Spirit and Life in Balance: Zhao Bichen’s Lasting Influence on Qigong and the Martial Arts
- January 2014
- Journal of Daoist Studies 7(1):179-194
Wow!!
yes!! Thank you Kenneth Cohen for corroborating what I have been saying is the teaching of that book!
Translator’s Note: As there is a ‘fake’ school of Daoism In the West spreading all kinds of ahistorical nonsense about the Wu Liu lineage, the Daoist Association of China has granted me the honourable the task of translating key (but obscure) Chinese language texts so that the correct history of Chinese Daoism can be presented without the taint of ignorance, racism and deliberate falsification, etc.
Whatever the case, the Wu Liu teaching (as a refinement of the Quanzhen and Longmen methodology) passed through the hands of Liao Ran and Liao Kong. Zhao Bichen was the eleven-generation inheritor of the Quanzhen, Longmen, Wu Liu Tradition – is also counted as the Founding Patriarch of the Qianfeng School – which is a re-gathering of ALL the authentic Daoist teachings that were once lost from the decadent lineages and corrupt schools. Master Zhao Ming Wang [赵明旺] (the great grandson of Zhao Bichen still living in Beijing) is recognised as the fourteenth-generation inheritor of the Quanzhen, Longmen, Wu Liu Tradition – as well as being the third-generation inheritor of the Qianfeng School. ACW (26.3.2021)
This is where Master Liao Kong studied Linji (臨濟) School of Ch’an Buddhism and attained enlightenment. During the fifteen day of the eighth lunar month of the fourth year of the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor ‘Jiaqing’ (嘉庆) [1799] - the ‘Immortal Master’ (仙师 - Xian Shi) named ‘Liu Huayang’ (柳华阳) taught the ‘Wu Liu’ method of Daoist self-cultivation (性命细功 - Xing Ming Xi Gong) or ‘Essential Life Refinement Self-cultivation' - which sealed all leakages and united and opened the eight extraordinary energy channels! Master Liao Kong spent the next twenty-one years practicing at the ‘Golden Mountain’ (金山 - Jin Shan) Temple (寺 - si). On the thirteen day of the third lunar month of the same year (1820) - the two Ch’an Masters ‘Liao Ran’ (了然) and ‘Liao Kong’ received the full Daoist method and transmission of the ‘Wu Liu’ School. Later, during the fifth month of the ninth year of the Republic of China (1920) - Master Liao Kong met his disciple ‘Zhao Bichen (趙避塵) inside a shop next to the West House’ and fully transmitted the Quanzhen, Longmen, Wu Liu Daoist School in its entirety.
Furthermore, Master Liao Kong issued a ‘Divine-Sky Mandate' (天命 - Tian Ming) formally acknowledging (and endorsing) the formulation of the ‘Thousand Peaks’ (千峰 - Qian Feng), ‘Pre-Natal’ (先天 - Xian Tian), ‘School’ (派 - Pai) - as the only genuine inheritor of the ‘Wu Liu’ School! Since that time, the Qianfeng School (based in Beijing) has welcomed thousands of students through its doors! As Masters Liao Kong and Liao Ran were acknowledged as ten-generation inheritors of the Quanzhen, Longmen, Wu Lui tradition – Master Zhao Bichen was acknowledged as the eleventh-generation inheritor of the Quanzhen, Longmen, Wu Liu tradition.
https://qianfengdaoismuk.weebly.com/qianfeng-for-the-west.html
After laughing out loud, Zhao Bichen explained that his ‘Daoist’ teachers were in fact ‘Ch’an’ masters and that he was well aware of Ch’an humour. His face then changed and became stern as he explained that the first six chapters of his manual deal with the development of essential nature (jing) and true vitality (qi), whilst chapters seven to twelve explain how essential nature (jing), true vitality (qi) and the realisation of empty space or ‘shen’ are integrated. Chapters thirteen to sixteen convey the formation of the ‘Immortal Foetus’ (enlightened consciousness in essence), and how this expands to transcend the apparent limitations of mind and body. Throughout all of this training, however, the energy channels of the body are opened and unified, and all the inner organs are permanently nourished. This creates a glowing good health and a long life-span.
Master Zhao Bichen continues - where Ch’an and Daoist practice intersect is through the cultivation of the empty mind ground or great emptiness – these two terms denote exactly the same enlightened or immortal state. The Ch’an masters lay everything down without exception and head straight to the empty mind ground, whilst Daoists masters take a systematic and gradual path toward the great emptiness. Both are very difficult paths with many pitfalls, and perhaps with either method only one in a million will reach the final destination. Out of compassion for humanity, my Daoist masters – Liao Ren and Liao Kong (both Ch’an Buddhist monks) – instructed me to make the previously ‘secret’ Daoist path known to everyone without exception. Prior to this time it was the tradition to keep Daoist teachings ‘hidden’ and away from the general public. My manual can help many people in their self-cultivation. I think that out of the sixteen steps – a dedicated practitioner can probably reach step twelve even though this will be difficult.
Ch’an Master Liang Jie of the Cao Dong Sect discusses (i.e. leakage through wrong views, excessive feelings, and wrong speech). Calming the mind occurs by focusing and strengthening the essential energies of the mind and body. Without a calm mind nothing can be achieved and I think practitioners of Ch’an can use this idea in their Qianfeng Daoist cultivation.
Zhao Bichen taught that the mind must be settled by concentrating on the ‘ancestral cavity’ between and behind the eyes (which correlates with the centre of the brain). This energy centre (or ‘dantian’) is linked with the lower (2 inches below the navel) and middle (centre of the chest) dantian. When the ancestral cavity is opened - all cavities are opened and a united awareness throughout the inner body is cultivated (chapters 1-12 of Taoist Yoga) – that will eventually expand to include the outer environment (chapters 13-16 of Taoist Yoga).
https://qianfengdaoismuk.weebly.com/realisation-of-emptiness-in-wu-liu-2023726611.html
This is because ‘无心’ (Wu Xin) or ‘no mind’ is the realised state of ‘虚空’ (Xu Kong) or ‘void empty of emptiness’. The ‘xu kong’ state is the ‘noumenon’ (本体 – Ben Ji) or ‘absolute void’. This is the state of ‘xian tian’ (先天) or the ‘pre-natal’ condition, which is ‘empty nothingness’ (虚无 – Xu Wu) and corresponds with pure yang (阳) and shen (神) or ‘empty spirit’. This realised state of mind (and body) is empty in nature, all-embracing in practice, and contains the ten thousand things. It is the true and all-pervasive Great Dao (大道).
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