Qi Gong is a Chinese form of meditation, concentration and movement for cultivating body and mind, which is also part of traditional Chinese medicine. Martial arts exercises are also understood by it. The practice includes breathing exercises, physical and movement exercises, concentration exercises and meditation exercises. According to their followers, the exercises should serve to enrich and harmonize Qi.

New text The origins of the exercises go back a long way, certain forms are already suggested in the Zhuangzi, and silk images exist from the time of the Han dynasty. The name Qi Gong was first used by the Daoist Xu Xun from the Jin period, and it has been used to describe certain exercises in martial arts ever since. In the history of China this practice has always played a major role as health care, but it was also used for religious and spiritual purposes, especially in Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, and was passed on in the monasteries. The name Qi Gong for these exercises has only been used since the 50s of the 20th century, and the different styles of Qi Gong are partly completely new developments, but based on traditions that are thousands of years old.

There are a number of different directions in qigong, including practices from the direction of Buddhism and practices from the direction of Daoism. (In total, over 1000 different directions were registered with the Qigong Research Institute in Beijing, of which only about 100 were recognized.)

Qigong only becomes Qigong when at least two of four components combine to form a unit in the exercise: relaxation - calm - naturalness - movement - breathing - mental image - sound