《站樁功》王薌齋
This article is part 7 of the Good Work Library collection Yiquan and Dachengquan - Texts of Wang Xiangzhai and the Lineage.
The English translation was prepared directly from the captured Traditional Chinese source text. The Chinese source text follows the colophon.
Introduction
Standing practice is one kind of our country's ancient health-preservation arts. More than two thousand years ago, the Huangdi Neijing already recorded: "In high antiquity there were true persons who lifted and carried heaven and earth, grasped yin and yang, breathed essence-qi, stood alone and guarded spirit, and had muscles as one; therefore their life covered heaven and earth." Yet for a thousand hundred years, this method was only treated by people as basic work in the process of practicing boxing.
On the basis of the principles in standing practice by which hardness and softness, emptiness and solidity, movement and stillness, looseness and tightness are crossed and woven in use, and on the function of yin and yang crossing and water and fire already completed, and combining my own several decades of experience in practice, I created a method that combines movement and stillness, warm-nourishes inside and outside, and is used for preventing disease, treating disease, strengthening the body, and prolonging years: standing practice.
Practice over many years by Beijing Medical College Affiliated Hospital, Beijing Railway Hospital, Hebei Provincial Chinese Medicine Research Institute Affiliated Hospital, and myself in treating illness with others proves that this practice is suitable for treating intestinal and stomach disease, liver disease, lung disease, nervous illness, arthritis, high blood pressure, hemiplegia, and various gynecological and eye diseases. The basic function by which standing practice can treat illness lies in its ability both to preserve and nourish heart-spirit and to train the bodily form; both to strengthen brain power and to increase physical power.
Modern medicine holds that this practice can not only make blood circulation flow freely, metabolism flourish, and the functions of all viscera, organs, and even cells stronger, but also make the muscles of the whole body receive an inertial physical training, producing an inward impulse and thereby giving the brain a beneficial stimulus. Moreover, before one enters stillness, experiencing a light, relaxed, and comfortable feeling is also a beneficial stimulus for the brain; after entering stillness, one further produces an inhibitory protective function.
Our country's medicine holds that this practice can open the channels, harmonize qi and blood, make yin and yang cross and water and fire complete one another, and also support spirit, train the bodily form, and increase strength. Yet standing practice differs from ordinary practice methods. Its main characteristics are these.
First, during practice the mouth is slightly open and breathing is natural. One does not guard an aperture and does not discuss the celestial circuit. Therefore it absolutely will not produce any side effects.
Second, practice proves that beginning patients, as long as they persist in training, can receive comparatively good therapeutic effect even if they have not reached the requirement of entering stillness.
Third, it is not bound by time, place, or conditions. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying, one can practice at any time and in any place. Therefore this simple and easy practice, which can be fully joined with life, is easily accepted and mastered by the broad masses.
Fourth, according to different constitutions, illnesses, ages, characters, endowments, living habits, and so on, different postures and intentional activities are regulated and assigned. Therefore this method of dialectical treatment, adapting to the person and setting the form according to illness, can both accelerate therapeutic effect and easily improve it.
Fifth, because this is a whole-body activity in which form, intention, qi, and force are mutually connected, mutually constrained, and adjust the balance of yin and yang, it is also a practice method that combines movement and stillness and warm-nourishes inside and outside. It can both rest and nourish heart-spirit and train the bodily form, especially in the standing forms. Therefore it is not only suitable for medicine; more importantly, if one trains without slackening, it can gradually make those whose original constitution was weak grow strong, and make the strong still stronger. It prevents aging, removes illness, lengthens years, and thereby lets one lightly, pleasantly, and happily shoulder the complex, difficult, and major tasks of socialist construction.
Operating Method
Standing practice is a whole-body activity in which form, intention, qi, and force are mutually connected, mutually constrained, and adjust the balance of yin and yang. Form, meaning posture, and intention, meaning intentional activity, are the root of this practice. The two act on one another and neither may be neglected. "Take intention from form, image form by intention. Intention is born from form; form turns according to intention." As long as form and intention receive a lively and suitable coordination during practice, force is born without training and qi moves without being moved.
Thus the therapeutic function of standing practice absolutely does not simply lie in whether postures are complicated or simple, or in the order before and after. Still less does it lie in whether the posture posed is beautiful, nor in mechanically placing a certain intentional activity on a certain posture to cure a certain illness. Rather, after the teacher more fully understands the patient's situation, the teacher properly arranges the movement and stillness, emptiness and solidity, looseness and tightness, and intentional activity methods suited to that person's own posture. This lets the patient, in a shorter time, feel the whole body comfortable, obtain force, and become light, relaxed, and pleasant, thereby reaching the purpose of removing illness and strengthening the body.
