Lily Siou

While Ch'i Kung is the oldest of the Chinese martial arts and still survives today in the 20th century, there are relatively few people in these modern times who know little about it, other than its existence.

Howerver, this book, written by Lily Siou-herself-a master of Ch'i Kung, pierces the secrets of the ages and makes known both the benefits and wisdom to be gained by the practice of this ancient art. It also serves as an easy, but, entertaining introduction to the chinese concept of life -force, health and healing.

As the reader will soon discover, Ch'i Kung is not only a profound philosophy; it also can be an intriguing life-style which if faithfully followed holds the reward of bringing mind and body into harmony with all things. Likewise, it offers a solution to the all too common realities of modern-day living such as tension, anxiety, high blood pressure, obesity, loss of vigor, and general deconditioning on many levels.

Ch'i Kung call upon the 'Ch'i' or universal life energy that every person possesses. It directs this energy, stimulates it, controls it. In so doing, an inner balance is achieved...a balance that results in optimum overall health and a sense of overall harmony and well being.

Primary catalysts of Ch'i Kung are slow, disciplined breathing and a series of carelfully perscribed movements. Together, these set the unseen Ch'i force into motion causing it to travel througout the body providing rejuvenation and relaxation, along with spiritual and self-awareness.

New comers to the art must intially master the all-important breathing style. This in turn must be co-ordinated in gradual stages wtih the first of sitting, walking, and standing positions which are also basic to Ch'i Kung. In all there are 152 of these positions. Movements are deliberate, circular and graceful...flowing and yielding...merging with meditaton, aiding mind, and body to become a single entity. The end effect is ia wonderful sense of physical freedom and soothing peace of mind.

Ch'i Kung has been described as the 'mother of the martial arts'. Indeed, it dates back 3,000 years making it the original of the Chinese martial arts...the one from which sprung T'ai-Chi, Karate, Boxing and, of course, Kung Fu. From the very beginning it was the most respected of those arts, in fact boxers of the Wei Dynasty firmly upheld that Ch'i Kung's systematic breathing control, led to better Kung Fu.

Moreover, Ch'i Kung is credited with being responsible for the brililant and active developoment of all the Chinese martial arts that have flourished down thought the centuries. All are based on the harmony and balance which is Ch'i Kung. Each of the Orinetal martial disciplines employ Ch'i Kung principles utilizing them for purposes of their own.

To quote Lily Siou's own concept of Ch'i Kung:

'The entire philospphy is the Tao-nature, oneness. Our movements are circular, for balance, for humilty, to gain strength and enlighten the meridians.

'When you do Ch'i Kung, you go to the original state. There is no image, no shape, nothing-the void. You're free, you flow, and though the flow you come to Lao Tsu's philosophy.'

The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.
The shape changes but not the form;
The more it moves, the more it yields.
More words count less.
Hold fast to the center.-Lao Tsu, 'Tao Te Ching'

With this book and a unique school, Dr. Lily Siou, Ph.D. is literally introducing Ch'i Kung-oldest and the most respected of the Chinese martial arts-to the Westen World.

Now a resident of Honolulu, Dr. Siou is the founder and director of the 'The School of the Six Chinese Arts', the first school in the United States to teach Ch'i Kung to eager students of all ages. She has another 'first' to add to her credits in authoring this book as it is the first to be written about Ch'i Kung in any western language.

Dr. Siou's backgroiund makes her more than qualified to be the one to introduce the mother art of Ch'i Kung. Her life-which would make a book in itself-has ben one adventure and excitement, coupled with years of serious study and concentrated training in fields, both mystical and practical. Hers is the knowledge of the inner eye, honed to steel sharpness by disciplined reality.

Daughter of a Baptist minister, Lily Siou left her home near Canton at the age of six after her father was imprisioned by Communists. Soon after she was to meet her first shih fu (master or teacher) who awakened the child to the way of palmistry and the divinations of the I Ching.

In the formative years that followed-a nomadic existence leading across northern China-Lily siou was to meet more shih fus who willingly shared their knowledge with the serious-minded, attractive young girl, so anxious to learn. Even while she attended regular primary schools, she was also training with Taoist monks and palmists who opened their lives to her, a stranger. It was in Kiangsi Province where she adopted Taoism as the religious philosphy most meaningful to her.

During her wanderings, Lily Siou continued to gain new insights into the I Ching, philosophy and palmistry. Along with these, she became an adept of Ch'i Kung and the hidden Ch'i. Personal working experience taught her the related arts of acupuncture and cauterization, chinese medicine, and face-reading. Continuous schooling and traveling built her an educational background in chinese culture, its classic literature, ancient poetry, history, etymology and Oriental astrology.

