27/12/2025
☯️ What is the secret of Ancient Masters to reach high levels in Qi Gong and Martial Arts in a shorter time? ☯️
(With one move of the method of descending and inhaling and ascending, the Ren and Du meridians will be quickly opened)
In ancient China, if a martial arts master wanted to reach new heights, they had to open up the body's most vital front and back meridians: the Ren Meridian in front and the Du Meridian in the back. As a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, I've discovered that if ordinary people or patients can open up these two most important meridians, it's like connecting the body's vital energy and spirit, allowing for rapid recovery.
In fact, this is a key health-preserving method recognized by famous doctors of all generations.
The Ren Meridian (Ren Mai ) meridian in the front is actually quite easy to identify. There are two important acupuncture points on the chest: one at the navel (technically called the " Shenque point ") and the other between the breasts, called the " Tanzhong point ." Connecting these two important chest points with a line gives you the Ren Mai meridian. It's pretty easy to remember, right? Furthermore, along this meridian lies the well-known Dantian acupoint, a vital health-preserving point three inches below the navel (technically called the "Guanyuan point").
Once you know the Ren Meridian, it's very easy to remember the other lifeline, the Du Meridian. The Ren Meridian is in the front chest, so the meridian on the back that corresponds to the Ren Meridian is the Du Meridian.
Some people may ask: Is it too exaggerated to say that the Ren and Du meridians are the front and back "lifelines" of the human body? Are they really that powerful?
Of course, in terms of specific methods of TCM health preservation, if a person can use true Qi to open up the front and back Ren and Du meridians, this is called "opening the heavenly circulation." In other words, through health preservation exercises, the body's true Qi can flow like spring water along the circle formed by the Ren and Du meridians. In this way, "the true Qi follows, and disease cannot enter."
Why do the Ren and Du meridians have such important health-preserving functions? The story begins with Zhang Xichun, a master of traditional Chinese medicine known as "the foremost figure in modern Chinese medicine." He taught us how to maintain health and wellness through the Ren and Du meridians simply by applying the "Four Qi to Regulate the Spirit" theory from the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. The results were even better than medication!
If you don’t believe it, please read the three medical case stories told by Zhang Xichun in his book "Medical Records of Combining Chinese and Western Medicine":
A man was traveling north on business and caught a cold while on the road. He suddenly remembered the "Qi-refining method of healing" mentioned by Zhang Xichun in his medical book, so he tried "exhaling down and inhaling up" in his car. After driving about 30 miles, he felt refreshed and relaxed, and his cold was instantly gone.
A patient suffered from severe diarrhea, which had been unresponsive to repeated treatments and he doubted there was a cure. Later, Zhang Xichun taught the patient the Qigong method of "exhaling down and inhaling up." After just four or five days, he felt his previously cold lower abdomen warm up. With continued practice, his stubborn condition was finally cured.
Another patient suffered from a serious illness. During attacks, he gasped violently, unable to sit or lie down, and he took numerous medications, all to no avail. Later, Zhang Xichun introduced him to the Qigong method of "exhaling to descend, inhaling to ascend." A year later, he felt a constant warmth in his Dantian, a heat permeating his entire body. The illness that had plagued him for years was suddenly cured. The patient exclaimed with emotion, "What a secret of medicine! It's the essence of heaven and earth! Who can understand this without understanding the principles of creation? Be careful, keep it secret, and don't pass it on to the wrong person!"
🌀 Exhale-Down and Inhale-Up Method
This health-preserving method, which is better than medicine, is actually very simple, which is what is mentioned in medical records as "exhale to descend and inhale to ascend":
When breathing, just let "exhalation" and "inhalation" correspond to the "Ren Mai" and "Du Mai" respectively.
(1) When exhaling, let the breath descend along the Ren Meridian in the front of the chest, from the upper part (the Tanzhong point between the two breasts) to the lower part (the navel, also known as the Shenque point), and then to the Dantian point;
(2) Then, when you inhale, let the breath follow the direction of the Du channel at the back, from the bottom to the top, until it reaches the top of the head.
In other words, just let the breath flow along the circle formed by the Ren and Du meridians.
Zhang Xichun once described its miraculous effects like this: "Opening the Du meridian can cure diseases behind the body; opening the Ren meridian can cure diseases in front of the body. When both the Du and Ren meridians are open, vital energy flows freely, the spirit is strong, and at this point, immortality can be achieved."
The only key point to remember is " exhale descends, inhale ascends ." This way, without acupressure on the Ren and Du meridians, you can allow breath to circulate within them, repeatedly circulating and transforming into true Qi. Even without acupressure, Qi and blood flow naturally through all the acupoints, just as the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine states: "If true Qi follows, how can disease enter?"
Some may wonder if the "Descending and Ascending Breathing Method" only nourishes the Qi of "essence, Qi, and Spirit," but not the Essence and Spirit. In fact, Essence, Qi, and Spirit are a trinity, interdependent and mutually dependent. Prosperity and decline are all integral. As the renowned Chinese medicine classic "Lei Zheng Zhi Cai" states: "Essence transforms into Qi, and Qi transforms into Spirit. Therefore, Essence is the foundation of the body, Qi is the master of Spirit, and Form is the home of Spirit." This century-old, well-established health-preserving method comprehensively nourishes the body's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, rather than focusing on just one aspect.
