Qigong Routines · SequenceLast reviewed Oct 23, 2026

Daoyin Yangsheng Gong

导引养生功十二法

· 12 movements · 12 min · Free

Naming · The English names are descriptive translations in common use. The official compilation publishes no English movement names.

Qianyuan Qiyun — The Primordial Origin Awakens

第一式乾元启运

Step the left foot out a little wider than the shoulders. Raise both arms to shoulder height and turn the head to the left. Swing the arms forward and bring the head back to centre. Sink slightly and press both palms down in front of the abdomen. Rise, look to the right, swing the arms forward again, let the hands drop and bring the feet together. Practise both sides.
As the palms press down, separate them and rotate the arms inward; the thumbs press firmly to help the rotation. The depth of the squat varies from person to person — go only as low as is comfortable. Recite the formula silently and hold the attention at the dantian.

Shuangyu Xuange — Two Fishes Hung Above

第二式双鱼悬阁

Turn the body half to the left and swing both arms out to the side. Settle into a ding stance and cut the pulse with the ring, middle and index fingers. Swing through to the front-left. Shift from the empty stance into a bow stance with the left foot forward, then sit back into the empty stance and lift the heel. Bring the palms together about 20 cm in front of the chest. Draw the foot in, rub the palms together as yin and yang fish, press down, let the hands drop and bring the feet together.
Rotate from the waist rather than the shoulders. The pulse-cutting is done with the ring, middle and index fingers together. Exhale with the sound and hold the attention at Guanyuan (关元), the point below the navel.

Laoji Fuli — The Old Steed Pawing at the Stall

第三式老骥伏枥

Step the feet apart and raise the arms level with the shoulders, palms up, shoulder-width. Close the fists and draw them to the chest. Open the fists and rotate the arms inward as they reach forward and up. Sink into a horse stance with the hands hooked. Unhook and lift the palms to in front of the abdomen. Rise and take the arms out to the sides with the wrists at shoulder height. Let the palms fall, bring the feet together, and close the fist at the waist.
As the fist closes, hook Laogong (劳宫) — the fist passes over that point in an instant. The hooked wrist needs a full bend, not a half curl.

Jichang Guanshi — Ji Chang Threads the Flea

第四式纪昌贯虱

Step the feet apart, open the fists and press the palms forward with the arms straight and level with the shoulders. Sit into the left leg and extend the right, pushing the heel out sideways — the heel stays on the floor and the forefoot rolls gently. Close the fists, turn the body and bend the right arm across the chest. Sink the hips, open the chest and draw a strong bow. Turn back, open the fists, rotate the arms inward and level them forward. Draw the foot in, bring the feet together and close the fists at the waist.
The forward press travels from root to tips, so the movement finishes at the fingers. The body stays square as the heel turns. Lift the crown of the head and let the base sink; hold the attention behind the waist.

Goushen Tanxue — Bending Forward to Dust the Boots

第五式躬身撣靴

Turn the body left, open the left fist and rotate the left arm up behind. Rotate outward, turn right and look up to the front right. Rest the left palm on the right shoulder with the elbow bent and the fingers up. Bend to the right with the leg straight, sweeping the hand down to the ankle. Lift the head slightly, turn left and sweep the flat of the hand back across the top of the foot. Close the fist, rise, bring the feet together and rest the fist against the hip. Practise both sides, two rounds each.
Keep the legs straight and the pace slow and even — this form is a sweep, not a stretch. People with high blood pressure keep the head raised instead of dropping it toward the leg.

Xiniu Wangyue — The Rhino Gazes at the Moon

第六式犀牛望月

Step the left foot out, open the fists, rotate the arms inward and press down behind. Bend the left leg, push off the right and turn the body. Sweep both arms up in an arc, the hands rising and the arms circling, the fingers pointing up and forward. Look up behind at the moon. Bring the body back to centre and shift the weight. Swing both arms forward with the palms up. Draw the foot in, bring the feet together and close the fist at the waist. Swap sides.
Keep the concentration and hold at Mingmen (命门). As the waist turns, the hips and pelvis sink rather than following the shoulders up. The fist presses Zhongquan (中冲) and hooks Laogong (劳宫). Everything stays slow, soft and even.

Furong Chushui — The Lotus Rises from the Water

第七式芙蓉出水

Meet the backs of the hands in front of the lower abdomen. Step the left foot out slightly wider than the shoulders. Lift and curl the fingers, sliding along the nails. Raise both palms to shoulder height. Shift the weight left, turn the body left, rotate the arms inward and close the hands into fists. Step the right foot back into a rooted stance. Open the fists and gather the hands, the palm roots meeting and then spreading like a lotus lifting from the water. Step the right foot out and extend both arms. Draw the left foot in, bring the feet together and let the palms fall to the sides. Swap sides.
The curl along the nails has to stay continuous. Sink into both legs and root the feet. Lift the crown of the head, drop the shoulders and let the elbows hang.

