Cheng Bao Zhuang

8/17/2019 Cheng Bao Zhuang

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Cheng Bao Zhuang (Supporting Embracing Post)

Cheng Bao Zhuang is one of the most important

postures in the Yangsheng Zhuang (Health Post)

postures. "Zhuang" means standing lie a !ooden postplanted in the ground. Yang Sheng Zhuang postures are

basic post standing eercises !ith feet e#enl$ spaced

apart.

%n Yi&uan' !hile practicing Yangsheng Zhuang' $ou

should imagine an$ t$pe of beautiful nature scenes that

$ou ma$ ha#e eperienced' such as standing on top of

a mountain (feeling the !ind)' !ading slo!l$ in a

o!ing ri#er or shallo! sea (feeling the resistance of

the !ater)' or !aling in a beautiful forest or grassland.

raduall$ $ou de#elop a feeling of being naturall$

relaed and #er$ comfortable as if $ou are reall$standing in those beautiful natural sur*roundings ($ou

might e#en !ant to sometimes imagine that $ou are not eercising' but are out

en+o$ing a #acation,). %nitiall$' $our muscles !ill probabl$ not be able to rela for

long periods !hile holding these static poses. You need $our imagination to help $ou

achie#e this and also to learn ho! to control $our mental acti#ities. Step b$ step'

learn ho! to use $our mental acti#ities to control $our strength. raduall$ $ou learn

to ad+ust and harmoni-e the aspects of tension and relaation in $our mental

acti#ities and muscles. f the t!o' the tension*relaation of mental acti#ities is

more important. %n practice' after using "/a 0i" !hich means "eerting strength" that

bursts out' $ou can control $our muscles' rapidl$ tensing and relaing them almost

at the same time. 1n$ muscular acti#it$ is controlled b$ the neural s$stem and theneural s$stem is a2ected b$ mental acti#it$. 3hat4s !h$ mental training is most

important.

3he re&uirements of Chengbao Zhuang are as follo!s5

6. Start !ith both feet shoulder !idth apart. 3he centers of the soles of $our feet are

"hollo!" (+ust stand naturall$). Your toes feel as if the$ are slightl$ grasping the

ground (this !ill be described later' so don4t be concerned about it for no!). Your

!hole bod$ is standing erect' not inclining for!ard or bac!ard. %t is comfortable

and naturall$ epanded. Your head is as if suspended and lifted b$ a !ire connected

to the top of the head. Your head' at the same time' is as if it is slightl$ supporting

something and $et is not. Your nees are slightl$ bent and as if the$ are being

slightl$ lifted up!ard. Your bacbone is naturall$ straightened. Your shoulders must

not be lifted. Your buttocs feel as if the$ are sitting on the edge of a table. Your



bac' !aist' and bacs of legs all feel as if the$ are slightl$ pressing against a tree

or !all behind $ou.

Slo!l$ raise $our hands in front of $our chest. You should imagine as if there !ere

small cotton balls bet!een $our 7ngers. Your 7ngers !ill epand a little' the thumbsare at the same height as $our inde 7ngers. %n "gong fu" terminolog$' it is said that

the "tiger mouth" should be round. 3he distance bet!een both hands should be

about 8*9 7st !idths (7ngers to 7ngers). Both hands are about 9: cm (6 foot) a!a$

from $our chest. %magine holding a paper ball or balloon bet!een $our hands' arms'

and chest. 3he balloon touches lightl$ against $our arms' chest' bell$' hands and

7ngers. /eel its roundness and ination. %n Yi&uan' e#en though the imagination is

sub+ecti#e' it is still helpful. %f $ou use force !hile embracing the balloon' it !ill

become attened. ;o not lose $our intention of embracing the balloon or it !ill

escape. <eep testing for the feeling of the balloon !ith $our arms' chest' and bell$.

Please note that $ou should onl$ use the mind to imagine e#er$thing that !as

described abo#e and $ou must not use force. %t4s the same !ith the #isuali-ationsdescribed belo!.

