Quiet Sitting: The Daoist Approach for a Healthy Mind and Body

Jing Gong (quiet sitting) has been shrouded in mysticism since it traveled out of the Far East and across the shores to the West. Along the way, new schools of thought developed and the essential keys to the simple practice that is Jing Gong had been lost.

Quiet Sitting: The Daoist Approach for a Healthy Mind and Body is a combination of two translated texts from two of the most famous Jing Gong pioneers in China during the early 20th century. This no-frills handbook is essential to anyone who is interested in the Eastern technique of breathing for a healthy mind and body. Free of esoteric words and phrases, this book offers beginner students a basic, yet powerful, knowledge of the breath: where it comes from, how it is distributed throughout the body, and how to harness it to heal from within.

Whether you are looking for alternative ways to improve your physical health, maintain your mental well being, or curious about breathing meditations, Quiet Sitting provides the basic tools needed to get started.

Jiang Weiqiao (1873–1958), born in Changzhou in the Jiangsu province of China, is famous for his influential book Yinshizi's Method of Quiet Sitting which he wrote after curing his pulmonary tuberculosis through the practice of Jing Gong (quiet sitting). Jiang Weiqiao was a big advocate of using Qi Gong and Jing Gong to maintain good health and to prevent disease and illness. He gave many lectures about Qi Gong and contributed several important publications related to Qi Gong practice. His other major works include History of Buddhism in China (1929), History of Chinese Philosophy in the Last Three Hundred Years (1933), and General Discourse on Buddhist Studies. Jiang Weiqiao died in 1958 at the age of 85.

Chen Yingning (1880–1969), Daoist name Yuandunzi, was a native of Huaining, Anhui. After passing the imperial examinations at the local level toward the end of the Qing dynasty and graduating from the Anhui College of Law and Political Science, he turned to the study of Daoism instead of pursuing a career as a government official, and spent his time touring famous mountains and Daoist temples, seeking teachers and visiting friends. For more than sixty years, he remained a devoted scholar of Daoist teachings and gained considerable expertise on Daoist breathing methods and ways of building up the life force. In the 1930s, he worked as chief editor of Daoist Virtues Bi-weekly and Daoists' Monthly, and wrote multiple volumes on Daoism. After 1957 he served as Vice Director, and later, Director of the Chinese Daoist Association. He gained wide influence and prestige in the Daoist community and made contributions to Daoism.