Gao Lian, a Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644 ) scholar, wrote in Eight Aspects of Health Care, “ When practiced between one in the morning and noon,  No 8 Health Boosting Chi ( Qi ) Gong brings practitioners into harmony with the universe.” Jin in Chinese means  something brilliant and beautiful, like brocade. It can also be taken as meaning a set of health-giving exercise as perfect as a sheet of silk.

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The term NO 2 exercise first appeared in a book record of the listener-Selections of Chinese Supernatural Stories written by Hong Mai of the Southern Song Dynasty ( 1127-1279 ). “ Li Siju was appointed the emperor’s butler in 1117----he began to get up at midnight, sitting there practicing deep breathing and self-massage, which was called NO 2 exercise ( Ba Duan Jin )”. This shows that the exercise were popular in China at the time.

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No 2 exercise is practiced in two major positions-standing and sitting. As the standing style is easier and more popular, this the health Qi gong ( Chi Gong ) Series.

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In the Ming and Qing ( 1644-1911 ) dynasties, the standing style of NO exercise had developed into a very popular exercise. In the Wing Dynasty, a book titled Newly-published Health and Fitness illustrations-No 2 exercise was the first devoted to illustrating the standing style of the routines. It recommends in a song, “ Holding the hands high with palms up to regulate the internal organs, and posing an archer shooting both left-and right-handed. Holding one arm aloft to regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach, and looking backward to prevent sickness and strain. Twisting the head and lower body to relieve stress, and moving the hands down the back and legs and touching feet to strengthen the kidneys. Thrusting the fists and making the eyes glare to enhance strength, and raising and lowering the heels to cure various disease.” Here we can see that the exercise had already been formed into a complete health-enhancing routine.

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Generally speaking, there are two major ones: the Southern and Northern schools. The formers is gentler and mostly of the standing style, while the latter is firmer and mostly of the sitting style, However, records of their movements show that they share the same origin, have penetrated into each other , and become more identical with each other because of mutual influence.

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There is controversy over who created No.2 exercise and when. But it seems clear that in benefited from the contributions of health-care specialists and practitioners down the ages.