The 8-Verses 

The Eight Verses is a four-line Chinese poem that rhymes with "ōng" at the end of each line. It represents the essence of Chi Neng Qigong. Everyone who learns Chi Neng Qigong will encounter these eight verses at some point. Below are the Eight Verses in Chinese along with their Pinyin, which helps you understand the pronunciation in Mandarin.

The Complete 8-Verses With Pinyin

• 顶天立地 (Dǐng tiān lì dì)

• 形松意充 (Xíng sōng yì chōng)

• 内敬外静 (Nèi jìng wài jìng)

• 心澄貌恭 (Xīn chéng mào gōng)

• 一念不起 (Yī niàn bù qǐ)

• 神注太空 (Shén zhù tài kōng)

• 神意照体 (Shén yì zhào tǐ)

• 周身融融 (Zhōu shēn róng róng)

You can listen to the audio recording of the eight verses of Chi Neng Qigong
following this link :
 

The Meaning of The Eight Verses

The First Verse:
顶天 (Dǐng tiān) means the top of your head touching the sky;
立地 (Lì dì) means your feet standing on the ground and growing into the depths of the earth.

The Second Verse:
形松 (Xíng sōng) means your body expanding and relaxing;
意充 (Yì chōng) means to fill the universe with your mind.

The Third Verse:
内敬 (Nèi jìng) means you are respectful from the inside;
外静 (Wài jìng) means you feel everything outside is quiet and peaceful.

The Fourth Verse:
心澄 (Xīn chéng) means your heart is crystal clear;
貌恭 (Mào gōng) means your appearance is humble.

The Fifth Verse:
一念 (Yī niàn) means a single thought;
不起 (Bù qǐ) means not rising.
This verse signifies that not a single thought arises.

The Sixth Verse:
神注 (Shén zhù) means your Shen entering;
太空 (tài kōng) means the universe.
This verse indicates that your Shen is entering the vast universe.

The Seventh Verse:
神意 (Shén yì) means your Shen and your mind;
照体 (Zhào tǐ) means illuminating your body.

The Eighth Verse:
周身 (Zhōu shēn) means your whole body;
融融 (Róng róng) means feeling warm.
 

Interpret the eight verses word by word? At first glance, these interpretations may not make sense. For instance, how can your head touch the sky while your feet grow into the earth? How do you fill the universe with your mind? How can you feel outside quietness amidst sounds and noises?

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What Are The Eight Verses For

According to Dr. Pang Ming, the purpose of the eight verses is to effectively guide your body and mind into a relaxed Qigong state. The key word he used is 想 (Xiǎng).

想 (Xiǎng) has multiple meanings in Chinese, including think, imagine, visualize, or memorize depending on the context. Dr. Pang once mentioned that 想 (Xiǎng) connects your Shen with the object. Yet, there is no direct English equivalent for this concept.

Many practitioners interpret 想 as imagining, which is what they often do when reciting the eight verses. However, thinking this way might lead to misunderstanding.

The essence of the eight verses extends far beyond their literal meanings and transcends mental comprehension.

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Once you genuinely grasp this essence, silently reciting the eight verses—without any movement or visualization—becomes a high-state Qigong practice, leading to remarkable healing effects.