Therefore the teacher of practice is required personally to practice, truly experience, and skillfully master the methods of regulation. Only in this way will the treatment of illness receive satisfying effects. If one does not drill deeply and study refinedly in this direction, but merely calculates the function of some posture, one easily forms dull stiffness. If one pays attention only to some intentional activity and neglects its suitable coordination with posture, then qi and force will inevitably be insufficient and the effect will not be great.
Postures
The postures of standing practice are both complicated and simple. They are complicated because there are many kinds of posture, regulation is flexible, treatment is dialectical, and they differ according to person. They are simple because, though there are many postures, they have common features. At the beginning of practice, first set up the posture, making trunk and limbs preserve relative balance, the heart and chest open, sinews and muscles comfortably extended, and the whole body released, though released and not slack. Regulation is flexible, but it has principles: the regulation of strong and weak, movement and stillness, emptiness and solidity, looseness and tightness should take the patient's feeling of comfort and obtained force as the measure, not exceeding that person's bodily burden.
The postures of standing practice can generally be divided into several broad classes: standing, sitting, lying, walking, and half-leaning. Within one class there may again be several or even several dozen postures. They are summarized below.
Standing Forms
There are many methods of standing-form practice, and the scope of therapeutic use is comparatively broad. Beginning practitioners, as long as the body has no serious illness or special condition such as missing limbs, can do some standing forms.
Lifting-and-embracing form: the two feet open in an eight-shape, shoulder-width apart. The two feet touch the ground and use force evenly, with the body's force placed slightly behind the soles. The two knees are slightly bent, at most not passing the toes; whether they bend little or not at all should be determined according to illness. The upper body remains upright. The arms are half round, the armpits half empty, and the shoulders slightly opened back, making the heart and chest broad and showing a state of empty numinous lifting. The two hands face one another, about three fists apart, below the chest; palms face upward, as if embracing a large qi-ball. The head is upright or slightly tilted back. The eyes are closed or naturally open, especially at the beginning stage of practice. The mouth is slightly open. The whole body releases, but release is not slack. Maintain the state of seeming to smile without smiling, and seeming to urinate without urinating.
Supporting-and-pressing form: the two arms lift slightly; the fingers separate and slightly bend toward the slanted front. The two hands are at the navel level, palms downward and slightly outward, as if supporting and pressing on a great qi-ball floating in water. Other requirements are the same as in the lifting-and-embracing form.
Bracing-and-embracing form: raise the two arms before the chest. Release the shoulders. The elbow joints slightly drop. The two hands are one heart's distance from the chest. The fingers open. The palms face inward as if embracing an object, or palms face outward as if bracing an object. Other requirements are the same as in the lifting-and-embracing form.
Separating-water form: the two arms are slightly bent and naturally extend to the left and right sides. The two hands stay below the horizontal line of the navel. The fingers separate, and the palms face forward as if separating water. Other requirements are the same as in the lifting-and-embracing form.
Resting forms:
First form: the two hands are carried behind the back and placed against the waist, or the two hands are inserted into the upper garment pockets with the thumbs exposed. Other requirements are the same as in the lifting-and-embracing form.
Second form: the two arms lift, the two elbows bend, and they rest on a railing at about chest height. The two feet are about four horizontal fingers apart front to back. The front foot touches the ground with the full sole, the rear foot naturally touches with the toes. The two feet may be exchanged at irregular times.
Third form: the buttocks lightly lean on the edge of a table, and one does either the first resting form or the lifting-and-embracing form. Or the two feet stand together, heels raised; the two hands are inserted into the upper garment pockets with the thumbs exposed.
Fourth form: the left hand supports on a table or chair-back; the right hand is carried behind the back and placed against the waist. The left foot is in front, full sole touching the ground, with the left leg upright or slightly bent. The right foot is behind, the right leg naturally slightly bent, heel slightly raised, with an intention of seeming to walk but not yet walking, or using the toe as an axis to turn slowly and naturally. The head tilts slightly left, at most not exceeding one fist. The weight of the whole body is mainly placed on the left side, making the right side be in a loose, slack, comfortably extended state. In this way, left and right hands and front and back feet are exchanged at irregular times.
Sitting Forms
These are generally suitable for patients whose illness is comparatively serious but whose bodies still have a certain capacity to bear a burden, such as severe arthritis temporarily unsuitable for standing forms, and for patients with missing limbs. They may also serve as auxiliary methods for those whose main practice is standing form.
First form: sit upright on the edge of a chair, body straight, eyes closed, mouth slightly open. The two feet are parallel or opened in an eight-shape, about four fists apart. Soles and heels both touch the ground. The knees bend about ninety degrees. The two hands are placed at the roots of the thighs, fingers pointing slanting forward. Arms are half round, armpits half empty, and the whole body released.
