Zhi Ling
In recent years, Medical Tai Chi has garnered significant attention both domestically and internationally. At the request of The New England Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I had the honor of interviewing the founder of Medical Tai Chi, Dr. Li Shudong.
Zhi Ling: Dr. Li, could you please briefly introduce yourself and share the inspiration and motivations behind founding International Medical Tai Chi?
Dr. Li: I started learning martial arts at the age of 8, beginning with Chaquan, Shaolin Kung Fu, and Shaolin internal exercises. A few years later, I started practicing Yangstyle and Chen-tyle tai chi. Over 20 years ago, I moved to the United States to pursue my dreams. By opening a martial arts school in California, I taught students from various walks of life, including faculty and students from Stanford University. Later, I actively promoted community tai chi, launching initiatives like the “Club-Style High Tech Company Promotion Plan” and “Tai Chi Wellness Courses in Universities”. These efforts brought tai chi culture into major companies like Intel, Google, TSMC, and UMC, as well as world-renowned universities. I successfully established tai chi as an official wellness course in universities. I am the founder of the Medical Tai Chi course at Stanford University, which includes my creation, the “Five Tai Chi Internal Exercises” and “Eight-orm Medical Tai Chi”. The Medical Tai Chi that I promote is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and utilizes modern technology to explore the health benefits of tai chi and its mechanisms.
In 2018, I was formally appointed as a board member of the California Acupuncture Board by the Speaker of the California State Assembly. Additionally, I serve as the Executive Chairman of the World Tai Chi Science Federation, Vice President of the United States Wushu Federation, a member of the Kung Fu Committee of the International Wushu Federation, and a member of the California State Acupuncture Board. I also hold a PhD from Shanghai University of Sport.
Zhi Ling: How does traditional tai chi differ from the Medical Tai Chi that you promote?
Dr. Li: Traditional tai chi, Medical Tai Chi, and Wellness Tai Chi are different forms of tai chi, with distinctions mainly in their target audience and practice goals. Traditional tai chi is suitable for all age groups, including both healthy individuals and those with chronic illnesses. Medical Tai Chi, however, is targeted at people with chronic health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, and is specifically designed for people who are ill, such as patients with cancer or cardiovascular disease. The goals of practicing traditional tai chi are mainly building strength, self-efense, and self-ultivation, while Wellness Tai Chi is primarily practiced to facilitate the body’ metabolism by regulating the flow of qi and blood, to achieve the goal of wellness and health cultivation. Medical Tai Chi focuses on therapeutic effects, helping patients regain function, alleviate symptoms, and improve their quality of life through movement therapy. In terms of movement, traditional tai chi movements are relatively complex, requiring the practitioner to have a certain level of physical fitness and martial arts background. Movements in Wellness Tai Chi are fairly simple, and prioritize relaxing the body and regulating the breath. The movements in Medical Tai Chi are slower and gentler, with an emphasis on balance and coordination. I first proposed the concept of Medical Tai Chi in 2006 at Stanford, aiming to promote it as a branch of preventive medicine because it is both fun and beneficial for physical and mental health.
Medical Tai Chi represents a deeper exploration and specific implementation of traditional tai chi’s internal practices and health benefits, incorporating insights from western medical experts. We officially introduced this concept in 2004; after gradual refinement, I first proposed the concept of “Medical Wellness” tai chi in 2006 and I collaborated with faculty at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, including Samuel LeBaron and Arthur Johnson, to establish credit-ased courses that teach these tai chi practices. These courses primarily teach the “Five Tai Chi Internal Exercises”,“Eight-orm Medical Tai Chi”, and traditional Chen-tyle tai chi. In recent years, Beverly Kane, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, added elements from Wu-tyle tai chi.
Tai chi has a special capacity to strengthen the body and promote wellness. Medical Tai Chi aligns closely with TCM theory, promoting holistic health for both the body and mind. I believe that the integration of wellness tai chi with western medicine holds great significance for human health.
