8.19.2. Xiang Gong (香功, 中国芳香智悟气功, Qigong religion)
This was possibly the third most popular Qi Gong of the Qigong fever (气功热 , 1980’s) after Falun Gong (法轮功, Qigong new religion/cult) and Zhong Gong (中功, 中华养生益智功, Qigong religion). It is mentioned for example at The Falungong Phenomenon by Hu Ping (2003).
Literal translation:
-
Fragrant Gong
-
China Fragrang Wisdom Comprehension Gong
It is however so obscure that there isn’t even a wikipedia page for it anymore!
The prophet’s name was Tian Ruisheng (田瑞生). He’s the old due at: https://www.sohu.com/a/270132785_100279655 with little badges on his coat. He can be seen lecturing for example at: https://youtu.be/ItAUwGWSXuI?t=167
Some mentions in English:
-
https://taijiclub.live/2020/05/09/xiang-gong-the-fragrant-mind-awakening-qigong/ Xiang Gong: The Fragrant Mind Awakening Qigong (2020) Interesting quote:
Basically, the origin of this qigong comes from Master Tian Ruisheng. Master Tian Ruisheng was taught this as a ill young boy by a traveling buddhist monk. He was told to practice it every day and not reveal it until 50 years later. He diligently practiced and eventually taught it after 50 years. It quickly became a popular qigong in China.
This is exactly the type of "Creation Story" that Li Hongzhi (李洪志, LHZ, Falun Gong prophet) invented. Notably, it is not something he just made up to take advantage of the obvious Qigong fever (气功热 , 1980’s). No, it is something that he developped his entire life, and only started teaching at that point due to a coincidence!
This is notably highlighted in Diaries of being in Thailand with Li Hongzhi’s family (我与李洪志一家在泰国的日子——法轮功教主妹夫的自述). Li’s sister just casualy never mentioned to her husband that her brother had been having mystical training for several years, until he finally announced it in the early days of Falun Gong (法轮功, Qigong new religion/cult).
In Tian’s case however, he is truly really old. This is possibly a major reason why he didn’t get as big as Falun Gong. It is terribly discriminatory, but who wants to look at an old ugly dude? Especially when he’s likely teaching stuff that is supposed to cure diseases. Li Hongzhi (李洪志, LHZ, Falun Gong prophet) and
-
https://www.beliefnet.com/news/2000/05/chinese-crackdown-goes-beyond-falun-gong.aspx Chinese Crackdown Goes Beyond Falun Gong (2000) mentions Zhong Gong (中功, 中华养生益智功, Qigong religion) and Xiang Gong (香功, 中国芳香智悟气功, Qigong religion). Says it is from AP News, but I can’t find the original. But the language does look "AP-like".
China’s entirely state-run media and the government have trumpeted the crackdown on Falun Gong. Thousands of practitioners have been detained since it was outlawed in July in the campaign against what the government says is an evil cult.
But authorities refuse to talk about the clampdown on other qi gong organizations, and state media have all but ignored it. So far the campaign has affected at least five groups, practitioners, government sources and human rights organizations say.
The other groups, even smaller, are mentioned in the article next:
-
Cibei Gong (慈悲功, Compassion Gong). Possible Chinese name mentioned at: http://www.chinanews.com/2001-02-22/26/72398.html 武汉侦破“法轮功”的变种慈悲功 (Wuhan investigates Falun Gong variant Cibei Gong) from a Pro-Chinese government media (pro-CCP media). The word for variant is the same as for "mutation", which brings funnily Censorship of the 2019 Corona Virus (2019冠状病毒病早期迹象审查) to mind.
-
Guo Gong (国功, Country Gong). Not even the patriotic name was able to prevent crackdown!
-
Bodhi Gong. TODO fins Chinese.
https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be1e20.html also mentions some of them.
Some mentions in Chinese:
-
on Zhihu (知乎, censored Quora clone, 审查 Quora 克隆):
-
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/76604171 香功是什么？为什么国家要禁止习练香功？ (What is Xiang Gong? Why did the country [China] forbit practicing Xiang Gong?) by 吴庆元. Mentions the Falun Gong believers are less likely to take necessary medication (法轮功信徒不太可能服用必要的药物) argument, but it is from a pro-Qi Gong writter in general.
