Chinese woodcut: Life-prolonging nine revolutions, 3

  • Yan Wei (Qing period 1644-1911)
  • Digital Images
  • Online

Available online

view Chinese woodcut: Life-prolonging nine revolutions, 3

Public Domain Mark

You can use this work for any purpose without restriction under copyright law. Read more about this licence.

Credit

Chinese woodcut: Life-prolonging nine revolutions, 3. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

Woodcut from Yi shen ji (Physical Culture Compilation), published in 1852 (2nd year of the Xianfeng reign period of the Qing dynasty). The Yan nian jiu zhuan (Life-prolonging nine revolutions) method is an ancient technique intended to strengthen the body. It consists of nine exercises. This illustration depicts the third exercise. It is performed as follows: Using three fingers of each hand, one massages upwards and outwards to both sides from the 'prominent bone' (gao gu), walking as one does so. When one gets as far as the pit of the stomach (xin wo - heart's nest), one stops, pressing with both hands together.

Lettering

PICTURE TITLE: Yan nian jiu zhuan (Life-prolonging nine revolutions) method (3)

Type/Technique

Permanent link