History & Origins

It is said that the exercises are very ancient, dating back many thousands of years. With the Chinese health arts we must always have a degree of skepticism about their historical background. Still, although there is no written mention of Wand type exercises in China before the 20th century this is not unusual for health arts and martial arts in China. Traditionally they have been passed down by word of mouth. No one can therefore confirm the true origin of an art because the date of a book or article is no indication of the art's actual age. An art could have been passed on orally for many generations before written records emerged.

The Name

Many westerners are familiar with the term Chinese Wand Exercises which is the term coined by Bruce L. Johnson. In order to facilitate dialogue within China an indigenous Chinese name for the art was researched. This was not only essential for communication but also bestowed cultural respect for the system in the same way that the terms Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong are used instead of literal English translations (we do not say `Chinese Supreme Ultimate Boxing' or `Chinese Breath and Energy Work').

Extensive research arrived at the term "Jian-gan" meaning literally "health wand". The two Chinese characters make up the logo at the top of this web page. While no conclusive evidence was found that this phrase was the exact title used for the exercises by the masters themselves, it was deemed the most authentic, as there has been mention of the phrase in Chinese culture in the context of exercise, and consequently native Chinese speakers would comprehend this phrase in the same context The terms `Chinese Wand' / `Chinese Wand Exercises,' / `Jiangan" / `Jiangan - Chinese Health Wand' refer to the same exercise system and are interchangeable.

Bruce L. Johnson and the Discovery of an Obscure Chinese Art

Bruce L Johnson is the man who brought Chinese Wand Exercises to the West in 1945. This was many decades before Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan or Qigong were known outside China. Johnson Published his book "Chinese Wand Exercise" in 1977 but was teaching the art in the 1960s. While serving with the US Navy in Shanghai in 1945, Johnson, like many sailors, took a rickshaw ride. But it was a ride that lead to him to the 93 year old Chinese Wand master who taught him the secrets of the Wand system. Clint Walker (the large muscular guy in The Dirty Dozen) and James Coburn were two of Johnson's students when he was Fitness Instructor at Paramount Studios. Walker claimed the Wand exercises improved his bad back while Coburn used the exercises as a calming technique. Click on the newspaper clippings below to enlarge.

     

Postures

Jiangan (Chinese Wand Exercises) is quite unlike anything seen in China or any other country as far as methodology and body mechanics are concerned. Although the methods are unique and evolved by trial and error in discovering practical techniques for exercise, there are clear signs of influence (perhaps even a common origin) between some of the postures and other Chinese internal health practices - namely Taoist Yoga and Qigong. In the photos below, various Qigong & Taoist Yoga postures on the left resemble aspects of Jiangan postures (shown on the right). This does not indicate that Jiangan is necessarily a derivative of Qigong & Taoist Yoga, only that a common ancestry can be reasonably assumed. Click on the images to enlarge photo.

     

Searching for the art in China

Grandmaster Bruce Johnson who learnt the art in Shanghai in 1945 was keen to take the art back to China:
        "In China they now do Tai Chi, but my one ambition is to return there and bring their ancient Chinese exercises full circle."

Johnson wasalso convinced that there might be someone in a remote region still practising the art. Unfortunately he did not have the chance to pursue either aspect. However, now a long-term project is under way by the Jiangan Initiative to let Chinese people see the exercises using the internet. The idea is to ascertain whether any native practitioners still exist in China. However, it is also hoped that promotion of the art through various Chinese social media websites will be a springboard for discussion with other Chinese health systems to discover possible influences and common origins of the art. For more background visit the Wikipedia article.

The Chinese Health Wand Association has been set up to encourage Chinese people to learn more about Jiangan and to promote the practice in China.