Second form: draw the two feet backward, heels off the ground, making a wrapped eight-shape. The knees bend forty to fifty degrees. The two hands are placed at the roots of the thighs, or the two arms are raised to about one foot before the chest, fingers separated, fingertips pointing slanting forward, palms inward as if embracing an object or palms outward as if bracing an object. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Third form: the two legs extend forward, knees slightly bent, toes hooked back, heels touching the ground or slightly away from it. The two hands are placed at the roots of the thighs, or the two arms are raised about one foot before the chest in an embracing-object shape. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Lying Forms
These are generally suitable for severe illness or for patients not suited to getting out of bed. They may also serve as auxiliary methods for those whose main practice is standing or sitting.
First form: lie on the back, mouth slightly open. The two legs are straight and separated, not beyond shoulder width, or the two knees are slightly bent with the heels on the bed. The two hands are placed on the lower abdomen, elbows on the bed, armpits slightly empty. The whole body releases.
Second form: the two hands are placed at the sides of the body, palms down or up, elbows on the bed, armpits slightly empty. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Third form: the two arms are lifted before the chest in an embracing-object shape, elbows on the bed, two knees slightly bent. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Fourth form: the two hands are placed at the sides of the body, or the two arms are raised before the chest in an embracing-object shape. The two legs are straight and slightly separated, toes extended forward, meaning the foot surface presses downward; or the two knees are slightly bent and the toes hooked back. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Walking Forms
For most patients, these are auxiliary methods, but for liver patients, during the beginning stage of practice they are often used with equal weight alongside standing forms and others.
First form: the two hands are inserted into the upper garment pockets with the thumbs exposed. The two legs are slightly bent. The two shoulders comfortably open backward. The armpits are half empty. The upper body shows a lazy rear-leaning state. Close the eyes and gather spirit. When the whole body has a light, relaxed, and comfortable feeling, one foot begins to move forward lazily about one fist, as if wanting to move and wanting to stop, wanting to stop and wanting to move. When stepping out with the left leg, the head naturally tilts right, making upper and lower form a slanted extension. In this way, left and right feet alternately move forward, as if wading through mud.
Second form: the two hands are carried behind the back and placed against the waist, or they naturally extend to the two sides of the body. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Half-Leaning Forms
These generally have comparatively good therapeutic effect for patients with digestive-system illness, and may be used as simple or auxiliary methods.
First form: the two hands support and press on the back of a chair, or the two elbows rest on a tabletop. Close the eyes. The left leg is in front and slightly bent; the right leg is behind and naturally upright. The buttocks lean backward, the abdomen releases, the head may alternately tilt to the left and right, and the two legs may be used alternately.
Second form: the two feet open parallel, the two knees slightly bent or upright. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Third form: pile a cotton quilt at the bed edge. The two feet open parallel, or one foot stands slightly forward at the bed edge. The two arms half-roundly brace open and support on the quilt. The hands are half-clenched, and the lower jaw naturally rests on the fists. Other requirements are the same as the first form.
Intentional Activities
The purpose of intentional activity mainly lies in gathering spirit and settling thoughts, guiding one into stillness. Therefore the process of intentional activity is also the process of entering stillness by restraining mixed thoughts and making the ten thousand thoughts return to one. As a principle, the things or scenes imagined should be light, relaxed, comfortable, open-hearted, pleasant in spirit, leisurely, and self-satisfied. Avoid tense or unpleasant ones. The general applications are as follows.
Release activity: one method is to experience whole-body release through seeming to smile without smiling and seeming to urinate without urinating. Another method is to experience release downward from the head, continuing through the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, chest and back, waist and abdomen, hips, legs, feet, and all the way to the toes. Repeat this up-and-down cycle without ceasing. However, beginning students cannot easily accomplish this whole-body release above and below. They must first begin with release section by section. After familiarity, proceed to whole-body release according to the method above.
Section-by-section release method: first the back part, then the front part. Begin from the crown, moving through the back of the head, neck, two shoulders, two arms and two hands. At the beginning, if the left and right cannot release at the same time, first release one side, then the other; after familiarity, release both at the same time. Continue through back, waist, buttocks, hips, backs of the thighs, heels, soles, and toes. Repeat three to five times. Then from the crown, eyelids, face, mouth, neck, and then from the left and right of Tiantu to the fronts of the shoulders, fronts of the arms, wrists, hands, chest, abdomen, fronts of the thighs, tops of the feet, and toes; repeat three to five times. After familiarity, proceed above and below, left and right, together.
This release activity may serve as the basic intentional activity of standing practice. Beginning practitioners, no matter which posture they use, must first learn release, and only afterward do other intentional activities.
