This essay is drawn from published discussion. It cites classical Chinese books, the words of others, or academic argument, and is meant as cultural reading on the traditional cultivation of life. What it says about the body, and about what practice may do, belongs to the sources quoted or to the original speaker. It is not a medical promise or clinical advice from the people who operate this website.
The Six Healing Sounds (Liu Zi Jue) were composed by the physician Tao Hongjing of the Liang in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and first recorded in the monograph on cultivating life Yangxing Yanming Lu. Breathing and exhalation are its chief means; among many practices for cultivating life it is quite distinctive.
Its reasoning sits close to the theory and practice of Chinese medicine: the sounds are directed straight at the zang-fu, and also relate to care through the four seasons. The original text says its medical coloring is strong, and it can be used both to treat illness and to cultivate life.
The “Health Qigong · Six Healing Sounds” current today is one of the new practices organized and created by the Health Qigong Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China. It takes moving qi as primary; through the different pronunciations and mouth shapes of the six characters Xu, He, Hu, Si, Chui, and Xi, breath is used to stir the potential of the zang-fu. The effects stated in the original are to drive out illness and strengthen the body, and to extend the years; the overall effect is summed up as inwardly strengthening the zang-fu, outwardly strengthening sinews and bones.
The Six Characters
- Xu, answers to the liver. It can vent the turbid qi of the liver, soothe the liver and brighten the eyes.
- He, answers to the heart. It can vent the turbid qi of the heart, and regulate heart and kidneys.
- Hu, answers to the spleen. It can vent the turbid qi of spleen and stomach, fortify the spleen and harmonize the stomach.
- Si, answers to the lungs. It can vent the turbid qi of the lungs, and regulate the lung zang.
- Chui, answers to the kidneys. It can vent the turbid qi of the kidneys, strengthen the waist and fortify the kidneys.
- Xi, answers to the qi of shaoyang sanjiao. It can open the shaoyang meridians and harmonize the qi mechanism of the whole body.
In practice, breathing should be natural, the mouth shape accurate, and the sound of the character sent out. Beginners, and those who already know the movements but wish to train mouth shape and pronunciation accurately, may all begin from the opening form. The original also counts among those suited to practice the frail who hope to strengthen zang-fu function, and middle-aged and older people who hope to drive out illness and preserve health. The counts of the movements are not in this essay.