諺語 · a single proverb
形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧
Simplified: 形不正则气不顺，气不顺则意不宁
What does 形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧 (xíng bù zhèng zé qì bù shùn, qì bù shùn zé yì bù níng) mean?
形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧 (xíng bù zhèng zé qì bù shùn, qì bù shùn zé yì bù níng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "If form is not correct then qi is not smooth; if qi is not smooth then intention is not at peace." In use it means: Posture, breath, and mind form a cascading chain. Physical alignment enables free qi circulation, which in turn settles the mind. This principle governs taijiquan, qigong, meditation, and all internal cultivation arts. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "If form is not correct then qi is not smooth; if qi is not smooth then intention is not at peace."
The reading
In taijiquan and qigong, posture comes first, before breath and before thought. A sunken chest blocks the lungs, a tucked pelvis stagnates the lower abdomen, a forward-tilted head strains the governing vessel. Correct the physical frame and breath deepens on its own. As breath deepens, the mind settles without effort. This cascading principle makes the body a gateway to mental quiet, requiring nothing more sophisticated than standing well.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional taijiquan and qigong teaching maxim, attributed to internal martial arts lineage traditions
Sits beside
井底之蛙
jǐng dǐ zhī wā
Someone with an extremely narrow view of the world, who mistakes the small circle of sky above the well for the whole sky.
冰凍三尺，非一日之寒
bīng dòng sān chǐ, fēi yī rì zhī hán
Nothing deep-a skill, a habit, a ruin-forms overnight.
心急吃不了熱豆腐
xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòu fu
Impatience will not speed things up.
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧 (xíng bù zhèng zé qì bù shùn, qì bù shùn zé yì bù níng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional taijiquan and qigong teaching maxim, attributed to internal martial arts lineage traditions. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧?
In Mandarin it is xíng bù zhèng zé qì bù shùn, qì bù shùn zé yì bù níng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 形不正則氣不順，氣不順則意不寧 aloud in Mandarin.