Zhang Xichun, realizing the true essence of the Neijing (Inner Canon of Medicine), devoted himself to practicing this health-preserving practice. His body, which had begun to decline in his 40s, remained energetic and vigorous well into his 70s after practicing this Qi-healing method. At the age of 73, Zhang Xichun wrote an article titled "On the Use of Meditation by Physicians to Understand Philosophy," specifically targeting fellow practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He advocated for using meditation, the "exhalation descends, inhalation ascends" method, to achieve "sudden enlightenment, philosophical understanding," and "the ability to adjust medications to achieve effective results." I have used this method to help many patients with chronic illnesses regain their vitality and health.
The Tao Te Ching states: "The wise are free from illness (no ailments) because they recognize their shortcomings and immediately take action to correct them. Consequently, they avoid all forms of illness." For the health of ordinary people, we must be constantly aware of our flaws and symptoms, and immediately utilize the best health-preserving methods (such as the descending and ascending breathing technique) to restore our health. This way, we too can ultimately achieve "freedom from illness."
The Ren and Du meridians are meridians in traditional Chinese medicine theory:
Ren Meridian: From the Chengjiang point on the lower jaw to the Huiyin point on the lower body
Governor Vessel: From the Yinjiao point at the mouth to the Changqiang point at the bottom of the back
The Ren and Du meridians originally belonged to the eight extraordinary meridians. Because they have clear acupoints, doctors call them together with the twelve main meridians the fourteen main meridians.
The Ren meridian governs blood and is the sea of yin meridians; the Du meridian governs qi and is the sea of yang meridians.
In other words, the Ren and Du meridians respectively play a leading role in the six yin meridians and six yang meridians of the hands and feet among the twelve main meridians. When the twelve main meridians are full of qi and blood, they will flow into the Ren and Du meridians; on the contrary, if the Ren and Du meridians are thriving, they will also circulate to the twelve main meridians. Therefore, it is said: "If the Ren and Du meridians are unblocked, all meridians will be unblocked."
As for "opening the Ren and Du meridians", it can be discussed from the perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist health guidance.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, the circulation sequence of the twelve meridians and the Ren and Du meridians can be understood from the description in the Lingshu (Lingshu) chapter on Yingqi. The meridian flow begins at the Lung Meridian and circulates to the Liver Meridian. From the Liver Meridian, it enters the chest, ascends through the forehead to the top of the head, descends along the Du Meridian to the coccyx, passes through the ge****ls, and ascends through the Ren Meridian before returning to the Lung Meridian. The chapter on Yingqi states, "This is the normal course of Yingqi's movement, its reverse and forward movement." This is the natural law of the Ren and Du meridians' flow in the human body, as described in the medical classics. Therefore, it can be understood that, in a normal person, the Ren and Du meridians are naturally connected, so why is it necessary to open them?
From the perspective of Daoist health preservation, "opening the Ren and Du meridians" means opening the three gates ( the coccyx, the Jiaji, and the Yuzhen ) and circulating the "circulation of the heavens." The Taoist text "Taiping Jing" states that the maximum human lifespan is 120 years. Through Daoyin inner alchemy training, one can overcome this limit by "reversing" the flow of energy from heaven and earth, concentrating essence, qi, and spirit, and improving the quality of life. This "reversal" refers to the Du meridian running from the perineum through the three gates of the spine to the Baihui point on the top of the head, then down the Ren meridian in front of the body to the Dantian. This is called the "circulation of the heavens," and is the exact opposite of the meridian path described by the aforementioned medical practitioners.
Taoists use the Qigong of the Small Circulation to combine and refine innate essence with acquired Qi (the essence of water and grain) into a "medicine." This is the "first level" of refining essence, also known as the "first pass." Next, they enter the "Great Circulation" stage of refining Qi and transforming spirit, known as the "middle pass." Finally, they enter the "great concentration" stage, reaching the "upper pass" of refining spirit and returning to emptiness, thus entering the Dao body. The circulation of the Circulation primarily centers on the Ren and Du meridians. This mechanism of ascending from behind and descending from the front is known as "raising the Yang Fire and descending the Yin Fu," essentially opening the Ren and Du meridians. The first pass lasts nine months, the middle pass ten months, and the upper pass nine years, demonstrating the difficulty of practice. However, this practice clearly charts the qualitative transformation from body to mind, from the tangible to the intangible, and from the material to the spiritual, providing a concrete and tangible path. As for the possibility of "opening the Ren and Du meridians" through external force, while classics do mention the use of "distributed qi" by Taoists with profound internal skills, that is, releasing external qi to heal illnesses, the use of external qi to open the Ren and Du meridians is not mentioned in canonical texts, except in martial arts novels. Distributing qi to treat illness was a necessary measure in the medical environment of the time. Today's medical technology is a hundred times more effective than distributing qi, so to claim that external force can easily open the Ren and Du meridians is an exaggeration.
Medical practitioners and Taoists discuss the movement of the Ren and Du meridians. Based on my personal experience practicing qigong, the difference can be distinguished by the practice of forward and reverse abdominal breathing. The classics say, " Following the flow leads to human form, while reversed breathing leads to immortality ," referring to the Du meridian ascending while the Ren meridian descends. With proper practice, practitioners can regulate the body's primordial qi. Women should focus on the Ren meridian to replenish blood, while men should focus on the Du meridian to replenish qi. By focusing on "regulating the mind" and "entering tranquility," practitioners can reverse the flow of the "He Cha" (the river wheel) to strengthen the body and maintain a smooth flow of qi in the Ren and Du meridians. This is the so-called dual cultivation of nature and life.
