Exercise: 八段锦

Exercise: 八段锦 (Baduanjin)
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Full Article in Chinese
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八段锦(Ba Duan Jin)是一种在中国古代发明的健身方法，由八种肢体动作组成，内容包括肢体运动和气息调理。八段锦有人认为是气功的一种。也有演變成中国武术一种。


八段锦和五禽戏、太极拳等，都是中国民间广为流传的健身方法。1982年6月28日，中国卫生部、教育部和当时的国家体育委员会发出通知，把八段锦等中国传统健身法作为在医学类大学中推广的"保健体育课"的内容之一。2003年中国国家体育总局把重新编排后的八段锦等健身法作为"健身气功"的内容向全国推广。


"八段锦"这个名字，一般认为有两层意思：1、表示这是一种集锦多种练习方法的功法；2、源自一种名为"八段锦"的织锦，表示练习时动作连
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Full Article in English
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The Baduanjin (simplified Chinese: 八段锦气功; traditional Chinese: 八段錦氣功; pinyin: Baduànjin qìgong) is one of the most common forms of Chinese qigong used as exercise. Variously translated as Eight Pieces of Brocade, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Movements and others, the name of the form generally refers to how the eight individual movements of the form characterize and impart a silken quality (like that of a piece of brocade) to the body and its energy. The Baduanjin is primarily designated as a form of medical qigong, meant to improve health. This is in contrast to religious or martial forms of qigong. However, this categorization does not preclude the form's use by martial artists as a supplementary exercise, and this practice is frequent.
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