Taoist temple exercises help city workers relieve stress

Young workers in Beijing can find themselves overwhelmed by the pressures of their daily jobs and the fast pace of urban life.

A Taoist temple in the city district of Xicheng, the capital of China, however, provides a place of tranquility for young residents to relieve their aches and pains, calm their nerves, and find inner peace. .

The grounds of Baiyun Temple are covered with tall trees and filled with the smell of burning incense. Priests can be found everywhere in the temple – a living reminder of the historical importance of Taoism in China and its importance to believers.

An exercise known as baduanjinkind of Taoist qigong which combines eight sets of traditional Chinese exercise techniques with meditation and breathing, has been taught on weekends by monks for many years, attracting enthusiastic trainees.

Deng Jiayi, 30, is one of the instructors, and has been teaching for a long time baduanjin from 2017.

“We found that the physical condition of people today is different from that of the past. Many people now cannot learn karate or tai chi because their physical health is poor,” said Deng. “Therefore, our master suggested using some lifesaving exercises for the community to learn and improve, and baduanjin it became a work offered as a social welfare group in the temple.

“Our master’s desire is to promote our Chinese culture, to inform more people about that deep culture so that they can benefit you,” said Deng.

The baduanjin Fitness classes, held from 9:30 am to 11:00 am every Saturday and Sunday, offer two lessons. They are taught by Taoist instructors who learned karate from a young age in the country’s holiest place of Taoism, Wudang Mountain in Hubei province.

At first the group of qigong exercises performed by Chinese folk groups, baduanjin it has existed since ancient times. The lower parts of the exercise were discarded while the rest were cleaned, leading to the implementation of baduanjin in its current form.

Different schools and different styles of martial arts, as well qigonghave included these methods in their system, to strengthen the spread of baduanjin.

Deng said the Sanfeng branch of Wudang baduanjin focuses on breathing and maintaining health, while the Shaolin sect uses a dynamic and outward approach, emphasizing muscles and inner strength.

Baiyun Temple teaches an exercise system from the Huashan branch of the Taoist Quanzhen sect, focusing on the control and flow of qivital energy to life, and blood.

Improving exercise

Seven years ago, the baduanjin The teachings offered by Baiyun Temple have changed in their own strength, while the interaction with the community has changed.

Since the end of the COVID-19 epidemic, there has been an increase in young people interested in exercise to improve their health, said Deng. This increase was achieved with the help of government support, he added.

However, some baduanjin He said that beginners struggle to complete one round of training. “During our classes, we noticed that the students had diarrhea, nausea, and difficulty standing,” Deng explained. “To prevent fainting or hypoglycemia, we give huoxiangzhengqi water (a traditional herbal formula) and sugar.”

Deng says that the problems of first-time students include a decline in general fitness levels and teaching methods, which is a challenge for newcomers. He said: “Since then we have changed our approach to be less.

Deng believes that many urban dwellers suffer from stress caused by overthinking. But with practice baduanjin they stretch and open all their joints and limbs, and allow their whole body to gradually relax. He said this would calm their minds and give them a much needed sense of calm.

“During this practice, individuals can engage in self-examination and gradually reduce stress, discomfort and excessive mental anxiety,” said Deng.

“The things that the city dwellers bring with them in the form of social burdens, stress of life and work, can be easily removed through our classes at the temple,” said Deng, adding that the students are eager to learn and find solutions to their problems. relieve stress.