Closing Form

收势 · Shōu Shì · Closing form · Twelve-Section Brocade

Form name in the official English edition: "Closing Position" Health Qigong — 12-Routine Exercises, General Administration of Sport of China (Foreign Languages Press 外文出版社, 2012 · ISBN 9787119078717). We checked this title against that book's table of contents; the step text below comes from a different source, named underneath.

Where this step text comes from. The Twelve-Section Brocade is the routine promoted by the General Administration of Sport of China (2010). The official textbook is not obtainable, so the step-by-step text here follows Zhang Hailing's Shi Er Duan Jin (Beijing Sport University Press, 2012, ISBN 978-7-5644-1117-6), the only source we can verify word for word. It agrees with a separately transcribed copy of the textbook's technical notes. We are not claiming this reproduces the official standard word for word.

Draw both fists to the waist, inhale, open the shoulders and expand the chest, then hold the breath for about two seconds. Next reach both arms forward, cross the wrists with the left arm innermost, push the crossed wrists forward a little, let the chest draw slightly in and the back lean back, and pause. Place the palms on the knees with the fingertips pointing forward, raise them forward and up on the diagonal at a forty-five degree angle to the head, lower them to shoulder height, press them down to the inner knees, then slide them to the floor and lean forward before standing. Step the right foot forward on the diagonal, bring the left foot in beside it, and stand upright with the feet together. The form returns you from the cushion to standing, so it is the one place in the routine where balance matters most.

Works on: whole body, arms, wrists, chest, spine, balance
Repetitions: Once through, with a breath held for about two seconds at the wrist crossing
Time: 1 min
Difficulty: Moderate
Chair version: Yes — no floor work
Official English name: Closing Position
Official source: General Administration of Sport of China, 2010

The classical verse

The classical seated routine has twelve verse lines for twelve movements, and this movement is one of the ones they do not name — the modern official routine separates it out, while the classical verse passes over it. We have left this blank rather than attach a line that does not belong to it.

The technical notes say that at the moment when the wrists are crossed, the breath is held and the back leans backward, the fists should be closed firmly, with "lifting the anus, drawing in the abdomen and clenching the teeth" named in the classical wording. They are optional and are commonly left out. As the palms come down the notes ask you to hold the image of the whole body letting go. No effect beyond the description of the practice itself is claimed here.

How to do it

The official form is practised sitting cross-legged on a firm wedge-shaped cushion with the front edge lower than the back. Every step below also says what to do if you are sitting in a chair — the two are the same movement, only the seat differs, so there is no separate version to choose between.

Continue from the previous movement. Draw both fists back to the waist while inhaling, opening the shoulders and expanding the chest.
Hold the breath for about two seconds. The text asks for this, but it is the one part of the form to skip freely: if holding your breath is uncomfortable, or you have any condition listed under cautions below, simply keep breathing normally and pause instead.
Reach both arms forward with the left arm innermost, and cross the wrists in front of the chest with the fists facing inward. Press forward with a little effort.
Draw the chest slightly inward at the same time and let the back lean backward. Hold the position briefly. Look forward.
Open the fists into palms, lower them and place them on the knees with the palms facing upward and the fingertips pointing forward. Look forward.
Raise both palms forward and upward on the diagonal, at a forty-five degree angle to the head, elbows slightly bent, supporting them as they come up; then raise the head and look forward and upward.
Draw the chin in, rotate the arms inward and lower the palms to arm's length in front of the chest at shoulder width, palms facing downward. Look forward.
Continue without stopping: press the palms down in front of the body and rest them on the inner sides of the knees. Pause briefly. Look forward. In a chair: come to rest on the tops of the thighs instead, since the knees sit higher.
Slide the palms down along the outer sides of the thighs until all ten fingers press on the floor. Look forward. In a chair: leave this step out — from a chair you do not go down to the floor.
Lean the upper body forward with the ten fingers and both feet pressing into the floor. Look forward and downward. In a chair: shift the weight forward over both feet instead, and keep the spine long.
Rise smoothly on that support, controlling your weight, then step the right foot forward and outward on the diagonal, letting the palms hang at the sides of the body. Look forward. In a chair: stand up by pressing down through the legs, letting the hands rest lightly on the thighs for support rather than pushing off them hard — the hands-to-the-floor, the forward lean and the push off the hands are all replaced by rising straight up.
Draw the left foot in to the inside of the right foot and stand with the feet together, the body upright and square. Look forward. Stand quietly for a few breaths before moving away. In a chair: bring the left foot beside the right so the feet are together and let the arms hang at the sides; there is nothing to balance on except your own feet.

If you are sitting in a chair

The differences worth knowing before you start — the substitutions are already written into each step above.

From a chair you do not go down to the floor: the hands-to-the-floor, the forward lean and the push off the hands are replaced by rising straight up from the knees.
The palms come to rest on the tops of the thighs rather than the inner sides of the knees, and there is nothing to balance on except your own feet.

Breathing and intention

Inhale as the fists draw back to the waist and the chest opens. The two-second hold that follows is part of the classical form but is optional; if you skip it, breathe normally and keep a light pause instead, and never force it. Adjust the breath as the palms lift, and let it settle back to its resting rhythm as they come down, letting the breath return to where it settles at the lower abdomen. Use the support of hands and feet when rising, keep the weight controlled, and let the movement stay continuous and steady.

