8 Functions of Qi
For Diagnosis and Treatment
Shrouded in mystery until the 1990's, Yin Style Bagua is one of the last remaining arts that encompasses Chinese medicine, martial arts, and internal cultivation in one complete system. Based upon the Yi Jing, or Book of Changes, the art of Bagua reached its greatest fame during the time of the Empress Dowager. By the 1980's, Yin Style Bagua practitioners had all but vanished, and there was only one person left trained in the complete system. Fearing it would be lost, the late Dr. Xie Peiqi (1920-2003), chose to openly teach the art through the Association for Traditional Studies. While much of his knowledge was captured in book and video, Andrew Nugent-Head was the only person fully trained in each branch of Yin Style Bagua by Dr. Xie personally before he passed away.
Being based on the Yi Jing, Yin Style Bagua's medical knowledge views illness, diagnosis and treatment in terms of eight functions or movements of Qi: Opening, Closing, Gathering, Dispersing, Raising, Lowering, Exiting, Entering. Health is the natural interchange of these functions within the organs and the channels; illness is either an excess, deficiency or malfunction of these eight movements; diagnosis is understanding these functions and recognizing their patterns when manifesting as illness; and treatment is being able to create or control these eight functions of Qi in a patient by acupuncture, bodywork, and herbs. Dr. Xie's closest student for 10 years, Andrew Nugent-Head combines theory, case examples and demonstration of techniques to shed light on the inner workings of what was one of the most secretive styles of Chinese medicine in Beijing.
This course has been approved by the NCCAOM for 3.5 continuing education credit hours. Completion of all course videos and an 80% or greater score on the end of course test will automatically generate a certificate of completion to be used toward licensure requirements.
Your Instructor
Andrew Nugent-Head is the founder of the Association for Traditional Studies (ATS), a 501c3 organization dedicated to the preservation, documentation and dissemination of China's traditional knowledge. Andrew moved to China in 1986 at the age of 18 to study Chinese medicine, martial arts, and internal cultivation. He spent 28 years in China dedicated to learning these arts and obtained the highest quality education possible in traditional, mentor-disciple relationships.
Andrew's studies and work have been featured on French and German television, the NBC Sunday Today Show, and on ABC News Special. He also worked on and appeared in the Mystery of Qi episode of the Bill Moyers PBS documentary series, Healing and the Mind. He has been featured in newspapers across the United States and written prolifically on Chinese Medicine, culture and the importance of preserving traditional knowledge worldwide.
Through his not for profit, Andrew has translated six books, produced over 400 educational videos and translated for and assisted practitioners of Chinese Medicine, Yin Style Bagua martial arts, Daoyin practices, and Calligraphy during more than 140 seminars between 1993 and 2003.
With the passing of his teachers, Andrew now dedicates himself to teaching the practice of Chinese medicine as he learned it to fellow practitioners through seminars around the world. He also runs a teaching clinic in Asheville, North Carolina where practitioners can observe him treating patients with herbs, acupuncture, bodywork, exercises and lifestyle advice.