On the 5th day of "fasting", Li Mei developed a rash on her back.
The instructor of the inedia training class told her, "This is the body's detoxification."
Li Mei thinks that her skill is not enough.
She took a deep breath, and after about 40 seconds, her bulging belly gradually returned to its original shape with the sound of exhalation.
Feeling dizzy, she took a few quick deep breaths, raised her head and asked the lecturer, "Can I breathe without my nose and mouth?"
"What enters your body is cosmic energy, you can control it with your mind." The lecturer picked up the water glass and took a slow sip of water.
In an apartment next to the Canal Park in Tongzhou District, Beijing, Zhen Ru, a lecturer of the inedia class, claimed to be the 61st generation descendant of Sun Simiao, the king of medicine.
The reporter of People's Daily Online "People's Direct Hit" joined the above-mentioned bigu training class through the online class of "Litchi Micro-Lesson".
An undercover investigation found that the 3-day offline training for the bigu training class was 2,380 yuan.
At the training site, the instructor told the trainees not to eat any food, but to “gather cosmic energy” to satiate their stomachs through practice; also claimed that bigu can cure any disease, including cancer.
The lecturer also gave the students acupoints to treat rheumatism on the spot, claiming to be able to use the mind to extract objects from the air.
Screenshot of Bigu course fees in "Litchi Micro-Lessons".
Students fasted for 5 days "in a trance"
"If you want to live forever, your belly is always clear; if you want to stay alive, there is no dregs in your intestines."
The online course has a total of 13 sessions and charges 699 yuan, all of which are recorded and broadcasted videos, and have been viewed by more than 800 people.
In the video page of one of the classes, the "CCTV1" logo was used to simulate the introduction of bigu on a TV screen.
The above courses are set up on the "Litchi Micro-Lesson" - a public knowledge sharing platform under Shenzhen Shifang Ronghai Technology Co., Ltd.
Users can start courses on the platform in the form of recording or live broadcasting, and charge the course fee.
In the course video of "Drug King Liu Zi Jue Persuasion Video and Power Leveling", the lecturer Zhen Ru accompanied the narration to ask the students to "stand and relax and integrate into the universe"; "Exhale turbid air"; then, press down with both hands over the top of the head, and then put them together in front of the chest, making the action of swallowing saliva; after about 3 seconds, pinch the thumbs and forefingers of both hands, bend down and exhale.
The whole set of movements needs to be repeated 18 times to complete the "convincing qi practice".
Zhen Ru and Chongming both have the titles of "National Senior Bigu Health Instructor" in the profiles of "Lychee Micro-Lessons".
Chongming also uploaded a "bigu training certificate" with incomplete information, and the issuing unit is "China Employment Training Technical Guidance Center".
At the end of March, a staff member of the China Employment Training Technical Guidance Center told reporters, "The center canceled the training, examination and issuance of the 'Bigu Health Instructor' certificate after 2016." Several staff members of the center said that with 2016 For those who are employed or engaged in business with the certificate of "Bingu Health Instructor" issued before 2010, the inquiry service will be provided for the authenticity of the certificate, and the validity of the certificate will not be explained.
The reporter signed up for the 7-day online inedia course, and was pulled into a WeChat group called "2022.3.9 Online Collective Inedia Group" by lecturer Chongming. There were 17 students in the group.
The lecturer said in the group that during the fasting period, one cannot eat any food, but only drink water. Every morning, noon and night, one should insist on taking qi and practicing exercises instead of the nutrition given by food.
Every morning and evening, Chongming will send voice messages in the group on time to remind students to practice inedia.
Students check in in the group every day and report their weight and status.
On the 5th day of inedia, some students said that "the whole body is empty, and the spirit is a little trance", and some students bluntly said "can't hold on anymore".
Three sets of "gong methods" in the morning, noon and evening instead of eating
The lecturer Chongming introduced that online bigu courses are only suitable for beginners, and they can only learn the fur of bigu.
The reporter expressed that he wanted to lose weight through fasting. Chongming said that it is best to join an offline training course, and Zhen Ru, a lecturer with profound skills in practice, would bring students to practice the practice face-to-face.
The offline bigu training courses are divided into 10 courses including "3-day collective training" and "7-day collective training", with prices ranging from 2,380 yuan to 11,800 yuan.
