The Principle of YiJinJing Postures and Value for MARTIAL ARTS in KOREA

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to examine the motion principles of YiJinJing and their implications for martial arts. For this study, we interpreted and explained the 12 motions of YiJinJing in Naegongdoseol and identified their values as a martial art and their implications for training. The identified principles of YiJinJing motions were first relax the mind so that the mind follows the motion and change of the body, second breath naturally and gently and harmonize the motion and the breath softly and evenly, third repeat strong and soft motions by controlling strength, fourth choose a adequate posture and make an adequate sound for each motion. The 12 motions of YiJinJing are organically interconnected with one another as a whole, and breath is made naturally in harmony with motion according to the person’s mind. In addition, the main purpose of the motions is strengthening muscles and bones by exercising force. All body activities with characteristics of Oriental martial arts accompany operation of Qi. Such operation of Qi is embedded in the traditional martial art training and it is just Oriental characteristics that we cannot find in other Western sports. Qi accumulated during martial art training flows to the place where mind is concentrated. Although YiJinJin training has been known as a kind of regimen to live longer without diseases, YiJinJin training has the same start and end with martial art training. When you make the flexible and soft movements of YiJinJin fast and strong, they become martial art movements attacking the counterpart and defending yourself from the counterpart's attacks. In concrete, Qigong movement such as twisting and relaxing arms and legs flexibly are the postures to enforce muscles and bones and they are same as body training in martial arts preparing for combats with enemies. These spirit of mind, spirit of meridian, and spirit of breath in YiJinJing training are correlated with one another from the viewpoint of martial art training and suggests that the contents of the martial art include mind training, body training and breath training, which are the basics of martial arts.