Qigong (氣功), Neigong (內功), and Daoyin (導引) represent related but distinct approaches to the cultivation of the body, breath, awareness, and internal qualities.

Daoyin, literally associated with “guiding and leading”, refers to an ancient Chinese tradition of exercises combining specific movements, postures, breathing, stretching, and focused awareness. Many practices today commonly described as Qigong have their roots in, or developed alongside, this broader tradition of body cultivation.

Qigong, or “work with Qi”, is a modern umbrella term encompassing a wide variety of practices involving movement, posture, breathing, relaxation, and mental focus. Depending on the method, Qigong may be practised for health, physical conditioning, meditative cultivation, or as a complement to martial training.

Neigong, or “internal work”, refers less to a particular sequence of movements and more to the systematic development of internal qualities and processes. Its training focuses on how the body, breath, attention, intention, and internal organisation work together, progressively transforming the way the practitioner moves and experiences the body.

At Mountain Gate Dao, our Qigong and Neigong classes follow a seasonal approach.