Buddhism
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Fagong 发功: Significance and Historical Evidence
Fagong 发功, the skill of emitting qi, is a diverse topic as it actually has quite a long history in China, there are many types of qi emission, and there are various reasons why this skill might be something to pursue. Historical Evidence of Qi Emission Qi emission, or faqi 发气, can be a controversial subject and, for the most part, in China has been taboo to demonstrate or speak of too publicly since well before the internet was around. So although it is something that exists among neigong adepts in China, you won’t find demonstrations or much about it on Chinese internet or social media. Interestingly, records of qi…
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Vajrapani: the Protector of Shaolin
Vajrapani is a deity with special significance for Shaolin Temple who is rich with symbolism. Could he also represent the skill of electric-like qi emission? As discussed below, this idea may not be too much of a stretch. Vajrapani is the patron Bodhisattva and protector deity of Shaolin Temple. In Chinese he is called Jingang Shou Pusa (金刚手菩萨), literally, “holder of the vajra.” The vajra is both a symbolic ritual object and a weapon, and could be translated from Sanskrit as either “thunderbolt” or “diamond.” Vajrapani is a deity that is not only seen as a protector and source of strength, but also represents some of the most interesting juxtapositions…