The Qi Gong religious movement was founded in China. It basis its teachings on natural body exercises such as yawning and stretching to relax, and pinching, rubbing or pressing to ease the pain (Liu, 384). The activities have evolved to teachings on how to coordinate breathing and body movements. The Qi Gong religious movement has advanced teachings on training both the body and the mind to provide spiritual solutions that did not exist before. The following essay demystifies the Qi Gong religious movement on its foundation, influences, beliefs, impacts, incentives to join, and provision of an alternative spiritual solution.
The founders of Qi Gong had various and significant impacts on the development and adoption of the skill. In modern times, the study of Qi Gong took place in different years and was done by different founders. First was Pan Wei, a government official and medicine guru in 1858. He used past knowledge to compile a book called ‘Key Techniques to Strengthen Health’ (Liu 59). He based his arguments on prevention rather than treatment through exercising Qi Gong. The period before the foundation of the People's Republic of China had several other physicians who contributed to the practice of Qi Gong. Such included Wu Shang Xian, Wang Zu Yuan, and Zhang Xi Chun.

The period following the formation of the Republic of China also had several advancements and practices of the skill. Among the people known to practice it was Jiang Wei Qiao who healed himself through meditation while sitting down. He wrote a book called ‘Sitting Meditation' to explain the curing power of sitting meditation. Another founder, Wang Qi Huo, authored ‘Guidance to Daoist Elixir Cultivation’ (Liu 59). The development of Qi Gong continued further in the 1950s (Penny 225). Chen Tao and Liu Gui Zhen contributed more to the movement during the high tide where they explored, sorted, and promoted therapies of Qi Gong. The Qi Gong Therapy developed and popularised by Liu Gui Zhen was officially approved by the Ministry of Health in 1955. He also helped in the foundation of Beidaihe Qi Gong Sanitarium Hospital in 1966 and was the first president (Liu 62). The period saw development in academic researches by various scholars such as Xu Feng Yan. The founders of different times have contributed to the advanced modern-day practice of Qi Gong.

The basic beliefs and convictions of Qi Gong are rooted in the psychological effects of exercises. They are founded on the concept of ‘the Three Adjustments’ which include the mind, breath, and body. The adjustments aim at integrating the three aspects into one to get the end result of body-mind medicine (Liu 201). One of the basic beliefs is that combining the three has the effect of curing both the body and the mind. The belief is an extension of the popular belief that the three cannot exist in the absence of each other. A live human being must have a unity of the three for him/her to exist. The conviction of the state of unity is essential as a determinant of the effectiveness of the exercises (Penny 243). The study of Qi Gong combines two aspects; teachings of Qi Gong and traditional Chinese medicine. Qi Gong, therefore, emphasizes the theoretical knowledge. It holds on to the belief that one should learn the art and practicing it to mastery.