Hard Work? The Meaning of ‘Gong’
‘Qi Gong’ is normally translated as ‘Energy Work’. While ‘Qi’ refers the the vital energy that we work with using Qi Gong, the word ‘Gong’ doesn’t exactly mean ‘work’ as we know it in English. In fact, it has a much more subtle and complex meaning that can help us to understand more about Qi Gong.
‘Gong’ is actually the same word as the ‘Kung’ in Kung Fu – 2 different systems of Romanising Chinese words gives us 2 different spellings, but the meaning is the same. In both cases ‘gong’ is a kind of knowledge, understanding and ability gained through persistent effort over time.
The key here is that effort must be persistent, and it must extend through time. The understanding of ‘gong’ does not come overnight, no matter how hard you work. Just as a master craftsman practices for years to hone his skills, in Kung Fu and other martial arts we must practice constantly to attain the highest skills. In Qi Gong, we must likewise persist with training day after day to gradually improve and learn. Eventually, we begin to attain the Gong – our understanding, experience and abilities grow through dedicated practice.
In traditional Qi Gong a ’100 day practice’ is often recommended. This means taking one particular exercise, set or form, and practicing daily for 100 days without missing a single day. When you consider that this is more than 3 months, that’s no mean undertaking! The idea is that such regular practice will really make you familiar with that exercise, your understanding of it will grow with your experience, and it will have plenty of time to have an effect. This is ‘gong’ at work!
You may not fancy trying the 100 day practice, but if you practice martial arts or Qi Gong, bear in mind the meaning of ‘gong’, and try to make your practice a regular part of your routine, even if you only have have time to practice for a few minutes each day. You will progress much faster this way!