-
https://www.zhihu.com/question/24006657 香功是邪教吗？ (Is Xiang Gong an Evil Cult?)
-
https://www.sohu.com/a/270132785_100279655 我们回顾一下80/90年代所谓的"大师" (Looking back at the so-called "Masters" of the 80s/90s) on Sohu (搜狐, smaller Chinese Google)
In other languages:
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Zcgk15kkc Treinamento Perfumado Nível 1 (Xianggong) completo (Complete Xiang Gong training, level 1 complete) by Maria Lucia Lee (2017)
This is the YouTube channel of a Brazillian Xianggong parcticionner.
This reminded Ciro Santilli (三西猴, anti-CCP fanatic, 反中共狂热, stupid cunt, 傻屄, CIA agent, CIA特工, 肏你妈的) of a Qigong/Taichi course he went to for a few months when he was a young teenager in Santos, Brazil, attended almost exclusively by older ladies.
Some people, even outside China, like "mystic stuff", and may start a mystic stuff practice, more or less affiliated to a certain current of mysticism.
Especially since people know nothing about any of the currents, partly due to the language barrier, it often becomes a larger more dilluted current os mysticisms.
The same likely applied to that course Ciro attended, but at the time he was clueless and didn’t really classify his teacher’s influences.
Ciro must say however, that some of the exercises were good, and have become a permanent part of Ciro’s Cirodance.
The only thing Ciro rejects completely is the metaphysical bullshit: Does Ciro Santilli believe in or practice Falun Gong? (三西猴信仰或者练法轮功吗？).
Though if something has a lot of metaphysical bullshit, it makes it hard for Ciro to practice it without thinking about the metaphysics.
Maria speaks perfect Portuguese, and given the name Lee she must be a second or later generation immigrant. She’s likely from Sao Paulo. Here’s a video of her in the 70’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaPlwdb5iIw when she was likely in her late 30’s, already as a Qigong teacher.
Mystical movements like that likely had a decent following in Brazil, especially in the 70’s linked to the Hippies (嬉皮士). Ciro’s mother mentioned some related stories of her friends.
At https://www.instagram.com/p/COOnUMwHD_Q/ for example
This was possibly the third most popular Qi Gong of the Qigong fever (气功热 , 1980’s) after Falun Gong (法轮功, Qigong new religion/cult) and Zhong Gong (中功, 中华养生益智功, Qigong religion). It is mentioned for example at The Falungong Phenomenon by Hu Ping (2003).
Literal translation:
-
Fragrant Gong
-
China Fragrang Wisdom Comprehension Gong
It is however so obscure that there isn’t even a wikipedia page for it anymore!
The prophet’s name was Tian Ruisheng (田瑞生). He’s the old due at: https://www.sohu.com/a/270132785_100279655 with little badges on his coat. He can be seen lecturing for example at: https://youtu.be/ItAUwGWSXuI?t=167
Some mentions in English:
-
https://taijiclub.live/2020/05/09/xiang-gong-the-fragrant-mind-awakening-qigong/ Xiang Gong: The Fragrant Mind Awakening Qigong (2020) Interesting quote:
Basically, the origin of this qigong comes from Master Tian Ruisheng. Master Tian Ruisheng was taught this as a ill young boy by a traveling buddhist monk. He was told to practice it every day and not reveal it until 50 years later. He diligently practiced and eventually taught it after 50 years. It quickly became a popular qigong in China.
This is exactly the type of "Creation Story" that Li Hongzhi (李洪志, LHZ, Falun Gong prophet) invented. Notably, it is not something he just made up to take advantage of the obvious Qigong fever (气功热 , 1980’s). No, it is something that he developped his entire life, and only started teaching at that point due to a coincidence!
This is notably highlighted in Diaries of being in Thailand with Li Hongzhi’s family (我与李洪志一家在泰国的日子——法轮功教主妹夫的自述). Li’s sister just casualy never mentioned to her husband that her brother had been having mystical training for several years, until he finally announced it in the early days of Falun Gong (法轮功, Qigong new religion/cult).
