi.