6.—Middle of the Third Month,—termed 'Corn Rain.'

Kung-Fu, or Tauist Medical Gymnastics, by John Dudgeon, [1895], at sacred-texts.com

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6.—Middle of the Third Month,—termed "Corn Rain."—Sitting evenly, alternately raise the right and left hand as if supporting something, and alternately with the

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right and left cover the breasts, each 5 × 7 times, etc. ^* To cure blood obstruction in the spleen and stomach, yellowness of the eyes, bleeding of the nose; cheeks, neck and arm swollen and painful, palms of the hands hot.—See Figure, opposite page. ^†

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The name of the spirit of the gall-bladder is "Glorious Dragon," and its appellation "Majestic Brightness." Its form is that of a tortoise coiled round by a serpent (see illustration on previous page); its resemblance is to a suspended gourd; its colour is a green purple; it is placed in the middle of the liver. Its kung is to sit upright, place the two soles of the feet together, raise the head, with the two hands take hold of the ankles and move the feet 3 × 5 times. Or with the two hands press the ground, straighten the body, and add force to the loins and back 3 × 5 times. In this way, the vicious air and poisonous wind can be driven out.

Then follow the summer three months,—Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. The period starts with the picture of the heart. The name of its spirit is "Great Red;" its designation is "Guarding the Soul;" its form is like "the Scarlet Bird" (the fancy name of a position in geomancy); as the Red Ruler, it stores up the spirit. It resembles the lotus turned upside down; in colour, like white reflected on brown; it is placed in the middle of the lungs above the liver, one inch below the apex of the ensiform cartilage (in Chinese the aperture called the "dove's tail"). The pulse of the heart issues from the end of the left middle finger, at the aperture termed "the communicating centre." In order to direct the heart into a right course, sitting straight, with both hands clenched, with strength ram down alternately the right and left each 5 × 6 times. Also, with one hand raised aloft in space as if supporting a picul of rice, right and left alternately. Also, with both hands clasped, and the foot placed within the clasped hands, each 5 × 6 times, during which period let the breath be held, to drive out all diseases caused by vicious wind in the heart and thorax. This exercise to be performed for a long time, with the eyes shut, the saliva swallowed

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[paragraph continues] 3 times, and the teeth knocked 3 times. Afterwards hem slowly. Whatever grief may be in the heart or ulcers in the mouth will be cured. Or, sitting upright, throw both fists forward (as if fighting), and bring them back 6 times.—See illustration, below.

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Additional two exercises for directing the heart are given as follows:—First, sitting upright, body inclined, use strength in this position like a hill. supporting a hill. In this way, sit, using force to drive out the vicious wind of the loins and spine, to make pervious the five viscera and six fu, to disperse foot vapours (gout), to tone the heart, and strengthen the system; and do it the same on the right and left sides. The second method is with one hand to press the stomach, one hand raised upwards; use all your strength as if supporting a stone, and retain the breath; and do the same on both sides, to dispel the poisonous wind of the ribs, to cure the heart, and cause the blood and pulses to circulate and harmonize.

When the seven apertures of the heart are all open, the Chinese assert the highest intelligence. With a moderate amount of wisdom, only five openings are pervious; and, in the case of the intensely stupid, all the openings are blocked up, and no air passes through. The heart is the son of the liver and mother of the spleen (in their view).

In the beginning of the Fourth and Fifth months, early in the morning, facing the south, sitting straight, bump the teeth 9 times, gargle the saliva in the mouth 3 times, silently think, draw the south air into the mouth and swallow 3 times, hold the breath, and take 30 inspirations after each such holding, and so fill up and replace the vicious air.

Footnotes

127:* Each exercise concludes invariably with the phrase t‘u² na yen ye (#) which we have translated respire and swallow the saliva so many times. The word t‘u refers to the air coming out of the mouth softly and slowly (expiration); na to its entering by the nose (inspiration) also slowly and continuously. The expression is equivalent to breathing out the foul and sniffing in the pure air. The repetition of the phrase is omitted.

The air of expiration moves the "heavenly stems" (10), and the air of inspiration the "earthly branches" (12); those cyclical signs forming the cycle of 60 combinations.

127:† This Figure corresponds with No. 4 of Amiot, which is said to be against embarrassment and obstruction of the stomach and jaundice.