Ren Mai Rising, Du Mai Descending

Ren Mai Rising, Du Mai Descending

There are two major theories about how Qi circulates in 起式 (Commencement Posture), and they seem contradictory at first. Let’s break them down logically, compare their biomechanics, and see if they can be reconciled.

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Theory 1: Du Mai Rising, Ren Mai Descending (Traditional View)

🔹 Qi moves upward through the Du Mai (督脈) and downward through the Ren Mai (任脈).

• Raising the Hands (抬手)

  • Qi initiates from the feet (湧泉), rising up the spine (督脈) to Baihui (百會).
  • The energy then flows to the hands, making them feel lifted by internal expansion.

• Lowering the Hands (沉手)

  • Qi descends down the Ren Mai (任脈), from Baihui to Dantian and further down to Yongquan.
  • The sinking motion enhances rooting and storing energy in the lower Dantian.

🔹 Main Argument

• This follows the classical Daoist concept of the Microcosmic Orbit (小周天).
• In most static Qi Gong (站樁) and meditation practices, Qi circulates this way.
• The natural rise-and-fall of energy flow complements Tai Chi’s Yin-Yang balance.

Strengths:
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) alignment—it follows Du Mai’s natural ascending flow and Ren Mai’s descending flow.
Matches the classic Small Circulation (小周天), where Qi rises along the back and sinks down the front.
Aligns with internal expansion—as hands lift, the body naturally expands from within, creating buoyancy.

Potential Weaknesses:
Some practitioners feel that their arms are being lifted from the back (fascia-based pulling), contradicting this view.
This theory does not fully explain how shoulder blades (scapula) affect the arms' movement.

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Theory 2: Ren Mai Rising, Du Mai Descending (Fascia-Based View)

🔹 Qi moves upward through the Ren Mai (任脈) and downward through the Du Mai (督脈).

• Raising the Hands (抬手)

  • When you relax your shoulders and allow the shoulder blades (scapulae) to drop, the fascia in the back pulls the arms upward.
  • Qi follows this internal pull, moving up the front (Ren Mai 任脈) to raise the hands.

• Lowering the Hands (沉手)

  • The release of the fascia allows Qi to flow downward along the Du Mai (督脈), returning through the back.

🔹 Main Argument

• The shoulders and scapulae (肩胛骨) play a major role in how the arms move.
• Fascia, not just Qi flow, determines how the body connects internally.
• When the shoulders sink, the fascia network pulls the arms upward like strings, naturally linking to the Ren Mai pathway.
• This creates a natural internal loop, where raising the hands pulls Qi up the front (Ren Mai), and lowering them pulls it down the back (Du Mai).

Strengths:
Explains body mechanics more clearly—using fascia, shoulder motion, and physical feedback.
Matches the experience of many Tai Chi practitioners, who feel the arms are pulled up from the back.
Better aligns with kinetic chain principles, where movement originates from deeper postural changes.

Potential Weaknesses:
Contradicts classical Daoist and TCM energy theory, which teaches Du Mai rising, Ren Mai descending.
May not apply well to static Qi Gong—since most Qi Gong follows the classical Microcosmic Orbit (小周天).

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Which Theory is Better?

Instead of choosing one theory over the other, we should ask: Can they coexist?

Possible Reconciliation (Two Perspectives at Once)

🔹 **One theory may describe the Qi movement, while the other describes the fascia-driven mechanical movement.

• Energetically (Qi Circulation): The traditional view (Du Mai rises, Ren Mai descends) follows Small Circulation (小周天), which governs overall Tai Chi energy flow.
• Physically (Fascia & Kinetic Chain): The fascia-driven mechanics (Ren Mai rising, Du Mai sinking) may describe the actual lifting mechanism of the arms.

How to Use Both

1. When practicing Qi Gong or meditation → Follow the traditional Du Mai rising, Ren Mai descending model.
2. When moving in Tai Chi dynamically → Recognize that fascia engagement may create a different mechanical flow (Ren Mai rising, Du Mai sinking).

This means both explanations are valid in different contexts!

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Final Thought: Yin-Yang Complementarity

Instead of treating these theories as contradictions, they can be seen as two sides of the same principle (Yin-Yang balance):

• The traditional Daoist view (Du Mai rising, Ren Mai descending) represents the Qi layer.
• The fascia-based view (Ren Mai rising, Du Mai descending) represents the structural layer.

Tai Chi is about harmony, and both perspectives can enhance your practice if you understand when to apply which idea.

Would you like a specific training drill to test these theories in your practice? 😊