8. =ela $our shoulders and open $our armpits a little (as if the$ !ere each holding

a cotton ball). 3he angle formed b$ elbo!s and hands is about >? degrees. %magine

that !ooden boards support $our elbo!s and hands or that $ou are standing in

!ater' !aist high. 3he balloon oats on the !ater and supports $our elbo!s and

hands. You could also imagine !ooden boards oating on the !ater support $our

hands. You might as $ourself' @hat do these oating boards feel lieA ;o the$ bob

up and do!nA ;o the$ drift slightl$A =ela $our arms as much as possible. ;o not

use Aclums$ forceA (i.e. unnecessar$ force). Dust use the amount of strength

needed to eep $our arms lifted in front of $ou.

9. Part $our lips a little' smiling slightl$ ("as if smiling' but not smiling"). =ela $our

face and nec muscles. Breathe naturall$' e#enl$' and delicatel$. E$es ga-e in front

of $ou and slightl$ up!ard ("as if ga-ing' but not ga-ing"). ;on4t tilt $our head

for!ard or bac!ard. %t4s best to stand in an open area such as a par !ith the

distance bet!een $ou and the trees at more than F meters (8G feet). ;on4t face the

sun or strong !ind. %magine looing be$ond a mist !here ob+ects seem indistinct.

Be calm and listen attenti#el$ as if $ou are able to hear the #er$ indistinct sound of

raindrops falling on the ground or on tree branches. You should tr$ to accomplish all

the abo#e re&uirements' but in a gradual and natural !a$ !ithout undue e2ort.

>. You can eep $our e$es open or closed. <eeping the e$es open is recommended

for the health$' !hile closing them is suitable for those !ho are sic.

3o enable the beginner to better understand the use of #isuali-ation during standing

post' % gi#e the follo!ing eamples5

a) %magine that $our bod$ is standing in a shallo! sea or in a lae and $ou are a

giant standing tall as a mountain. Ho! do $ou thin $ou !ould feelA. 3he !ater is

billo!ing and pushing $our bod$ from the front. Carefull$ feel the pressure from the



!ater. @hat !ould $ou feel if the !ater !ere o!ing through $our bod$' arms and

7ngersA %magine that $our toes are grasping the ground so that the !ater doesn4t

carr$ $ou a!a$. /eel the !ater pressing against $our bac' !aist' and the bac of

$our arms and legs due to $our bod$ slightl$ mo#ing bac!ard. Io! in con#erse'

also feel the !ater pushing $ou from behind. %t pushes $our bod$ slightl$ for!ard so

that $our chest' bell$' and arms also feel the resistance of !ater against $our bod$4smo#ement. %magine both situations happening again and again' slo!l$' naturall$'

calml$ and comfortabl$. You can also imagine shifting $our bod$ for!ard and

bac!ard slightl$ to feel the resistance of the !ater. r $ou can imagine !aling in

the !ater' 7rst mo#ing for!ard slo!l$' then after a !hile' going bac!ard slo!l$.

1gain' in general' $ou !ant to feel the resistance of the !ater !ith $our bod$4s

imaginar$ for!ard and bac!ard mo#ements. /eel this resistance on $our !hole

bod$ and in particular' the shoulders' arms' hands' 7ngers' chest' !aist and legs.

Please note that it is still onl$ about using the mind and not force.

b) %magine that $ou are on board of a ship. 3he ship is sailing on the ocean' mo#ing

up and do!n pleasantl$. 3he sun gentl$ !arms $our bod$. 1 gentle bree-e ripples

through $our clothes. You feel #er$ comfortable.

c) You stand on the top of a big mountain and imagine $ourself as a giant admiring

the other beautiful high mountains' streams' ri#ers and laes. You feel pleased'

bright' and serene !ith no concerns.

d) %magine that $ou are standing in a beautiful paradise garden !ith green trees

and colorful blossoms. @ater is o!ing and there are high mountains in the

distance. 0isten to the birds sing and smell the fragrant o!ers. 3he air is #er$

crisp. 3he sun is rising and half of the s$ is red. %n such beautiful sur*roundings $ou

feel #er$ comfortable.

1bo#e are onl$ some eamples of mental acti#it$ in Yi&uan Yangsheng Zhuang. 3here are also man$ others $ou could use. =emember' $ou should do them naturall$

!ithout undue e2ort.

Iote5 Please tr$ to learn step b$ step' one thing at a time. Carefull$ eamine $our

eperiences again and again. 3o learn too hurriedl$ is useless for training and ma$

result in gaining nothing.

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Cheng Bao Zhuang