In Tian’s case however, he is truly really old. This is possibly a major reason why he didn’t get as big as Falun Gong. It is terribly discriminatory, but who wants to look at an old ugly dude? Especially when he’s likely teaching stuff that is supposed to cure diseases. Li Hongzhi (李洪志, LHZ, Falun Gong prophet) and
-
https://www.beliefnet.com/news/2000/05/chinese-crackdown-goes-beyond-falun-gong.aspx Chinese Crackdown Goes Beyond Falun Gong (2000) mentions Zhong Gong (中功, 中华养生益智功, Qigong religion) and Xiang Gong (香功, 中国芳香智悟气功, Qigong religion). Says it is from AP News, but I can’t find the original. But the language does look "AP-like".
China’s entirely state-run media and the government have trumpeted the crackdown on Falun Gong. Thousands of practitioners have been detained since it was outlawed in July in the campaign against what the government says is an evil cult.
But authorities refuse to talk about the clampdown on other qi gong organizations, and state media have all but ignored it. So far the campaign has affected at least five groups, practitioners, government sources and human rights organizations say.
The other groups, even smaller, are mentioned in the article next:
-
Cibei Gong (慈悲功, Compassion Gong). Possible Chinese name mentioned at: http://www.chinanews.com/2001-02-22/26/72398.html 武汉侦破“法轮功”的变种慈悲功 (Wuhan investigates Falun Gong variant Cibei Gong) from a Pro-Chinese government media (pro-CCP media). The word for variant is the same as for "mutation", which brings funnily Censorship of the 2019 Corona Virus (2019冠状病毒病早期迹象审查) to mind.
-
Guo Gong (国功, Country Gong). Not even the patriotic name was able to prevent crackdown!
-
Bodhi Gong. TODO fins Chinese.
https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be1e20.html also mentions some of them.
-
Some mentions in Chinese:
-
on Zhihu (知乎, censored Quora clone, 审查 Quora 克隆):
-
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/76604171 香功是什么？为什么国家要禁止习练香功？ (What is Xiang Gong? Why did the country [China] forbit practicing Xiang Gong?) by 吴庆元. Mentions the Falun Gong believers are less likely to take necessary medication (法轮功信徒不太可能服用必要的药物) argument, but it is from a pro-Qi Gong writter in general.
-
https://www.zhihu.com/question/24006657 香功是邪教吗？ (Is Xiang Gong an Evil Cult?)
-
-
https://www.sohu.com/a/270132785_100279655 我们回顾一下80/90年代所谓的"大师" (Looking back at the so-called "Masters" of the 80s/90s) on Sohu (搜狐, smaller Chinese Google)
In other languages:
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Zcgk15kkc Treinamento Perfumado Nível 1 (Xianggong) completo (Complete Xiang Gong training, level 1 complete) by Maria Lucia Lee (2017)
This is the YouTube channel of a Brazillian Xianggong parcticionner.
This reminded Ciro Santilli (三西猴, anti-CCP fanatic, 反中共狂热, stupid cunt, 傻屄, CIA agent, CIA特工, 肏你妈的) of a Qigong/Taichi course he went to for a few months when he was a young teenager in Santos, Brazil, attended almost exclusively by older ladies.
Some people, even outside China, like "mystic stuff", and may start a mystic stuff practice, more or less affiliated to a certain current of mysticism.
Especially since people know nothing about any of the currents, partly due to the language barrier, it often becomes a larger more dilluted current os mysticisms.
The same likely applied to that course Ciro attended, but at the time he was clueless and didn’t really classify his teacher’s influences.
Ciro must say however, that some of the exercises were good, and have become a permanent part of Ciro’s Cirodance.
The only thing Ciro rejects completely is the metaphysical bullshit: Does Ciro Santilli believe in or practice Falun Gong? (三西猴信仰或者练法轮功吗？).
Though if something has a lot of metaphysical bullshit, it makes it hard for Ciro to practice it without thinking about the metaphysics.
Maria speaks perfect Portuguese, and given the name Lee she must be a second or later generation immigrant. She’s likely from Sao Paulo. Here’s a video of her in the 70’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaPlwdb5iIw when she was likely in her late 30’s, already as a Qigong teacher.
Mystical movements like that likely had a decent following in Brazil, especially in the 70’s linked to the Hippies (嬉皮士). Ciro’s mother mentioned some related stories of her friends.
At https://www.instagram.com/p/COOnUMwHD_Q/ for example