In China, for over the course of more than a decade, earth-shaking changes have been taking place in the realm of chigong (Chigong, Qigong, Chikung), and an unprecedented opportunity has arisen in its historical evolution, manifesting in the following ways:

• A multitude of tens of millions of chigong practitioners has arisen. The traditional, once esoteric forms of chigong practiced by the sages and initiates have, in our day, become openly known and commonly practiced.
  
• In its research upon the miraculous phenomena emerging from the practice of chigong, the achievements of modern science have provided incontrovertible evidence of the objective existence of chi.
  
• The various benefits of chigong practice (the prevention and healing of illness, the attainment of longevity, the perfecting of mind and body, the development of higher intelligence, and other related benefits) have been rudimentarily, yet at the same time, comprehensively presented.
  
• Chigong has developed from the stage of internal-chi development (personal practice for the attainment of strength and health) to the stage of external-chi development (exploiting the use of chi in one's personal practice and in the treating of others, as well as in other applications). It has evolved from the traditional stage of self-cultivation to the contemporary stage wherein one benefits both oneself and others.
  
• Both in their theories and their practice methods, almost all schools of practice have correspondingly reformed their traditional forms of chigong to meet the needs of the contemporary era.

In Zhineng Qigong, a thorough and integrated system of theory has been established and diverse levels of well-arranged practice methods, both easy to learn and to practice, have been created and compiled.

The Chi Field Technique (Zuchang) - a unique, broad-scale and highly effective teaching method has been created, designed to establish and augment an intelligent energy field for the purpose of teaching and treating small and large groups. Moreover, the practices and principles of Zhineng Qigong have been synthesized with the development of the cultural and ideological realms of life, setting as its goal the liberation of the whole of mankind from poverty, illness and ignorance. This now enables chigong to take on a radically new image, as the paths of traditional chigongs are guided onto the broad highway of Zhineng Qigong Science.

In China at present, the development of Zhineng Qigong is growing like raging wildfire. However, this is only prelude to the emergence of a powerful and impressive science of Zhineng Qigong. In order to meet the present upsurge in the development of chigong science, and because chi-gong science is an empirical one based upon practice, it becomes necessary to develop horoughgoing and widespread activities of mass-practice, However, this alone is not enough, because chigong science is at the same time also a highly rational science; it possesses not only its own unique methodology and research methods, but it also has its own unique methodological foundation. This is the essential difference distinguishing chigong science from other modern sciences. Because of this, chigong practitioners must raise their own levels of both their comprehension of chigong theory and their personal accomplishment in chigong science. This will aid chigong in developing along the paths of a true science, as well as help to liberate the active mass practice of chigong from its confinement to a single skill or method, and guide that practice into the realm of chigong science.

This series of Zhineng Qigong textbooks has been written in order to meet the needs of fellow Zhineng Qigong practitioners of diverse levels; it follows the publication of Popular Textbook of Zhineng Donggong Practice Methods and Brief Zhineng Qigongology (a secondary textbook) and consists of the technical theories and fundamental applications of Zhineng Qigong science. There exists a total of nine volumes:

1. An Introduction to Zhineng Qigong Science.
   
2. Fundamentals of Zhineng Qigong Science - The Hunyuan Entirety Theory.
   
3. Essences of Zhineng Qigong Science.
   
4. Practice Methodology of Zhineng Qigong Science.
   
5. Technique of Zhineng Qigong Science - Superintelligence.
   
6. A Summary of Traditional Qigongs.
   
7. Qigong and Human Cultures.
   
8. A Brief Introduction to Chinese Qigong History.
   
9. Modern Scientific Research on Qigong.

Essences of Zhineng Qigong Science embraces the quintessential principles of Zhineng Qigong. The profound mysteries of both Zhineng Qigong and traditional chigongs are analyzed with regard to such diverse areas as consciousness, cultivation, breath control and postural requirements, all of which have both inherited and further developed the essences handed down by traditional forms of chigong. In this text, not only is the general nature of a great many Chinese chigong sects explored - each having its unique strong points - but revealed also are many formerly strictly guarded secrets of practice within these sects.

It must be especially pointed out that, in the chapter dealing with The Exploitation of Consciousness, the formation and the laws of the processes of consciousness, as well as its influences upon the activities of human life, have been deeply and completely explained. This part presents a totally new context in the field of chigong science. It declines the idealist and theist concepts of consciousness, and posits instead a dialectical ma-terialist concept of consciousness.

Many subtle nuances pertaining to consciousness, which in the past were incapable of being properly described and expressed, and which could be grasped only through one's power of intuition, have been illuminated. This part then provides a text for readers to study, examples to follow, and methods to practice.

This is of immense impact and significance to the great majority of general practitioners presently practicing chigong, not only in the development of the ability to gather and transmit external chi to others, the acquisition of various supersensory perceptions and telekinesis, but also for advanced practice in the future.

In this textbook, the following two points have been explored in detail in accordance with ancient records and books, as well as the author's own personal experience in practice: 1) understanding the essential nature of various illusions experienced as a result of one's progress in chigong, and 2) the mysterious phenomena that may be experienced in distinguishing between the real and the unreal in one's chigong practice. This has not only broken with the existence of superstitious beliefs in chigong, but has also led the way to a higher discipline of practice. This is an illusion-dispelling, barrier-breaking wisdom which must be diligently studied by every practitioner who wishes to explore the profundities of Zhineng Qigong.

