Yijin Jing
It was specifically the foreword by Li Jing by which Tang Hao traced the attribution of Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma.
Li Jing's foreword refers to "the tenth year of the Taihe period of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei."
The Taihe reign period did not occur under Emperor Xiaoming but under Emperor Xiaowen and, in its tenth year (487 CE), the Shaolin temple did not yet exist according to the Jiaqing Chongxiu Yitongzhi, itself an updated compilation of earlier records, which states that the Shaolin temple was built in the twentieth year of the Taihe era (497 CE).
Li Jing's foreword also claims that he received the manual containing the exercises from the "Bushy Bearded Hero" (虬髯客, Qiuran ke), a popular fictional character from a Tang dynasty story of the same name by Du Guangting (850-933).
Niu Gao's foreword mentions the Qinzhong temple, which wasn't erected until 20 years after the date he claims to be writing.
The Yijin Jing is a manual of Daoyin exercises,[2] a series of cognitive body and mind unity exercises practiced as a form of Daoist neigong, meditation and mindfulness to cultivate jing (essence) and direct and refine qi, the internal energy of the body according to traditional Chinese medicine.
[3] The practice of daoyin was a precursor of qigong, and blended with the introduction of Indian yoga into China with the spread of Buddhism[6][7] and was practised in Chinese Taoist monasteries for health and spiritual cultivation.
It is obtained as follows: Power and endurance are of paramount importance if we look at becoming qualified in whatever practice we choose, be it Tui na, martial arts, or simply better health and wisdom.
We can still see today Japanese Kata like Sanchin, postures and forms like Siunimtao in Wingchun, "Iron thread" in Hung Gar and all sorts of Neigong in Neijia.
Yijin Jing unifies in fact Yi (intention) with Li (strength), consciousness (yang) with muscular force (yin).
Many modern sources insist on a deep, forced, reverse breathing in order to develop power and more thoroughly energize the body.
Today the most respected routine is that of Wang Zuyuan, composed of 12 exercises, and has been adopted by the Academies of Chinese Medicine in China.
Because of such efficacy, Yijin Jing has existed for centuries as a favorite with the populace and is still widely used in sanatoria and hospitals for therapeutic purposes.
The 12 Posture Moving Exercise supposedly describes what is called the purported "12 fists of Bodhidharma" in many Southern martial arts, most notably Hung Gar and Wing chun.
In the story, the Shaolin abbot teaches Linghu Chong (the protagonist) how to use the skills described in the Yijin Jing to heal his internal injuries.
In the manhua "Dragon Tiger Gate", Shibumi ("Evil God of the Fiery Cloud"), the supreme ruler of the Lousha Sect in Japan, has mastered this legendary Qi technique.
