China's "Qigong" masters to pay maiden visit to U.S.

BEIJING, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- A group of "Qigong" masters will pay a 14-day visit to the United States, starting from Jan. 30, the first time the ancient Chinese healing practice has been introduced to Americans by a "Qigong" delegation.

The six-member delegation will visit New York, Boston, and Washington D.C. to perform "Qigong" and promote Chinese culture, according to an official with the Chinese Health Qigong Association (CHQA), the organizer of the visit.

"Qigong" is being used as part of the traditional Chinese medication in preventive and therapeutic health care in China. "Qi," frequently translated as "energy flow," is believed to be part of every living thing that exists, as a kind of "life force" or "spiritual energy."

China's Qigong has a variety of practice forms. Basing on traditional way of health improving, CHQA, the only national health Qigong organization, developed four easy-to-learn types of health Qigong, namely Wu Qin Xi, Yi Jin Jing, Liu Zi Jue and Ba Duan Jin.

"Traditional Chinese culture has a great appeal for westerners," said Lu Shiming, CHQA vice secretary-general, "Health Qigong, due to its emphasis on improving health, more meets the needs of today's world."

During China's Spring Festival period, CHQA will send another five groups to six countries to promote health Qigong.

Health Qigong was first introduced overseas in 2006 and up to now there are more than 10,000 Qigong practitioners worldwide.