Common mistakes

Crossing the wrists with the right arm innermost instead of the left.
Holding the breath for longer than the two seconds asked for, or holding it when it feels strained. Skip it and breathe.
Keeping the fists slack at the crossing instead of closing them firmly for that moment.
Rushing to stand up out of the forward lean and losing control of the weight, or pushing with the lower back instead of the hands and legs.
Rushing the last three steps so the rising and the closing of the feet become one lurch. The rise should be continuous and steady.
Coming to stand without straightening the body fully, or standing with the weight tilted rather than square over the feet.

Before you start

Do not hold your breath if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or glaucoma — breathe normally instead.
The classical cue to lift the anus, draw in the abdomen and clench the teeth belongs to the older language of the method and is entirely optional; nothing is lost by leaving it out.
If getting down so the hands reach the floor is not possible today, use the chair version and rise straight up from the knees.
Rise slowly and stay beside the chair or a stable surface until you feel steady, especially if standing up quickly makes you dizzy.
Skip the forward lean if you have wrist, hand or finger pain, or if you cannot comfortably reach the floor.

Safety first

Ask your doctor before starting if you have heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, dizziness or fainting, a fall in the last 6 months, surgery in the last 3 months, diagnosed osteoporosis, a hip or knee replacement, a painful joint, or pregnancy.
Pain is a stop sign. Stop with burning, pressure or sharp pain; ordinary muscle tiredness is different from pain.
For seated work use a sturdy, armless, wheel-free chair with a firm seat against a wall. Keep both feet flat, and use a stable book under the foot if you need it.
For every standing or balance movement keep a fixed support within one arm's reach.
Never hold your breath. Breathe with the movement, and return to normal breathing when the effort rises.
If you feel dizzy, sit down, wait one minute, and end the session for that day.
Drink water, practise at least one hour after a meal, and use non-slip shoes or a non-slip bare-foot surface.
Use a comfortable range. Forward bends come from the hips with a long, neutral spine; avoid sudden twisting.
This programme is not medical treatment and does not replace physiotherapy.

Where it comes from

Not one of the twelve named figures; it is the closing sequence the modern compilation attaches so that the seated routine ends back on the feet. The illustrated versions show it after the twelfth form and before the practitioner walks away.

The Twelve-Section Brocade is the modern official form of the seated Eight-Section Brocade, also called the literary eight-section brocade (wen baduanjin), which the Ming dynasty texts record in eight figures. Its name appears in the eighteenth-century Shoushi Chuanzhen, and the version in most circulation today comes from the Neigong Tushuo. It was standardised as an official routine in 2010 by the General Administration of Sport of China.

Sources

Chinese Health Qigong Association, Health Qigong · Shi Er Duan Jin (routine overview)
Zhang Hailing, Shi Er Duan Jin, Beijing Sport University Press, 2012 (ISBN 978-7-5644-1117-6) — a second independent source for the movement text, not the official textbook. Our own word-for-word transcription of its seated chapter is not filed in this repository, so the site cites the book rather than a page reference.

Common questions

Can I do Closing Form from a chair?

Yes. The official form is practised sitting cross-legged on a cushion, but this page gives a chair version that keeps the same movement while removing the need to get down onto the floor. Both versions are listed further down this page.

How many repetitions does Closing Form take?

Once through, with a breath held for about two seconds at the wrist crossing. The classical texts give their own counts, which are quoted on this page where they differ.

What does Closing Form involve?

It works mainly the whole body, arms, wrists, chest, spine, balance. In the traditional framing it belongs to the 收势 principle; practically, it is a slow movement, self-massage or stillness practice depending on the form.

How long does Closing Form take?

About 1 minute. The pace is set by the breath rather than a timer, so slower is generally better.

Where does Closing Form come from?

When should I be careful with Closing Form?

Do not hold your breath if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or glaucoma — breathe normally instead. The classical cue to lift the anus, draw in the abdomen and clench the teeth belongs to the older language of the method and is entirely optional; nothing is lost by leaving it out. If getting down so the hands reach the floor is not possible today, use the chair version and rise straight up from the knees. Rise slowly and stay beside the chair or a stable surface until you feel steady, especially if standing up quickly makes you dizzy. Skip the forward lean if you have wrist, hand or finger pain, or if you cannot comfortably reach the floor.

What else is Closing Form called?

In Chinese it is 收势 (Shōu Shì). The official English edition of the routine calls it "Closing Position". Descriptive English sources also use . It is the same movement in every case, and the classical verse line it belongs to reads "".

Written by LiHe — practitioner, teacher and consultant in qigong and traditional health practice. Review status and sources are shown below where available.

This is general movement education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Read the full disclaimer.

The Chinese names are the traditional names of the movements. They are not medical claims, and this site does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-08
Movement data: Standing form follows the Chinese Fitness Qigong Association standard routine. The chair versions are this pack's own adaptation, written for a seated reader.. Version v0.5.
Additional source: The Twelve-Section Brocade is the routine promoted by the General Administration of Sport of China (2010). Step text follows Zhang Hailing, Shi Er Duan Jin (Beijing Sport University Press, 2012, ISBN 978-7-5644-1117-6). English form names follow the English edition of the routine (Foreign Languages Press, 2012, ISBN 9787119078717).