Jinji Baoxiao — The Golden Rooster Announces Dawn

第八式金鸡报晓

Lift the crown of the head and raise the heels — inhale, lift the anus and draw the abdomen in. Hook the hands and swing the arms out to the sides, arms straight and level with the shoulders. Lower the heels, bend the knees and squat. Open the hooks into palms, let the elbows sink and arc the arms down the sides with the palms facing the floor. Straighten the right leg and lift the left behind, the sole facing up. Let the palms become hooked hands and rise overhead, the body arching back into a one-legged stance, the standing foot gripping the floor with all five toes. Lower the left foot, bring the feet together in a squat, open the hooks into palms and press beside the hips. Swap sides.
Hold the attention at Guanyuan (关元). In the one-legged stance the standing foot grips and the crown stays lifted — the two ends of the body pull in opposite directions. Keep the hooked wrists relaxed and the chest open.

Pingsha Luoyan — A Wild Goose Landing on Level Sand

第九式平沙落雁

Inhale, lift the anus, open the chest, centre the wrists and raise the arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Step the left foot back diagonally to the right, lift the palms and bend the elbows. Look at the right palm, squat and root. Extend both arms out to the sides, settle the wrists into an arc with the fingers up and the torso upright. Rise, draw the abdomen and anus in, extend the arms sideways again with the wrists lifted and the forearms slightly raised. Squat and root once more, then extend again. Exhale, release the abdomen and anus, bring the left foot in, straighten both legs, let the palms fall and bring the head back to centre. Swap sides.
Keep the concentration and hold at Laogong (劳宫). Lift on the inhale and lower on the exhale so the whole body settles each time. In the rooted stance the inner legs draw towards each other.

Yunduan Baihe — A White Crane on a Cloud

第十式云端白鹤

Straighten both legs and lift the toes. Lift Hegu (合谷) and rub it up towards Dabao (大包). Rotate both arms outward so Hegu turns and the palms face behind. Release the abdomen and anus on the exhale, soften the knees slightly and grip the floor. Press the backs of the palms onto Dabao, fold the arms and stack them in front of the chest with the elbows bent. Stack the wrists, curl the fingers and separate the hands out to the sides, palms forward, arms level. Rotate the palms and arms inward and rise them overhead, straightening the legs and lifting the heels. Let the arms form an arc, shake the wrists and open the palms. Lower the heels, release the abdomen and anus, let the palms fall, bring the feet together and stand. Repeat once more in the same direction.
Hegu and Dabao anchor this form — the hands travel up the arm before the arms travel up. The shake of the wrists at the top is deliberate; do not deaden the hands.

Fenghuang Laiyi — The Phoenix Arrives with Grace

第十一式凤凰来仪

Inhale, lift the anus and draw in the abdomen. Turn the body 45° to the left and rotate the arms in and out to shoulder width. Step the left foot forward-left into an empty stance, shift the weight forward, straighten the left leg and lift the right. Rotate the arms inward and hook them behind the back. Exhale, release the abdomen, shift the weight back and lift the toes. Open the hooks into palms and cross them in front of the chest, left hand inside and right outside. Square the body and press the palms. Rotate the palms and arms inward, pass them in front of the face, separate them to both sides with the palms turning up and the arms raising level. Exhale, release the abdomen and anus, bring the left foot in, let both palms fall and bring the feet together. Swap sides.
The separation to the sides is led by the waist and spine, not the arms. Keep the back straight and the chest open as the palms part. The transition from empty stance to full stance stays continuous and rounded.

Qixi Guiyuan — The Breath Returns to the Source

第十二式气息归元

Three rounds. Inhale, lift the abdomen and anus; rotate the arms inward and outward and swing the palms from behind to the front; at about 60° extend the arms and look ahead. Exhale, release the abdomen, sink slightly and gather the palms in front of the abdomen, fingers facing each other, the eyes level. Repeat the cycle twice more.
Inhale, lift the abdomen and anus, swing the palms. Exhale and release, then stack both palms at Guanyuan — left over right, or right over left. Close the eyes, circle the tongue around the mouth three turns each way (赤龙搅海), then swallow in three sips.

Tai Chi Wuji · https://www.taichiwuji.com/qigong-routines/yangsheng-twelve-forms/