Zhong Gong - Organisational Techniques

Organisational Techniques

Zhang Hongbao's had two organisations which formed the foundation of what eventually became an "impressive set of interlocked enterprises, the engine of which was a Qigong practice" according to Patricia Thornton.

More than any other qigong group, Zhong Gong concerned itself with a systematic training scheme of eight ascending levels. The practitioner would thus have a clear path of progression on which to advance. Unlike other qigong schools, which emphasised mastery of sitting meditation, movements, and inner alchemy, Zhong Gong geared its workshops around the acquisition of specific skills. The participants were to master a skill with satisfaction after several days training. Workshops aimed to train participants in Zhong Gong's brand of organisational and managerial techniques at the "second level." They would then be able to go forth and set up their own Zhong Gong franchises.

Stage one included basic techniques and posters; stage two covered organisational methods, certain qigong performance arts, and the 'secret of secrets' of Buddhist and Taoist techniques; stage three consisted of still meditation (jinggong), qigong hypnosis, and spontaneous boxing; stage four included more advanced qigong techniques like electric qigong, hard qigong etc., while stage five covered Fengshui, massage, regulation of the emotions, and more. The sixth, seventh, and eighth levels were never disclosed to the public.

Zhong Gong drew a large number of staunch believers across China, elaborating a highly organised structure that led Chinese Communist Party authorities to suspect it may turn into an opposing political force.

Qilin Culture's modern management theory, based on the traditional yin—yang and five-elements cosmology, was the basis for the Zhong Gong organisation, according to Palmer. It was claimed to be applicable to family, business or government, and aimed to synthesise the best aspects of the five phases of human social development: primitive society, slave society, feudal society, capitalist society and communist society.