Compared with online courses, offline courses have more "digital energy", "acupuncture points", "walking meditation", "Dragon Soaring Nine Forms" and "Begu Mind Method".
In early March, the reporter entered the offline Bigu training class as a new student for a three-day training.
In an apartment next to Canal Park in Tongzhou District, the reporter met lecturer Zhen Ru and 60-year-old student Zhang Ying in the studio of "Re-Ming the Body and Mind Co-therapy".
At 9:30 in the morning, Zhen Ru took the reporter and Zhang Ying to the trail beside the Canal Park to start the first lesson of bigu - walking meditation.
"Relax your body, take 3 steps while inhaling, take 3 steps while exhaling, and repeat."
"There is no time limit for walking meditation, as long as you feel your body is hot." Zhen Ru said, "The purpose is to absorb yang energy and prepare for inedia training."
"What is Yang Qi?" the reporter asked again.
"It's the essence of the sun and the moon, the energy of the universe." Zhen Ru said.
"What bigu eats is not rice, but perseverance. Persuasion bigu relies on the collection of cosmic energy to meet various nutritional needs of the human body." At about 11:30, after walking meditation, the students returned to the apartment to study theory and practice persuasion qigong. .
"Like flowers and trees, they don't eat anything. Sunlight, air, and water can make them grow." Zhen Ru gave an analogy.
Zhen Ru led the students to practice 3 sets of qigong methods - "The Medicine King Six-Zi Jue", "Dragon Nine Forms" and "Ancient Energy Serving Qi".
Zhen Ru recited "Let the body integrate into the universe" and "Open Baihui", and then shouted in a low and long voice - "Open".
He introduced that this is a mantra and a ritual. Compared with online training, the advantage of offline training is that it "has my energy blessing".
At the scene, he asked the students to put their palms on top of their heads, flip their feet 3 times, pour "cosmic energy" into their bodies, put their hands together in front of their chests, hold their breath for 3 seconds, swallow the body fluid and breath in their mouths, and send them to the bottom. Dantian; repeat the action of pinching fingers and bending over to exhale, making sounds of "shh", "ha", "hu", "hi", "blow", and "hee". Knead the hour hand 9 times each.
"The Medicine King's Six-Character Art of Convincing Qi" was completed.
When introducing the "Nine Forms of Long Teng", Zhen Ru said, "It is also a method of absorbing energy from the universe." Each style has a special name, and each style is also performed 18 times.
At the end of the exercise, the students were asked to recite the words of thanks in unison.
"Ancient Energy Dispelling Cold and Convincing Qi" is practiced at dinner time.
Zhen Ru introduced that this exercise can not only absorb cosmic energy, help sleep, but also eliminate toxins from the body.
He asked the reporter to lie down on the bed, take a big breath, fill the abdomen with air, and then hold it in until the chest tightness was unbearable, and then slowly exhaled.
Each time you practice for about fifteen minutes, you can finish the work.
"Lock the energy inhaled into the body, and practice this for a long time, so you don't need to breathe through your nose and mouth."
Applying "acupuncture points" to treat rheumatism for students
Practitioner Zhang Ying said that she had rheumatism, which often caused knee pain.
Zhen Ru asked Zhang Ying to sit on the chair and relax.
I saw that Zhen Ru pressed Zhang Ying's shoulder with her hand, and pressed her thumb or index finger on the acupoints on Zhang Ying's shoulder.
After that, press Zhang Ying's spine.
Zhen Ru called the whole set of movements "pointing acupuncture points".
"Introduce the power I have into her body to improve her immunity." Zhen Ru explained the acupuncture point, "This is different from massage. The qigong I practice, the input is energy."
After about 10 minutes, Zhen Ru put her palms against Zhang Ying's back to complete the last part of the acupuncture exercises.
He tried to inject his "cosmic energy" into Zhang Ying's body again.
"I feel that my body is a little hot, and my body and mind are more relaxed." Zhang Ying described the feeling after being acupuncture points, "It all depends on the skill of the teacher, others have no energy."
Zhen Ru confidently said that it can dispel the cold in Zhang Ying's body and cure rheumatism.
He also asked reporters to sit down and experience acupuncture.
After the whole process was over, Zhen Ru asked the reporter, "How do you feel?"
"I don't feel anything," the reporter replied.
