"Humans can develop certain abilities(能力) we aren't born with by practicing animals' movements, " the traditional Chinese Kungfu lovers believed in the past and still do today.
Chinese Five-Animal Exercises, also known as Wuqinxi, are the first complete set of qigong exercises following the movements of animals: monkeys, deer, birds, bears and tigers. They were created by one of the greatest doctors in Chinese history, Hua Tuo, more than 1, 800 years ago.
The Five-Animal Exercises are well-designed to help blood circulation, and let the energy go smoothly in the body so as to improve health.
"The bear movements are good for the stomach. The tiger movements can reduce the pain in the back. The deer movements help reduce the fat around the waist. The bird movements can help keep our knees healthy and the monkey movements can be good for the heart, " said Hua Yi, the 59th inheritor(继承人) of Wuqinxi.
For those new learners, the first few exercises might not go well. You may find it hard to focus. Wear comfortable clothes, keep peaceful in your mind, try to move slowly... Little by little, you'll feel more and more harmonious with nature. You may even feel you become a tiger or a deer, walking in the forest freely.
These exercises need no tools and they are easy to learn. You can search online for the videos and practice them at any time when you feel like relaxing your body and mind. It's fun to practice and good for health, so Five Animal Exercises are becoming more and more popular in recent years, not only in China, but also in many other places of the world.