Stroke the Upper Abdomen

前抚脘腹 · Qián Fǔ Wǎn Fù · Form 09 of 12 · Twelve-Section Brocade

Form name in the official English edition: "Caressing the Belly and Abdomen" 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.

With the two palms side by side and the fingertips facing each other, stroke them forward along the ribs, passing in front of the armpits, to below the chest, turn the fingertips down and stroke down the front of the abdomen, then out to the sides and back up along the sides of the rib cage. One down-and-up circuit counts as one; do six. On the sixth, let the palms continue down the front of the abdomen, then reverse and do six more from the bottom upward, finishing with the palms at the sides of the rib cage, fingertips facing each other.

Works on: abdomen, sides of the rib cage, breathing rhythm
Repetitions: Six circuits downward, then six circuits in reverse
Time: 1 min
Difficulty: Gentle
Chair version: Yes — no floor work
Official English name: Caressing the Belly and Abdomen
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 movement belongs to the group of traditional self-massage methods included in the set. The classical instructions pair the direction of the stroke with the direction of the breath, and read the downward and upward passes as one continuous circuit.

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.

Continuing from the previous form, lift both palms slightly, turn the fingers forward and stroke forward along the ribs, in front of the armpits, to below the chest, fingertips facing each other; look down and forward. In a chair: sit tall with both feet flat and the shoulders dropped; the route, the counts and the position of the hands are unchanged.
Turn the fingertips down and stroke downward along the front of the abdomen; look down and forward.
Stroke the palms out to the two sides and turn the fingertips so they face each other at an angle; look forward.
Turn the fingertips diagonally downward and stroke upward along the sides of the rib cage, finishing below the chest with the fingertips facing each other; look forward.
One downward stroke plus one upward stroke counts as one circuit. Do six circuits.
On the last of the six, instead of turning at the sides, let the palms continue down the front of the abdomen and turn the fingertips down; look down and forward.
Then reverse the direction and stroke from the bottom upward along the same route, six more times.
On the last of the reverse six, finish with the palms at the sides of the rib cage, fingertips facing each other.
Keep the two palms side by side with the fingertips facing each other throughout. Do not stack one hand on top of the other.
Inhale on the upward stroke, drawing the abdomen in and lifting the pelvic floor. In a chair: if drawing the abdomen in and lifting the pelvic floor on the upward stroke feels unnatural, leave it out and simply breathe evenly.
Exhale on the downward stroke, releasing the abdomen and the pelvic floor.
Keep the speed even and the pressure moderate; let the shoulders stay down.

If you are sitting in a chair

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

The route, the counts and the position of the hands are unchanged; sit tall with both feet flat and the shoulders dropped.
If drawing the abdomen in and lifting the pelvic floor on the upward stroke feels unnatural, leave it out and simply breathe evenly.

Breathing and intention

The official instruction pairs the direction of the stroke with the breath: inhale, draw the abdomen in and lift the pelvic floor as the palms travel upward; exhale, release the abdomen and the pelvic floor as they travel downward. Keep it gentle — if coordinating all of that is too much at first, start with the breath alone and add the rest later. The notes ask for the whole body relaxed and the breath soft and natural, and they ask for a settled mood as much as for correct technique: comfortable, easy in mind, cheerful, and unhurried. A pleasant frame of mind is part of the practice, not decoration.

Common mistakes

Stacking one hand on the back of the other; this form uses the two palms side by side with the fingertips facing each other.
Only stroking straight up and down, instead of the closed circuit: down the abdomen, out to the sides, and back up along the rib cage.
Skipping the reverse six, or forgetting that the sixth downward circuit ends with the palms continuing down the front of the abdomen.
Breathing the wrong way round — inhale and draw in going up, exhale and release going down.
Pressing hard into the abdomen instead of stroking the surface.
Rushing so the hands and the breath fall out of step, or letting the shoulders ride up.

Before you start

Do not stroke the abdomen if you have had recent abdominal surgery, or if you have a hernia, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, or unexplained abdominal pain.
Keep the pressure light throughout. Stop if the stroking causes nausea, pain or dizziness.
If lifting the pelvic floor is uncomfortable or you are not sure how to do it, leave it out and breathe naturally.
Check with a doctor first if you have any diagnosed abdominal condition.

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 eight named figures in the Ming set; it appears among the movements added when the routine was expanded from eight figures to twelve. Classical verse: 《寿世传真》十二图没有与「前抚脘腹」对应的句子。现代官方版把这一段单列成式，古歌诀里无对应句 —— 不自造句子充数。

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 Stroke the Upper Abdomen 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 Stroke the Upper Abdomen take?

Six circuits downward, then six circuits in reverse. The classical texts give their own counts, which are quoted on this page where they differ.

What does Stroke the Upper Abdomen involve?

It works mainly the abdomen, sides of the rib cage, breathing rhythm. In the traditional framing it belongs to the 前抚脘腹 principle; practically, it is a slow movement, self-massage or stillness practice depending on the form.

How long does Stroke the Upper Abdomen take?

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

Where does Stroke the Upper Abdomen come from?

When should I be careful with Stroke the Upper Abdomen?

Do not stroke the abdomen if you have had recent abdominal surgery, or if you have a hernia, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, or unexplained abdominal pain. Keep the pressure light throughout. Stop if the stroking causes nausea, pain or dizziness. If lifting the pelvic floor is uncomfortable or you are not sure how to do it, leave it out and breathe naturally. Check with a doctor first if you have any diagnosed abdominal condition.

What else is Stroke the Upper Abdomen called?

In Chinese it is 前抚脘腹 (Qián Fǔ Wǎn Fù). The official English edition of the routine calls it "Caressing the Belly and Abdomen". Descriptive English sources also use Massage the Stomach and Abdomen, Stroking the Abdomen and Rubbing the Upper Belly. 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).