Zhen Ru smiled and said, "Everybody's body is different. You are more resistant to the energy I input, so you don't feel it."
"How do you know that my body is repulsive?" the reporter asked rhetorically.
"I can feel the repulsion in your body with your mind." Zhen Ru explained, "Whether you can absorb the energy of the universe depends on your sincerity. Then you can absorb the energy with your mind. Imagine that the qi summoned by your hand is full of energy, Put it in your body."
Zhen Ru claimed to have been practicing inedia for 13 years. "I can perceive the state of things with my mind, and I can even fetch objects from the air." The reporter asked him to perform "fetching things from the air" and was rejected.
"You can't show it casually." Zhen Ru said.
"How do you know if the online students have practiced and convinced themselves?" the reporter asked.
"I can perceive it." Zhen Ru gave another example, "For example, after you go home, I can use my mind to know your state at home."
"Miracle" self-healing of leukemia patients after fasting?
On the second day of the offline bigu training, 60-year-old Zhang Ying was starving.
She kept drinking water to satisfy her stomach, "drinking three or four catties of water every day".
"Let's 'eat'." At 9 o'clock in the morning, Zhang Ying couldn't wait and asked the lecturer to lead the practice to convince her.
After the persuasion was over, Zhen Ru continued to talk about the principle of persuasion and bigu.
According to his description, the cosmic energy absorbed by convincing will be attached to the cells, engulfing cells that are not conducive to human health, and repairing the lesions.
This term is known as "cytophagy".
"Whether it is high blood pressure, diabetes, or even cancer, it can be cured by phagocytosis." Zhen Ru introduced that bigu is to stimulate the human body's potential and rely on the body's instinctive repair ability. Without any drug intervention, the disease will be cured.
"Anyone can cure their condition through bigu." Zhen Ru gave an example to the reporter, "I used to have a student with leukemia. After passing the bigu, he went to the hospital and found that the indicators were all normal. The doctor thought it was a miracle, but he never came again. hospital treatment."
"After learning bigu, you can also use your thoughts to help other people treat diseases." Zhen Ru said, "You can't tell others about the principles of treatment, and outsiders don't understand it. If you say it, you will reveal the secret."
Qin Jian, director of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, said that autophagy is not about good cells eating bad cells.
Autophagy is a phenomenon, and it is not clear which diseases are beneficial to it. It is still researched at the academic level and has not reached the level of application and operation.
Qiu Chaoping, a member of the Chinese Medicine Fasting Therapy Research Group at Sun Yat-sen University, pointed out that not everyone is suitable for fasting.
Due to the need for continuous fasting during inedia, people with malnutrition, severe hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, severe liver and kidney insufficiency and other diseases are not suitable for inedia.
"Bingu is known as fasting therapy in the Chinese medicine industry. It is necessary to choose whether or not to fast according to the situation of different audiences under the professional guidance of doctors." Qiu Chaoping said, "If it is claimed that bigu can cure diseases, it already belongs to the medical category."
"Theory of Cultivation of Immortals" and Psychological Implications
It was in 2009 that Zhen Ru and Chongming contacted the convincing bigu. Zhen Ru claimed to be the descendant of Sun Simiao, the king of medicine.
He claims to have been engaged in inedia training for so many years, and has bought a house and settled down in Tongzhou.
Zhen Ru said that he has taught more than 20,000 people to practice bigu in the past 13 years.
In the WeChat group called "Bigu Home and Bigu Health General Group" founded by him, there are 389 students who were all drawn into the group after taking offline courses.
The reporter found that after some students who are addicted to convincing bigu have taken offline courses, they will pay for online courses again.
Veteran students who have repeatedly paid for online and offline courses can become Zhenru's disciples.
On March 7, disciple Li Mei went to the studio to find Zhen Ru, saying that she had a rash on her body after fasting.
Zhenru explained that "the body is detoxifying".
In front of the reporters, Zhen Ru taught Li Mei a set of exercises, instructing her to take a deep breath while inflating her lower abdomen, and when she felt unbearable, she slowly exhaled.
After Li Mei tried it, she felt dizzy.
"Let the energy circulate in the body and promote detoxification." Zhen Ru explained, "I can hold it for about 4 minutes."
"Is this the 'Turtle Breath Dafa' in the TV series?" The reporter wondered.