The two textbooks - An Introduction to Zhineng Qigong Science and Essences of Zhineng Qigong Science, in fact, fall into the same category of general treatises of Zhineng Qigong Science (these can as well be regarded as the general treatises of Chigong Science). The general laws of chigong science, which are also the laws and conditions common to all sects of chigong, are presented; they are the essences of chigong and the common lifeline linking all types of chigong.

In reviewing the various sects of chigong, if one understands this point, one may realize that there has been neither lofty chigongs nor lowly chigongs, but rather that every sect has emerged from the same source. With thoughts such as these guiding one's practice, one may make rapid progress, much like a hot knife slicing through butter. In the textbook Fundamentals of Zhineng Qigong Science - The Hunyuan Entirety Theory, the Hunyuan Entirety Theory has, to a great extent, been explained. It consists of the following chapters: Hunyuan Theory, Entirety Theory, Human Hunyuan Chi, The Theory of Consciousness, The Theory of Morality, The Theory of Optimized Human Life and the Hun-yuan Concept of Therapeutics.

The Hunyuan Entirety Theory is the theoretical basis upon which Zhineng Qigong science relies for its progress and development. It is also a world-view and methodology according to which superintelligence and the objective world mutually act upon each other. It is the outcome of the combination of the ancient Chinese concepts of the entirety of life synthesized with the view of contemporary scientific thought; it is also the distillation of the chigong practice of the multitudes. Though there are many aspects within it that need further substantiation and perfecting, it, by itself, has developed into a theoretical system of great integrity.

In the textbook Practice Methodology of Zhineng Qigong Science, the theory and methods of practice pertaining to the first three levels of Zhineng Qigong are introduced in detail, with both textual explanations and detailed llustrations. This book is both a good teacher and a helpful friend to Zhineng Qigong practitioners.

In Technique of Zhineng Qigong Science - Superintelligence, the theory and practice methods of the techniques of the superintelligence of Zhineng Qigong science are introduced in detail. In the subject areas of chigong diagnosis (including supervision, supersensory perception, remote-diagnosis) and chigong therapy (external chi healing, remote-healing, and group-healing), the principles of diagnosis and healing are discussed in detail not only at a theoretical level, the practice methods and practical secrets by which superintelligence can be quickly attained are also com-pletely and unreservedly unveiled. Even if one has no teacher at one's side to give instruction, one can also quickly master the techniques so long as one practices conscientiously and according to the methods introduced in this book.

In the textbook, A Summary of Traditional Qigongs, a number of traditional Great Vehicle chigongs are briefly and succinctly introduced. Most of the practice methods were handed down by the author's own teachers. Through the study of this book, not only can the reader grasp a general knowledge of the essence of traditional chigongs; she can also be clear about the factual origins of a number of traditional chigongs from which, and upon whose foundations, careful improvements and refinements in Zhineng Qigong science have been made.

A Brief Introduction to Chinese Qigong History introduces the history of Chinese chigongs - a history that has undergone a complete spiral through "the negation of negation", from the simple to the complex and from the complex to the simple.

In the remaining two books - Qigong and Human Cultures and Modern Scientific Research on Qigong, the little-known, yet vital role the standing chigong has played in the past, presently plays, and shall play in the future, are comprehensively studied against the entire background of both ancient and modern civilizations.

It needs to be pointed out, with regard to a number of subtle and pro-found theoretical problems discussed in this series of textbooks, that although the author has tried to describe and explain them in either simple and easy language, the sharing of examples from life, or in the use of existing scientific terminology, there are still many terms and phrases, as well as theories, that can not be easily understood. This is because chigong science is a recently created science in the sense commonly understood by ordinary people; for most, there exists as yet neither the rational knowl-edge of chigong science nor the practical experience of chigong as empirical perceptual knowledge.

In fact, at the time of its presentation, every innovative and epoch-making scientific theory failed to be comprehended and accepted by com-mon sense. Is this not so? For example, early in the beginning of this century, how many people understood Einstein's explanation of his theory of relativity? Now, not so very long afterwards, the theory of relativity has become an important concept in higher physics.

In 1946 in Brussels, when Blackett, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Phys-ics, presented his paper on non-reversible phenomena in thermodynamics, not only was the new theory not comprehended - it was also vigorously opposed. A famous expert in thermodynamics even satirized Blackett in a questioning tone, "Isn't it a waste of time to study such things that vanish in a twinkle?" Nowadays - decades later, the concepts of non-reversibility, non-linearity and non-stability have not only become major issues attract-ing many interested people, but represent concepts that have also per-meated or are in the process of permeating a number of different fields of science. Although this new science of chigong is not as unfamiliar to the Chinese as the above-mentioned once-new scientific theories were to their audiences, it still represents a totally new field in modern science. It is inevitable that people will initially feel at odds with it. But we believe that the soundness and correctness of its theories and views will be understood and accepted retrospectively, in hindsight of people's personal practice of chigong.

The last point to be made is that all of the theories and practice methods of Zhineng Qigong have been newly created. Although they have stood the test of the practice of millions of people, it is still a relatively recent under-taking, and one which needs further perfecting. So there must of necessity be some imperfections in this series of textbooks of Zhineng Qigong science as well.

The author has a heartfelt hope that other fellow practitioners in chigong circles can share their sincere comments and criticism, and that this may help chigong to play a greater role both in the enhancement of the mental, spiritual and physical health of human beings, as well as in the de-velopment of human civilization.