All this was a prelude to Lily Siou's enrollment at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where she earned two degrees (one in Economics) and later a Doctor of Philosophy title for specialized research work on the I Ching. After which, Lily Siou went into partnership and operated a very successful taxicab business. She also held a postion of dean at the Hong Kong Christian college and served as a librarian.

By the time she was 26, Dr. Siou had authored four books in Chinese and two more in English. She chose to write about chinese herbs, acupuncture, cauterization, the I Ching, and, of course, Ch'i Kung-autoritative works all, each reflecting a life-time of interest, study and training.

Her restless spirit demanded change and new experience. To satisy that need, Dr. Siou came to Honolulu in 1970. It was in Hawaii that she completed her research and resulting book on the symbolism and meaning of the I Ching. Lectures and readings soon made her a well-known public figure, as did the school she established to teach Ch'i Kung to classes that quickly numbered more that 200 aspirants of the ancient art. For relaxation, gardening proved her answer.

Today, Lily Siou's pace of life and quest for knowledge contiues unslackened. she would have it no other way. There will be other books, more study, more reserach, as Dr. Siou works on to further the understanding of philossopies of the Easat and West-that-and reguide Ch'i Kung to its rightful promisnence among all the martial arts!

Professor Tseng Ke-tuan, writer of teh introduction of this book is a poet-laureate and last of a line of 12 generations of poets honored by the Chinese government. Famous as a scholar of poetry, callgraphy and painting, Prof. Tseng is Dean of Arts and Letters at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Contents

Part I The concept of breathing control-Pao Po Tzu, by Dr. Ko Hung, 470 B.C.
1 Body energy or the unseen life force
2 Chinese concept of Ch'i and Kung
3 Theory and philosophy behind the art of Ch'i Kung
Ch'i Kung and the beginnng of the world-form/force/substance and dual power.
-Primitive man and the early stages of ch'i kung development
4 Ch'i Kung and the yin & yang
5 chinese concept of healing
Law of the universe and the Chinese concept of healing-Acupuncture
6 Great herbal: A complete and scientific work on chinese medicine by Dr. Li Shih Chen, Ming Dynasty
7 History of Chinese medicine
Shen Nung: Legendary emperor & 'Father of medicine.'.-Huang Ti: Legendary emperor & 'author' of Nei ching, the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.-History's first successful heart transplant, 3rd C., B.C.-Hua T'o, China's last great surgeon, 3rd C., A.D.-Priest doctors.
8 Two doctrines
Creativity in Chou Dynasty.-Scholastic stagnation in medicine before Middle Chou.-Doctrine of Yin & Yang.-Doctrine of the five elements.-Art of pulse reading.
9 Five cardinal rules for chinese doctors
10 Ch'i Kung & the Taoist
Legends and the emulation of nature.-Lao Tzu.-Chuang Tsu.-Chang Tao Ling, Sorcerer of the Mountain of the Dragon and Tiger.-Shan T'an, the Mountain of Elixer
11 Ch'i Kung and the martial arts
Being one with nature.-Principles of the Tao applied to combat.-Ultimate self defense.-Internal energy called ch'i.-Resource for betterment.
12 Ch'i Kung: A needed development
Part II
1 Principles of Ch'i Kung
Form-force-substance.-Relaxation.-Tranquility.-Concentration.-Motion.-Inward & outward modes of motion.-Importance of respiratory control.-Harmony of action and non-action, or motion and tranquility.
2 Practice of Ch'i Kung
Breathing control and important aspects of Ch'i Kung.-Energy areas of the body.-Practice and results.
3 Sensations felt during practice
Flowing of body energy.-Peace and comfort.-Tingling.-Increase of saliva.-Heaviness or thirst and dryness due to incorrect breathing control.-Visual phenomena.-Dizziness.-Important things to realize.
4 Experience of a Chi'i Kung practitioner
Colored lights and mind music.-Patterns of being.
5 Ch'i Kung and the functioning of the organs
Digestive system: achieving one's correct weight naturally.-Self regulation.-Traditional Chinese dietitics.-Circulatory system: enriched blood system.-Other organs: well being peace of mind and sleep.
Part III
The art of eight silken forms
Preliminary instructions-Beginning meditation for tranquility
The sitting forms
Form I The blooming of spring
Form II Lighting the back burning spaces
Form III Extending the wings & twisting the neck
Form IV Holding the warm jade pillow
Form V Sounding the ancient ddrums
Form VI Chewing with both wings upward
Exchanging form The graceful Pheonix (taking the legs out)
Form VII Circling the heavens
Form VIII Polishing the wheels
Exchanging form The ascending dragon (standing up)
The standing forms
Salutation (not included in this book)
Form I The preliminary
Form II Supporting heaven with both hands
Form III Pointing out the eagle
Form IV Reviewing the four quarters
Form V Forming the force
Form VI Upon a divine horse
Form VII The gentle fist
Form VIII Welling the life roots… (mais)