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Wang Ji Wu (1891-1991)

Wang Ji Wu (also known as Wang Zhong Gao), was born in 1891 in the Shanxi province of China. When he was 18 he began to study Xing Yi Quan with Master Wang Fu Yuan. Wang Ji Wu was a dedicated student of Wang Fu Yan, however, after 6 years of training, when Wang Ji Wu was 24 years old his teacher died. Wang Ji Wu continued his training with his master's top student, Peng Ying Xi. Seven years after beginning his training with Peng Yi Xi, Wang Ji Wu went to the Hebei province of China to set up the "Yi He" bodyguard service in Bao Ding city.

After refusing to teach the local warlord army, he moved to Tianjin, and got into commercial business. In 1933, he settled in Beijing, where he began to study Buddhism, Taoism, and medicine. During his time in Beijing he created the Xing Yi Quan Sixteen Health Exercises, a series of Nei gong exercises, which promote health and longevity.

Wang Ji Wu died in 1991, at 100 years of age, proving through his own actions the value of his art's health exercises. Until the time of his death his health was excellent, keeping a lucid mind, and still practicing his beloved art of Xing Yi Quan.

In his own words, at the age of 100, Wang Ji Wu describes his principles of living a healthy life, as translated by Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell in their 1999 book Xing Yi Nei Gong :

"The heart is calm, quiet as still water."

My own history is from the end of the Qing Dynasty, through the period of the Republic to the People's Republic, already a hundred years. My life has seen its share of ups and downs, times of poverty and hardship, honor and dishonor, the changes of the seasons, all of which have left a deep impression on me. After the founding of the People's Republic, my life became stable, but with the Cultural Revolution, disaster once again overran the country and I was forced out of business. All of these events served as a means of cultivating my spirit, and afforded me the opportunity to practice the Gong Fu of living in the world.

One must always maintain a calm heart even when influenced by the seven emotions: joy, anger, happiness, worry, sadness, fear, and surprise. The heart must remain as calm as still water, never allowing any personal desires to stir up a ripple of disturbance. My thoughts are pure, in spirit I seek to forget myself and transcend the common affairs of the world, keeping my life simple and my desires few. With a clear heart, I do not contend with others or make demands upon the world, but rather seek to contribute what I can for the benefit of all, aiding those in need and protecting those in danger.

Without desire one is strong, without desire one is quiet, without desire one may return to that which is natural, without desire one returns to the original state. With a heart like still water, from the extreme stillness will spring action, from the void comes that which is alive, yin and yang are in harmony and the qi flows unimpeded. With a heart like still water the qi is sufficient and the spirit full. When the qi is sufficient and the spirit full, the organs function normally, the blood is nourished, the meridians, nerves, digestion and circulation are all healthy and the metabolism stimulated. When the factors which prevent aging are all strong, one may prevent illness and live a long and healthy life."

"Live an enthusiastic life, serve the public good."

I have traveled the long road of life, experiencing hardship, difficulty and I know the sentiment of man is often as thin as paper. I have seen corruption and those whose only concern is realizing their own desires. Because of this, I have strived even harder to live a practical life, willing to sacrifice even more for the good of the people. After the founding of the Republic, I spent my time working in the streets as a doctor, treating anyone who came to me for help with wholehearted enthusiasm. When one finds happiness in serving others, one will be full of the spirit of life, seeing things as they are with a calm heart. Thus, one may reach the state where the spirit is preserved within, the body is healthy and the spirit full, the intellect wise, decisions made adroitly and reactions made spontaneously. Consequently, the life energy will be strengthened and increased while promoting the health and longevity of the body.

It is from the lineage of Wang Ji Wu that we bring you our sixteen health exercises. With daily cultivation, hopefully we may manage to live as full and long a life as Master Wang.

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