Daoyin

Daoyin exercises taken out of old Chinese books exactly as written, demonstrated by a line-drawn figure while the text is read aloud. Press once and a whole set plays through — just follow along.

WHAT'S INSIDE • The Twelve Yijin Forms (Zhou Shuguan, Zengyan Yijin Xisui Neigong Tushuo, ch. 13) • The Upright, Side, Half, Bending, Folding, Twisting, Prone, Turning, Moving and Seated Body Figures (same book, ch. 1–10) • The Twelve Great Strengths and the Seated Twelve Brocades (same book, ch. 14 and 16) • The Five Animal Frolics (Tao Hongjing, Yangxing Yanming Lu) • The courses of the fourteen channels, as traced in the Lingshu and the Nanjing • The courses of six more extra vessels — Chong, Dai, Yin and Yang Qiao, Yin and Yang Wei — from Li Shizhen's Qijing Bamai Kao 14 sets and 245 forms in all, plus the fourteen channels and six extra vessels.

HOW IT WORKS • The original Chinese stands in vertical columns and lights up line by line; below it, this app's English translation of the current line. • The figure demonstrates on its own. Slow it down, turn it to the side, the back or from above, or move in close on the hands. • Tap a line of the original and the part of the body it talks about lights up. • Every form gives its source and how to check it — and keeps apart what the old book says and what this app adds. • A lesson a day: choose how long and whether standing or seated, and the lessons follow the order of the books. Stop halfway and you pick up where you left off; finish and the day gets a red seal on the calendar.

WHAT WAS LEFT OUT Only the lines about movement are kept. Religious passages, inner-cultivation passages and claims about benefits in the old books are left out line by line, and marked in the text. This app illustrates exercises recorded in old books; it is not medical care of any kind. Go at your own pace, and if you have an injury or illness, are recovering, or are pregnant, ask your doctor before you start.

ALSO • English and Chinese. In English the app reads its translation aloud; the original Chinese is always shown. • Fully offline. No account. Collects nothing. • One purchase. No in-app purchases, no subscription.

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