Far-listening activity: generally begin by listening nearby, then listen farther and farther, until one carefully listens to faint sounds extremely far away. When listening far, especially avoid impatience. One also should not listen rigidly to one sound; instead, listen finely to weak sounds from near to far, without boundary.
Reverse-water bathing activity: imagine oneself lying smiling in a bath with a comfortable temperature suited to oneself, with water flowing above and below. The water slowly flows downward from the head, never stopping.
Shower activity: imagine oneself showering in a bathroom at a comfortable temperature suited to oneself. Water slowly flows without break from the head down to the feet. Then use the ears to attend to the sound of water flowing down to the feet.
Half-body bathing activity: imagine the lower half of the body soaking in water of a comfortable temperature suited to oneself, and experience the feeling.
Standing upright in water: imagine standing upright in water of a comfortable temperature suited to oneself, about to reach the chest. From the rear and from all four sides and eight directions, water slowly strikes the body, letting it sway freely.
Root-growing activity: imagine oneself standing upright like a thousand-year pine or cypress, the two feet steady as if roots have grown, not moved by a hurricane.
Wading through mud activity: imagine walking in muddy water deep enough to cover the ankles, at a comfortable temperature suited to oneself. Though there is resistance, one can still advance slowly.
Stepping on cotton activity: imagine the feet stepping on a soft, comfortable large cotton bale, and from time to time use the body to sway slightly left and right.
Leaning activity: imagine the back, buttocks, and calves all leaning on something soft and comfortable to rest, the whole body light and relaxed without any burden.
Suspended-hair activity: imagine several hairs on the head tied and suspended from low tree branches. One must both preserve the upright state of the hair and keep it from breaking. In this way, the whole spirit is concentrated above the crown.
Resting-support activity: imagine the two arms resting on a railing, or the two hands supporting a balloon floating in water, keeping the whole body always in a light, relaxed, and comfortable state.
Reverse observation and inward seeing: during practice, if ten thousand thoughts arrive thickly and are not easy to remove, one can turn observation back and look inward, experiencing whether each part of the body has a light, relaxed, and comfortable feeling. Then the ten thousand thoughts remove themselves without being removed.
Listening and letting be: during practice, if there are many mixed thoughts and they are not easy to restrain, listen to them and let them be, following nature. Those that come are not refused; those that go are not held. Regard my body as the sea, and mixed thoughts as waves. Though wind and waves are great, they do not harm me. When wind is level and waves are quiet, water naturally has no waves. In this way, mixed thoughts are restrained without expecting restraint and controlled without expecting control.
Absorbing activity: during practice, if mixed thoughts are difficult to restrain, absorb them as much as possible. Regard my heart as a furnace, mixed thoughts as dead leaves. From all four sides and eight directions, whatever comes is immediately melted. In this way, the heart and chest can open wide, courage and qi grow strong, and once upright qi wins, deviant thoughts naturally bear defeat.
Gathering and scattering activity: when practice has a certain foundation and one fully experiences the light, relaxed, and comfortable feeling of the whole body, one may, from time to time during practice, gather this feeling from the whole body into some part of the body, then scatter it again through the whole body. Repeating this gathering and scattering not only can receive the effect of whole-body training, but is also very beneficial for local lesions.
Heaven-and-humanity-as-one activity: imagine oneself standing, sitting, or lying in a beautiful and comfortable place, quietly observing the blue sea, bright moon, or beautiful scenery, as if attached and not attached. The heart is open and the spirit pleased, gradually reaching a realm of dim forgetting of self.
Quiet observation activity: imagine oneself standing, sitting, or lying in a beautiful and comfortable place, experiencing my body as wrapped by the great atmosphere. Gradually feel my body and the great atmosphere merging into one body, extremely comfortable, leisurely, and self-satisfied, gradually reaching the realm of forgetting self.
Examples
To give examples explaining concrete coordination of posture and intentional activity, only several partial treatment methods for illnesses are introduced here in principle. In general, patients with high blood pressure, neurasthenia, or arthritis, as long as they have the ability to bear the burden of their own bodies and have no special circumstances, are all suited at the beginning to standing-form practice. For example, a high-blood-pressure patient may do the fourth resting form among the standing forms, coordinated with the shower intentional activity. A neurasthenia patient may do the first resting form or lifting-and-embracing form among the standing forms, coordinated with the stepping-on-cotton intentional activity. An arthritis patient may do the lifting-and-embracing form or separating-water form among the standing forms, coordinated with suspended-hair and similar intentional activities.
What must be reminded again here is that the teacher of practice must earnestly examine everything about the patient, skillfully master the principles of coordinating posture and intentional activity, treat dialectically, and differ according to the person. One must never apply things mechanically or cling to one method or one form.
