HISTORY OF EMEI QIGONG
Emei or "The Lofty Eyebrow Peak" is the highest and holiest of China's
four designated Buddhist mountains. Towering over the fertile Sichuan
plains, it rises steeply to 10,000 feet, and its western cliffs overlook
the great Tibetan Plateau. Emei is a rain forest and home to thousands
of rare plants, wild animals and herbs which are used for medicine.
Throughout its sacred existence, Emei has produced a number of
outstanding sages who have brought beacons of enlightenment to the world
in Asian history.
In 1227 A.D., one of those sages -- a priest from Wu Dang, the Mecca of
Taoism -- made a pilgrimage to the top of Emei. At the "Jin Ding" or
"Golden Summit" Monastery, the Taoist priest meditated and fasted, as
spiritual masters guided his path toward wisdom and enlightenment. When
he broke fast, he took the name "Bai Yun" or "White Cloud."
The enlightened master combined no less than 3,600 schools of thought,
philosophies and techniques taught to him by his spiritual teachers, and
created a hybrid system called Emei Qigong. It includes: Buddhism,
Shamanism, Acupuncture, herbal medicine, Taoist Qigong, Pranayana Yoga,
aura diagnosis and treatment, iron body, martial arts and more. This
system is devoted to maintaining excellent health and treating diseases
and ailments, while striving to attain the goal of enlightenment on
higher planes.
The Maha Bodhisattva, a great spirit which embodies the mountain, told
Master Bai Yun in a pure vision, to take these teachings and pass them
down lineage to lineage, master to master, in order to help future
generations.
- The top of Mt. Emei
- The Emei Golden Summit Monestary
During 13 years of service to Master Yong Nian the former general earnestly expressed his desire to become a monk. Master Yong Nian refused. The Master, through dreams and meditation, envisioned devastation coming to Emei Mountain and his temple from the terrible civil war that was raging in China. He made a daring decision which included the former general.
The Master ordained a new way of passing on the lineage: alternating between monk and layman (non-monk). In this way, the Emei Qigong system could leave the mountain and spread among the masses through the laymen. Then, it would return to a Buddhist monk for purification.
Zhou Quan Chuan became the first layman to receive the title of Emei Qigong grandmaster. Master Yong Nian then left Emei Mountain and went into Tibet, as his prophecy came true. Many of the monasteries on Mount Emei were destroyed, including the Golden Summit Monastery.
The newly ordained Grandmaster Zhou, went into hiding along China's Silk Road. He healed and taught the public quietly along his path, in order to avoid becoming involved with the civil war.
When the war ended, Grandmaster Zhou went to Beijing to seek the Supreme Buddhist Abbot, Ju Zan, who held a similar religious title to that of the Tibetan Dali Lama. Abbot Ju Zan knew of the great Emei Qigong system through visions and was prepared for Grandmaster Zhou's arrival.
After a number of years of studying, Abbot Ju Zan became the 12th
Grandmaster of the prestigious health system. (The title now passed on
to a monk, according to Grandmaster Nian's vision.) When China's
Cultural Revolution began, Grandmaster Ju Zan was imprisoned for eight
years, as the Communists cleansed China of all religious influence. In
prison, he meditated and saw the future of Emei Qigong. The future was a young man named Fu Wei Zhong who began his training on the day he was born in the year 1949. His uncle, who was a Buddhist monk, cared for him as a child. When he reached six years of age, he began his training in Chinese medicine, Qigong, internal alchemy and the martial arts. He began treating patients at the age of twelve under his grandfather's guidance. At age eighteen he became a fully recognized doctor and, because of his popularity, quickly opened his own practice. Even though his main concern and training were in the treatment of human suffering, he diligently mastered the martial arts of Xing Yi and Ba Gua by the age of sixteen. Throughout Fu Wei Zhong's childhood he had a recurring dream about a monk he had never met who would change his life.
During the Cultural Revolution, Fu Wei Zhong was ordered to Manchuria where he would serve as a veterinarian. When the revolution ended Fu Wei Zhong returned home and Grandmaster Ju Zan was released from prison and returned to his temple.
In 1976, Fu Wei Zhong went to the Guan Ji Temple in Beijing with a fellow Xing Yi master. As they entered the temple, Fu instantly recognized the Abbot to be the monk in his childhood dream. The Abbot, Grandmaster Ju Zan feeling Fu's presence turned and said, "Ah, you have arrived. Now, it is time for you to start your training."
After eight years of training at the Grandmaster's feet, his Holiness Ju
Zan, passed the Emei Qigong lineage to Fu Wei Zhong and directed him to
begin teaching publicly in order to end the pain and suffering of the
world and to allow Emei Qigong to shine like the sun. In answer to Grandmaster Ju Zan's direction, "Emei comes from the people; now, let it serve the people," Master Fu went into retreat. This became the starting point of Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong's public mission. He studied the Emei Treasure Lotus Canon and developed a new format to teach the system in a manner which would suit the fast pace of modern life. (Currently, the Lotus Canon, along with the sacred bowl and staff, are preserved at a Beijing Museum.)
Grandmaster Fu believed that only by training thousands of skilled Emei Qigong practitioners, would it be possible for millions to restore and preserve their health. He initiated the first "Qigong therapy system" at Beijing Hospital and, as a result, he is regarded as the "Father of External Qi therapy." He proceeded to open a number of centers throughout China and has affected the lives of thousands through the Emei Qigong exercises and treatment techniques.
Emei Qigong came to America in 1987 through a disciple of Grandmaster Fu. In 1993, a group of Americans traveled to Emei Mountain to study directly with the great master. In 1995, Master Fu arrived in America to begin teaching and spreading his healing wisdom to all who would listen.
If you would like to schedule an event in your area or setup a personal healing session contact Teacher David Knoll.
