Shifting Views
Traditionally, qigong training has been esoteric and secretive, with knowledge passed from adept master to student in lineages that maintain their own unique detailed interpretations and methods. Over the centuries, a diverse spectrum of qigong forms developed in different segments of Chinese society, with emphasis on meditative practice by scholars, and gymnastic or dynamic practice by the working masses. Disparate approaches to qigong were merged as part of the cultural change that occurred as China modernized. In contemporary China, the emphasis of qigong practice has shifted away from traditional philosophy, spiritual attainment, and folklore, and increasingly to health benefits, traditional medicine and martial arts applications, and a scientific perspective.
Qigong is now practiced by millions worldwide, primarily for its health benefits, though many practitioners have also adopted traditional philosophical, medical, or martial arts perspectives, and even use the long history of qigong as evidence of its effectiveness.
Read more about this topic: John P. Milton
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