Matters Requiring Attention
Before practice, one should empty the bowels and bladder and loosen buttons and belt. At the beginning of practice, one may slightly tilt the head backward, raise the two arms, and let the two heels alternately touch or leave the ground following the body's slight left-right sway or slight turning. This makes the body present an upright lifting state, similar to stretching lazily. Then let the body gradually return to normal, sink quietly for a moment, and then, according to the prepared posture, release the whole body and formally practice. At the end of practice, one may place the two hands on the knees and rotate several times clockwise or counterclockwise, then swing the two arms several times slanting forward and back, or massage according to simple massage methods taught by a doctor.
It is not suitable to practice within one hour before or after meals.
During practice, pay attention to gradual progress. Do not be anxious for quick success. Excess is the same as insufficiency.
The arrangement of practice time differs according to the person. In general, those whose bodies are comparatively good may begin with ten minutes; those whose bodies are comparatively poor may begin with five minutes, then gradually lengthen. Lengthening time may be gradual, such as from five minutes to six or seven minutes, or it may be by jumps, such as from ten minutes to twenty minutes. Practice may be done two or three times per day, and not more than five times. The length and number of practice sessions should be based on having surplus strength and surplus pleasure, comfort and obtained force, and not exceeding the body's burden, taking nonfatigue as the principle. Only in this way can one reach the purpose of whole-body comfort, flowing qi and blood, heart-spirit nourished, and sinews and bones healthy and strong.
Colophon
Translated directly from the Traditional Chinese text of 《站樁功》王薌齋, captured from the HK Yiquan Society public article archive and live-verified against the archive index on June 2, 2026.
Published in the Good Work Library under rights clearance received by the New Tianmu Anglican Church on June 2, 2026.