"You can understand that too." Zhen Ru said that as long as you practice this exercise well, you can breathe through your skin instead of your nose and mouth.
He went on to explain that this is a set of advanced qigong techniques.
"Just like animals can hibernate without food for three months, people can do it too, using innate energy to maintain life."
"Why did the ancients cultivate immortals, and what method is used, one of them is to be convinced and bigu." Zhen Ru explained again, "This is a method of immortality that ordinary people can use."
Li Mei was convinced of this.
That afternoon, when she was practicing the "Medicine King's Six-Character Art of Convincing Qi", she put her hands on top of her head and tried her best to pour the absorbed "universal energy" into her body. Work hard.
During the training of bigu, the reporter found a variety of books such as "hypnosis", "suggestion psychology" and "psychological counseling interview techniques" in the studio of "re-discovery of body and mind co-therapy".
The reporter looked at "Suggestion Psychology" and found that the book even recorded how to use psychological suggestion to deal with cancer patients.
According to the book, "regardless of the nature and shape of the tumor, the growth of cancer cells can be stopped by means of psychological cues, and eventually absorbed by the body's immune cells and disappear."
Qin Jian said that some bigu lecturers did not explain the role of bigu according to scientific theories, but demystified it, and continued to give psychological hints to students to guide them to do it in their own way. The hypnotic effect makes the students feel that they "feel".
Qin Jian said, "Traditional Chinese medicine fasting therapy has a consensus in the medical community, but it still lacks recognition in the society, and some people will steal the concept and transfer it to inedia treatment. There is a gray area."
The reporter asked Zhen Ru, "If bigu can cure diseases and control things with mind, why are you so worried about others knowing?"
"Many people won't believe it. In their opinion, this is a cult." Then, Zhen Ru added, "Only those who are destined can cultivate."
The reporter pointed to the books on the shelf and asked Zhen Ru, "Are these psychological cues?"
Zhen Ru looked in the direction of the reporter's finger, hesitated for a few seconds and said, "You can understand that too."
"I don't have a medical license"
The reporter searched online and found that in recent years, news that the Bigu training class was investigated and punished by relevant departments for illegal business operations has frequently appeared in the newspapers.
Some training classes are carried out using concepts such as "drinking the wind", "convincing" and "clear water", and even involving the use of superstition to cause death.
In June 2017, Zhen Ru's bigu training course in Fenghuangling, Haidian District, Beijing was exposed by the media.
Haidian District's industrial and commercial and health departments investigated him, and the Bigu Homeland Phoenix Ridge training course was closed.
"After a period of hiatus, we moved to Tongzhou and began to prepare for online courses." Zhen Ru recalled the situation that was exposed by the media, "I found that there were more than one reporters going undercover at the scene. Major units After the joint law enforcement investigation, they also said that I practiced medicine illegally."
"I generally don't casually say that bigu can cure diseases." Facing reporters' doubts, Zhen Ru said that he was afraid of being exposed, so he was right when he was caught.
Zhen Ru revealed that he used acupuncture and moxibustion to treat diseases for his clients.
The reporter found that in a "VIP customer information file form" of Zhenru, he recorded in detail the information of acupuncture and moxibustion for his customers.
One of the customers surnamed Zhang has had 20 acupuncture sessions, with a total consumption of 6,380 yuan.
In 2014, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine issued the "Reply on the Supervision of TCM in the Special Action against Illegal Practice of Medicine", which pointed out that non-medical institutions and their personnel shall not use acupuncture, foaming moxibustion, traction, and minimally invasive TCM in their business activities. similar techniques and other invasive, invasive or high-risk technical methods; no promotion of therapeutic effects is allowed.
"I don't have a doctor's qualification certificate." Zhen Ru said frankly that "it is illegal to practice medicine."
Two days after joining the bigu training class, Zhang Ying left early and told reporters in private, "I think some words are nonsense."
At the end of the three-day inedia training course, Zhen Ru handed over a large inedia instruction manual written by himself to the reporter.
The manual not only describes that bigu does not rely on whole grains to maintain the nutritional needs of the human body, but also lists some cases of using bigu to treat cancer, and even describes that bigu is "reborn" and "creating a myth".
(Li Mei and Zhang Ying are pseudonyms in the text)