''Qigong'' fever (, ''Qìgōng rè''), also known as the ''qigong'' boom, was a social phenomenon in the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
during the 1980s and 1990s, in which the practice of ''
qigong
''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation
used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...
'' rose to extraordinary popularity, with mass daily practice. At its peak, it is estimated that the number of ''qigong'' practitioners reached between 60 and 200 million, developing a flourishing
subculture
A subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, poli ...
.
History
The Chinese term ''Qìgōng rè'' (), referred to in English as "the ''qigong'' boom" or "''qigong ''fever", was a social phenomenon in which mass practice of ''
qigong
''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation
used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...
'' became extraordinarily popular in the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
during the 1980s and 1990s, with more than 2,000 ''qigong'' organizations and between 60 and 200 million practitioners. The movement is characterized by initial government sanction of ''qigong'', with emphasis on health benefits, traditional medicine and martial arts applications, and a scientific perspective; revival of interest in traditional philosophy, spiritual attainment, and folklore; rise to power of "grandmasters" (e.g.
Zhang Baosheng
Zhang Baosheng (; 1960 – 3 August 2018) was a Chinese ''qigong'' grandmaster during the peak of ''qigong''s popularity (so called " qigong fever") in China. Along with Yan Xin,Ownby, David. (2008) '' Falun Gong and the Future of China'', Oxfo ...
) as cultural and political leaders; and opposing efforts to legitimize ''qigong'' based on science versus de-legitimize ''qigong'' as
pseudoscience
Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience is often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or falsifiability, unfa ...
. In 1999, the Chinese government instituted a systematic crackdown on ''qigong'' organizations that were perceived to challenge state control, including prohibiting mass ''qigong'' practice, shutdown of ''qigong'' clinics and hospitals, and banning groups such as
Zhong Gong Zhong can refer to
* Zhong (surname), pinyin romanization of Chinese surnames including 钟, 种, 仲, etc.
* Zhong County, a county of Chongqing, China
* Zhongjian River, a river in Hubei, China
* Bianzhong, a Chinese musical instrument similar t ...
and
Falun Gong
Falun Gong (, ) or Falun Dafa (; literally, "Dharma Wheel Practice" or "Law Wheel Practice") is a new religious movement.Junker, Andrew. 2019. ''Becoming Activists in Global China: Social Movements in the Chinese Diaspora'', pp. 23–24, 33, 119 ...
.
See also
*
Heterodox teachings (Chinese law)
Heterodox teaching ( zh, s=邪教, p=xiéjiào) is a concept in the law of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its administration regarding New religious movement, new religious movements and their suppression. Also translated as "cults" or ...
References
Further reading
*
{{Qigong
Qigong
History of the People's Republic of China