The English translation was independently prepared from the captured Chinese source for the Good Work Library. Source-text punctuation and evident web or OCR artifacts are retained in the Chinese appendix; the English follows the sentence sense of the captured text.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: 《站樁功》王薌齋
Source: HK Yiquan Society article 7
簡介
站樁是我國i古代養生術的一種，早在兩千多年前的《黃帝內經》中，就有“……上古有真人者，提挈天地，把握陰陽、呼吸精氣，獨立守神，肌肉若一，故能壽蔽天地，……”的記載。但千百年來，這種方法只是被人們當做習拳過程中的基本功。根據站樁中剛柔、虛實、動靜、鬆緊錯綜爲用的原理和陰陽相交、水火既濟的功用，結合自己幾十年的練功體驗，創造了一種動靜相兼，內外溫養，用於防病治病、健身延年的功法——站樁功。通過北京醫學院附屬醫院、北京鐵路醫院、河北省中醫研究院附屬醫院及本人多年與人治病的實踐證明，這種功法適用於腸胃病、肝臟病、肺病、神經病、關節炎、高血壓、半身不遂和婦科、眼科等多種疾病的治療。而站樁功之所以能夠治病的基本作用就在於它既能保養心神，又能鍛煉形骸；既能健強腦力，又能增長體力。現代醫學認爲這種功法不僅可以使血液迴圈暢通，新陳代謝旺盛，加強各臟器、器官以至細胞的功能，同時使全身肌肉得到惰力性的體育鍛煉，産生一種內向的衝動，從而給大腦以良性刺激，再則未入靜前，體會輕鬆舒適之感，對大腦也是良性刺激，入靜後，進而産生抑制性保護作用。我國醫學認爲這種功法既能疏通經絡，調和氣血，使陰陽相交，水火既濟，又能助長精神，鍛煉形骸，增長力氣。但是站樁功又不同於一般的練功方法，它的特點主要有以下幾點：
一、練功時嘴微張，自然呼吸，不守竅，不講周天迴圈，因此，絕不會産生任何副作用。
二、實踐證明，初學練功的患者，只要堅持鍛煉，雖然沒有達到入靜要求，也可收到較好的療效。
三、不拘時間、地點、條件；不論行、站、坐、臥；隨時隨地都可以練功。因此這種簡單易行、完全可以和生活打成一片的功法，就很容易被廣大群衆所接受與掌握。
四、根據不同的體質、病情、年齡、性格、稟賦、生活習慣等，給予調配不同的姿勢和意念活動，因此這種辯證論治——因人制宜、因病設式的方法，既可加速療效，又易於提高療效。
五、由於這是一種形、意、氣、力、互相關聯、互相制約、調整陰陽平衡的整體活動。所以它又是一種動靜相兼、內外溫養的練功方法。既可休養心神，又能鍛煉形骸（特別是站式），因此不僅適用於醫療方面，更重要的是堅持不懈的鍛煉，可以使原來體質較弱的人逐漸強壯，使強者更強。防止衰老、卻病延年，從而輕鬆愉快地擔負起社會主義建設中複雜而艱巨的重大任務。
操作方法
站樁功是形、意、氣、力互相聯繫、互相制約、調整陰陽平衡的整體活動。形（姿式）和意（意念活動）又是這一功法的根本，二者互相作用，不可偏廢。“以形取意，以意象形，意自形生，形隨意轉。”只要練功時形和意得到了靈活適宜的配合，則力不練自生，氣不運自行。可見站樁功的治療作用，絕不單純在於姿式的繁簡和次序的先後，更不在於所擺的姿式是否美觀，也不是某個意念活動機械地套在某個姿式上就能治某種病。而是要通過教功者較全面地瞭解了患者的情況後，把適應其本身姿式的動靜、虛實、鬆緊和意念活動方法安排得當，使患者在較短的時間內，感到全身舒適得力，輕鬆愉快，藉以達到祛病健身的目的。因此，要求教功者本身必須親自練功，切實體驗，熟練地掌握調配方法。只有這樣，治病時才會收到滿意的效果。若不從這方面深鑽精研，單純計較某個姿式的作用，就容易形成呆板僵硬，只注意某個意念活動而忽略姿式的適當配合，就必然會氣力不足，收效不大。
一、姿式：
站樁功的姿式既繁又簡，繁者，姿式種類繁多，調配靈活，辨證論治，因人而異；簡者，姿式雖多，但有共性，即練功開始，先將姿式設好，使軀於四肢保持相對均衡，心胸開闊，筋肉舒展，全身放鬆，但松而不懈。調配雖活，但有原則，即強弱、動靜、虛實、鬆緊的調配，應以患者感到舒適得力，不超本人身體負擔爲度。
站樁功的姿式大體可分爲站式、坐式、臥式、行走式、半伏式等幾個大類。在一類中，又可分爲幾種甚至幾十種姿式，現概要介紹如下：
（一）站式：
站式練功的方法較多，治療應用範圍也比較廣。初學練功的人，只要身體沒有嚴重疾患或特殊情況（如肢體殘缺等），都可做些站式。