Zhi Ling: Lastly, could you elaborate on the specific benefits of the “Eight-orm Medical Tai Chi” that you developed, particularly from a rehabilitation perspective?
Dr. Li: The “Eight-orm Medical Tai Chi” that I promote offers the following benefits:
1. Physical Strength: The exercises enhance flexibility, coordination, and balance, while also strengthening muscles and improving endurance.
2. Enhancing Cardiopulmonary Function: The slow and rhythmic movements, combined with deep breathing, help boost oxygen supply and improve blood circulation in the heart and lungs to enhance the function of these organs.
3. Stress and Anxiety Relief: When practicing, one must relax the body, and focus on movements and breathing. This helps clear the mind, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety and tension, thereby promoting mental well-eing.
4. Metabolism Enhancement: The exercises stimulate metabolism, aiding in detoxification and boosting immunity.
5. Postural Correction: Long-erm practice helps correct poor posture, such as scoliosis and slouching, enhancing body stability.
6. Chronic Disease Prevention: It assists in managing chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, serving as a supplementary treatment and helping to prevent complications.
7. Enhancing Nervous System Function:Tai chi movements must be coordinated and controlled by the brain, so this practice helps to enhance the sensitivity and responsiveness of the nervous system.
Through years of practice and theoretical exploration, I have developed a comprehensive system of Eight-orm Medical Tai Chi based on traditional tai chi internal practices and wellness approaches. It incorporates yin-ang and 5-hase theory, daoyin, breathwork, and TCM channel theory, and draws upon the holistic understanding of human physiology and psychology found in yoga, meditation, spiritual practices, and modern medicine. The Medical Tai Chi course at Stanford has gained increasing interest and recognition for its unique concepts and approach. I believe that with continued research and technological advancements, Medical Tai Chi will be more widely promoted and applied on a global scale, and it will make a significant contribution to the cause of human health.
Ling Zhi: Thank you, Dr. Li, for sharing your insights with us.
醫療太極專訪武術醫療太極創始人李書東博士
靈芝
近年來,醫療太極拳在海內外聲名鵲起。我受《新英格蘭醫學雜誌》社的委托,慕名而來,專訪了醫療太極拳創始人李書東。
靈芝:李博士您好,請先簡短介紹您個人的情況和創立國際醫療太極的初衷和源由。
李博士:我8歲時開始系統學習查拳和少林拳及少林內功。幾年後,又開始學習楊式太極拳以及陳氏太極拳。二十多年前,我前往美國追求自己的夢想。通過在加州開武館,我的學生遍佈社會各個階層,包括斯坦福大學的教工和學生。之後我大力推動社區太極運動,推出了“俱樂部式的高科技公司推廣計划”和“高校的太極養生課程”,將太極文化帶入了英特爾、谷歌、台積電、聯電等著名公司以及世界名校,並成功將太極拳定位成大學的正式養生課程。
我是斯坦福大學醫療太極課程的創始人,課程內容包括我編創的《五種太極內功心法》和八式醫療養生太極拳等。我所倡導的醫療養生太極拳理念,旨在依據傳統中醫理論,利用現代科技手段,深入探究太極拳在健康促進方面的功能和作用機理。
2018年,經由加州州眾議會議長正式任命,我擔任加州針灸局委員會委員。此外,我還是世界太極科學聯合會執行主席、美國武術聯合會副主席、國際武術聯合會功夫委員會委員、加州政府針灸局委員,並獲得上海體育學院博士學位。
靈芝:請問傳統太極和您倡導的醫療養生太極有什麼區別?
