02/09/2026
☯️ QIGONG, NEIGONG & NEIDAN — WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
In my own practice I explore methods that could be categorised as Qigong, Neigong and Neidan.
But I generally use Qigong as the umbrella term for what I practise and teach — encompassing movement, posture, breath, meditation, Qi cultivation and deeper internal work.
Qigong 氣功 broadly refers to practices concerned with cultivating and working with Qi through movement, posture, breathing, awareness and stillness.
Neigong 內功 means something closer to “internal work” or “internal skill” — developing the internal qualities and processes of the practitioner.
Neidan 內丹, or “Internal Alchemy”, goes deeper into Daoist traditions of internal transformation, with concepts such as Jing, Qi and Shen, the Dantian, the elixir, reversal and return.
These distinctions can be useful — but they aren’t three completely separate boxes.
A Qigong practice may contain Neigong principles. Neigong may involve movement, breathing and Qi cultivation we’d happily describe as Qigong. Neidan can incorporate meditation, breath and Qi circulation that overlap with both.
Interestingly, Qigong as the broad category we recognise today is relatively modern. The practices themselves are ancient and appeared throughout Chinese history under many different names — including Daoyin, Yangsheng, breathing practices, meditation, Qi cultivation and internal alchemy.
So I don’t get overly concerned with categorising every practice I do.
Partly because the lines are blurred.
Partly because different teachers and lineages use the terminology differently.
And partly because it can become another intellectual subject to squabble over online rather than actually practising.
My own practice contains elements that could comfortably sit within all three categories.
So for simplicity, I call what I practise Qigong.
The terminology can help us understand the map.
But ultimately, the practice is the important part.