（1）提抱式：兩腳八字形分開，廣度與肩寬，兩腳著地平均用力，全身力量放於腳掌稍後處。兩膝微曲，最大限度不過腳尖（少曲或不曲應視病情而定）。上體保持正直，臂半圓，腋半虛，肩稍後張，使心胸開闊，呈虛靈挺拔之勢。雙手手反映相對，相隔三拳左右，位於臆下，掌心向上，有如抱一大氣球，頭正或稍後仰，目閉或自然睜開（多用於練功開始階段），嘴微張。全身放鬆，但松而不懈，保持似笑非笑，似尿非尿的狀態。
（2）扶按式：兩臂稍擡起，手指分開稍變曲向斜前方，雙手位於臍際，手心向下偏外方。有如扶按在飄浮水中的大氣球上，其他要求與提抱式同。
（3）撐抱式：兩臂擡至胸前，松肩，肘關節稍下垂，雙手與胸相隔一心，手指他開，手心向內做抱物狀或手心向外做撐物狀。其他要求與提抱式同。
（4）分水式：兩臂稍變曲並向左右側自然伸展，雙手保持在臍橫線以下，手指分開，手心朝前有如分水。其他要求與提抱式同。
（5）休息式：
第一式：雙手反背貼於腰部，或將雙手插入上衣袋內，大拇指露出，其他要求與提抱式同。
第二式：兩臂擡起，兩肘變曲，搭伏在相當於胸高的欄杆上，兩腳前後相距約四橫指。前腳滿掌著地，後腳腳尖自然著地，兩腳可不定時的輪換。
第三式：臀部輕靠桌邊作休息式中第一式或提抱式。或雙足並立，腳跟提起。雙手插入上衣袋內，大拇指露出。
第四式：左手扶桌或椅背，右手反背貼腰。左腳在前，全掌著地，左腿直立或微曲。右腳在後，右腿自然微曲，足跟微提，有似走未走之意，或以足尖爲軸，緩慢、自然的轉動。頭微左歪（最多不超過一拳頭）全身重量主要放於左側使右側處於鬆懈、舒展狀態。如是，左右（手）前後（腳）作不定時輪換。
（二）坐式：
一般適用於病情雖然較重，但身體又有一定負擔能力（如暫時不適於作站式的重關節炎等），以及肢體殘缺的患者。另外它也可作爲以站式練功爲主的一種輔助功法。
第一式：端座椅邊，身軀直立，閉目、嘴微張。兩腳平行或八字分開（相距約四拳頭），腳掌與腳跟均著地，兩膝變曲約九十度，雙手放於大腿根部，手指向斜前方，臂半圓，腋半虛，全身放鬆。
第二式：兩腳向後收，腳跟離地作裹八字狀。兩膝彎曲四十至五十度，雙手放於大腿根部或兩臂擡至胸前約一尺，手指分開，反映尖向斜前方，掌心向內作抱物狀或掌心向外作撐物狀。其他要求與一式同。
第三式：兩腿前伸，膝微曲，足尖回勾，足跟著地或稍離地面，雙手放於大腿根部，或兩臂擡至胸前約一尺，作抱物狀。其他要求與一式同。
（三）臥式：
一般適用於重病，或不適宜起床的患者，另外，也可作爲以站式或坐式練功爲主的一種輔助功法。
第一式：身體仰臥、嘴微張、兩腿平直分開（不超過肩寬），或兩膝微曲，足跟著床，雙手放於小腹部位，肘著床，腋微虛。全身放鬆。
第二式：雙手放於身體兩側，手心向下或向上，肘著床，腋微虛。其他要求與一式同。
第三式：兩臂擡至胸前作抱物狀，肘著床，兩膝微曲。其他要求與一式同。
第四式：雙手放於身體兩側，或兩臂擡至胸前作抱物狀，兩腿平直微分，足尖前伸（即腳面下壓）或兩膝微曲，足尖回勾。其他要求與一式同。
（四）行走式：
對一般患者多作爲一種輔助功法，但對肝臟患者，練功初期多與站式等並重使用。
第一式：兩手插上衣袋內，拇指露出，兩腿微曲，雙肩向後舒張，腋半虛，上體呈懶洋後倚狀，閉目凝神，待全身有了輕鬆舒適的感覺時，一隻腳開始作欲動欲止，欲止欲動的懶狀前移（一拳左右），邁出左腿時，頭自然右歪，使上下呈一斜式的舒展。如是左右腳交替前進，有如趟泥。
第二式：雙手反背貼腰或自然伸向身體兩側，其他要求與一式同。
（五）半伏式：
一般對於消化系統有病的患者療效較好，可作爲單純或輔助功法。
第一式：雙手扶按在椅背上，或雙肘搭扶在桌面上，閉目，左腿在前稍彎曲，右腿在後自然直立，臀部後倚，腹部放鬆，頭部可輪換向左右偏側，兩腿可交替使用，
第二式：兩腳平行分開，兩膝微曲或直立，其他要求與一式同。
第三式：將棉被垛於床沿，兩腳平行分開，或一腳微向前立於床沿，兩臂半圓撐開扶於被上，手半握拳，下額自然著於拳上，其他要求與一式同。
二、意念活動：
意念活動的目的，主要在於凝神定念，誘導入靜。所以意念活動的過程，也就是克制雜念、萬念歸一的入靜過程。意念活動的原則，設想的事物或情景，應是輕鬆舒適，心曠神怡悠然自得的，避免緊張的或不愉快的，一般應用有以下幾種：
（1）放鬆活動：一是以似笑非笑，似尿非尿的方法體會整體放鬆，一是從頭部向下體會放鬆，繼而頸項、兩肩、兩臂、兩腕、兩手、胸背、腰腹、胯、腿、腳、一直到腳趾。如是上下迴圈不已的反覆進行。但是這些整體的上下全體放鬆，初學者還不易做到，必須先從逐段放鬆開始，熟練後，再按上述方法，進行整體放鬆活動。
逐段放鬆法：先後部，再前部，即先從頭頂開始，從後頭、頸項、雙肩、雙臂雙手（開始時如果不能左右同時放鬆，就先松一邊，後松一邊，熟練後再同時放鬆）、背、腰、臀、胯、大腿後面、腳跟、腳掌、腳趾，反覆進行三、五次，再後頭頂、眼皮、顔面、口、頸，再後天突左右向兩肩的前面、兩臂的前面、兩腕、兩手、胸、腹、大腿的前面、腳面、腳趾、反覆進行三、五次。熟練後，再上下左右一起進行。
這種放鬆活動，可做爲站樁功的基本意念活動，初學練功者，無論採取何種姿式，都必須先學會放鬆，然後再作其他意念活動。