李博士:傳統太極、醫療太極和養康太極是太極拳的不同形式,它們的區別有以下幾個方面:
傳統太極適合所有年齡段的人群,包括健康人群和患有慢性疾病的人群;醫療太極主要針對患有慢性疾病的人群,如高血壓、糖尿病、心臟病等;而醫療太極則是專門為患有疾病的人群設計的,如癌症患者、心血管疾病患者等。
傳統太極的練習目的主要是強身健體、防身自衛、修身養性等;養康太極的練習目的,主要是通過調節身體的氣血運行,促進身體的新陳代謝,達到養生保健的目的;而醫療太極的練習目的則是通過運動療法,幫助患者恢復身體功能,緩解疾病症狀,提高生活質量。
動作特點方面:傳統太極的動作比較複雜,需要練習者具備一定的身體素質和武術基礎;養康太極的動作比較簡單,注重身體的放鬆和呼吸的調節;而醫療太極的動作則更加緩慢、柔和,注重身體的平衡和協調。
最早是由我於2006年在斯坦福提出醫學太極的。希望通過醫療太極的普及推廣,因為有益於身心娛樂健康,將成為預防醫學的一個分支。
醫療太極則是我和我的團隊結合西方醫學專家們的智慧,在傳統太極內功心法以及傳統太極拳養生功效方面所做的進一步探索研究和具體實踐。
2004年開始推廣,逐步完善後,由我在2006年首次提出“醫療養生”太極拳的概念,並聯絡斯坦福大學醫學院家庭醫學系系主任Samuel LeBaron教授、Arthur Johnson主任等教授,共同在斯坦福大學醫學院設立了學分課程。
該課程內容主要是傳授《五種太極內功心法》和《八式醫療養生太極拳》、傳統陳式太極拳等為主,近幾年又由斯坦福大學醫學院Beverly Kane教授加入了吳式太極拳等教學內容。
太極拳擁有特殊的健身養生功能。這個醫療太極和中醫的理論是一脈相承的。這種治療在醫學上是讓人達到身心合一,不僅身體好了,而且你心靈的合一,我覺得用這個黃金法則把養生太極這個跟西醫體系相結合融合整合起來把這件事做起來,這對人類是非常有意義的。
靈芝:最後,請李博士重點從醫療康復的角度闡述一下您創立推廣的八式養生醫療太極拳的功效作用。
李博士:好的,由我倡導練習的八式醫療養生太極拳具有以下幾方面的功效:
1. 強身健體方面:通過一系列的動作練習,可以增強身體的柔韌性、協調性和平衡能力,鍛煉肌肉力量,提高身體的耐力和體能。
2. 改善心肺功能方面:通過緩慢而有節奏的動作,配合深呼吸,有助於增強心肺的氧氣供應和血液循環,改善心肺功能。
3. 緩解壓力和焦慮方面:練習時要求身心放鬆,專注於動作和呼吸,有助於排除雜念,減輕心理壓力,緩解焦慮和緊張情緒,促進心理健康。
4. 促進新陳代謝方面:以適當的運動加快身體的新陳代謝,幫助排除體內毒素,增強身體的免疫力。
5. 調整身體姿態方面:長期練習有助於糾正不良的身體姿勢,改善脊柱側彎、彎腰駝背等問題,增強身體的穩定性。
6. 預防慢性疾病方面:對於一些慢性疾病如高血壓、糖尿病等,適當的太極拳練習可以起到輔助治療和預防並發症的作用。
7. 促進神經系統功能方面:太極拳的動作需要大腦的協調和控制,有助於提高神經系統的靈敏性和反應能力。
我經過多年實踐和理論探索自成系統的八式醫療養生太極拳,是在傳統太極內功和養生功法的基礎上,結合陰陽五行學說、導引、吐納、中醫經絡學,並借鑒了瑜伽、禪坐、靈修以及現代醫學對於人體生理心理的整體認知而整理的一套完整的太極養生功法體系。
斯坦福大學的醫療太極課程也因其獨特的理念和方法,受到了越來越多人的關注和認可。
未來,隨着科技的不斷進步和研究的深入,相信醫療太極將會在全球范圍內得到更廣泛的推廣和應用,為人類健康事業做出更大的貢獻。
靈芝:謝謝您接受我們的專訪!