（2）遠聽活動：一般先後近處聽起，越聽越遠，直到細聽極遠方微弱的聲音。聽遠時切忌急燥。也不應死聽某一個聲音，而應漫無邊際由近及遠的細聽微弱的聲音。
（3）逆水浴活動：設想自己笑臥于適應本身舒適溫度，上下流通的浴池中，水自頭部緩緩下流，永不間斷。
（4）淋浴活動：設想自己在浴室中進行適宜本身舒適溫度的淋浴，水不間斷從頭部緩緩流到腳下，然後用耳注意聽沖到腳下的水流聲音。
（5）半身浴活動：設想自己的下半身泡在適宜本身舒適溫度的水中，體會其感覺。
（6）直立水中活動：設想自己直立在適宜本身舒適溫度，將要沒胸的水中，水後四面八方緩緩向身體衝撞，任其自由搖擺。
（7）生根活動：設想自己如千年松柏之挺立，兩足穩如生根，不爲颶風吹動。
（8）趟泥活動：設想自己在深沒腳腕，適宜本身舒適溫度的泥水中行走，雖有阻力，仍可緩緩前進。
（9）踩棉活動：設想自己腳踩在鬆軟舒適的大棉花包上，並不時的使用身體左右微擺。
（10）依靠活動：設想自己背、臀、小腿部位。都依靠在柔軟舒適的東西上休息，全身輕鬆，沒有任何負擔。
（11）懸發活動：設想自己有幾根頭髮系懸於矮樹枝上，既要保持頭髮的直立狀態，又要使其不斷，如是，則全神貫注於頭頂之上。
（12）搭扶活動：設想自己的兩臂搭扶在欄杆上，或雙手扶于飄浮在水中的氣球上，使全身始終處於輕鬆舒適的狀態。
（13）反觀內視活動：練功時，如萬念紛至，不易排除，則可反觀內視，體察身體各個部位是否輕鬆舒適的感覺，萬念不排自除。
（14）聽之任之活動：練功時，如雜念很多，不易克制，則聽之任之，順其自然，來者不拒，去者不留，認爲我身如海，雜念似波，風浪雖大，無損於我，風平浪靜，水自無波。如是，雜念則不期克而克，不期制而制。
（15）吸收活動：練功時，如雜念雖於克制，即可儘量吸收，認爲我心如烘爐，雜念似枯葉，四面八方，來者即熔。如是，能使心胸開闊，膽氣壯大，正氣一勝，邪念自負。
（16）集散活動：當練功有了一定基礎，完全體會到全身輕鬆舒適的感覺後，即可在練功過程中，不時地將這種感覺，由全身集中於身體某部，然後再放散於全身，如是，將這種集中與放散反覆進行，不但可以收到整體鍛煉的效果，而且對局部病變很有好處。
（17）天人合一活動：設想自己站、坐、臥在優美舒適的地方，若即若離地靜觀滄海、明月或優美的景物。心曠神怡，逐漸達到迷離忘我的境地。
（18）靜觀活動：設想自己站、坐或臥在優美舒適的地方，體會我身爲大氣所包裹，逐漸感到我身與大氣融合爲一體，極爲舒適，悠然自得，逐漸達到忘我的境地。
三、舉例
爲了舉例說明姿勢與意念活動的具體配合，這裏只原則地介紹幾種疾病的部分治療方法。一般高血壓和神經衰弱、關節炎患者，只要有負擔自已身體的能力，沒有特殊情況，開始都適於站式功。譬如，高血壓患者，可做站式中休息式的第四式，並配合淋浴的意念活動，神經衰弱的患者，可做站式中的休息式第一式或提抱式，並配合踩棉式的意念活動，關節炎患者，可做站式中的提抱式或分水式，並配合懸發等意念活動。這裏需要再次提醒的是，教功者必須認真體察患者的一切，熟練掌握姿式與意念活動的配合原則，辯證論治，因人而異，萬不可生搬硬套或執著於一法一式。
注意事項
一、練功前，應排除大、小便，並把衣扣腰帶鬆開。練功開始，可將頭微向後仰。兩臂上舉，兩腳跟隨著身體的左右微擺或微轉輪換著地或離地。使身身呈挺拔狀（與伸懶腰類似）然後使身體逐漸復原，沈靜片刻，即按著準備鍛煉的姿勢，全身放鬆，正式練功。練功結束時，可雙手扶膝順向或逆向轉動數次，然後兩臂做數次斜前後的擺動，或按照醫生所教的簡單按摩方法按摩。
二、飯前、飯後一小時不宜練功。
三、練功時應注意循序漸進，不可急於求成，過猶不及。
四、練功時間的安排因人而異，一般身體較好的，可以十分鐘開始，身體較差的，可從五分鐘開始，然後逐漸延長。時間的延長，可以是漸進的（如從五分鐘延長到六至七分鐘），也可以是跳躍的（如從十分鐘延長到二十分鐘）。練功次數每天可進行二至三次，多不過五次。練功時間長短及次數多少，以有餘力、有餘興、舒適得力，不超過身體的負擔（不疲勞爲原則）。如是，才能達到周身舒適，氣血流通，心神得養，筋骨健壯的目的。
Source Colophon
Source text: article 7 of the HK Yiquan Society article archive, captured in articles_with_content.json on June 2, 2026, and live-verified against the public archive index the same day.
The source appendix includes only the article text. Photographs, book scans, manuscript images, and separate book-page editorial matter are not reproduced here.
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