Notes on Noi Gong

 From Wikipedia:

      Neigong, also spelled Nei Kung, neigung, or noi gong, is any of a set of Chinese breathing, meditation and spiritual practice disciplines associated with Daoism and especially the Chinese martial arts. Neigong practice is normally associated with the so called "soft style", "internal" or nèijiā 內家 Chinese martial arts, as opposed to the category known as waigong 外功 or "external skill" which is historically associated with shaolinquan or the so called "hard style", "external" or wàijiā 外家 Chinese martial arts. Both have many different schools, disciplines and practices and historically there has been mutual influence between the two and distinguishing precisely between them differs from school to school.

    The martial art school of neigong emphasises training the coordination of the individual's body with the breath, known as the harmonisation of the inner and outer energy(內外合一), creating a basis for a particular school's method of utilising power and technique.

     Neigong exercises that are part of the neijia tradition involve cultivating physical stillness and or conscious (deliberate) movement, designed to produce relaxation or releasing of muscular tension combined with special breathing techniques such as the "tortoise" or "reverse" methods. The fundamental purpose of this process is to develop a high level of coordination, concentration and technical skill that is known in the martial arts world as neijin (內勁). The ultimate purpose of this practice is for the individual to become at one with heaven or the Dao (天人合一). As Zhuangzi stated, "Heaven, earth and I are born of one, and I am at one with all that exists (天地與我並生, 萬物與我唯一)".

    This type of practice is said to require concentration and internal reflection which results in a heightened self-awareness that increases over time with continued practice. Neigong practitioners report awareness of the mechanics of their blood circulation, peristalsis, muscular movement, skeletal alignment, balance, etc.

From Jim Roselando:

Wai Gong is the external exercises of the muscles, tendons etc..

Noi Gong is the internal exercises of the breath & qi...

So! Soft qigong is actually noi gong.  

The horse also must fall into the "natural" category if it is to work the noi gong. That means your ankles, hips, shoulders line up vertical/horizontal to allow for natural flow. They call that external 6 harmonies.  

Wikipedia on Wang Xiangzhai

   Wang Xiangzhai was born in Hebei province, China. As he was a very weak child, his parents decided to send him to the famous Xingyiquan master Guo Yunshen to improve his health. The Wang family had always had connections with the Guo family, horse breeders in the average. Master Guo Yunshen taught him zhanzhuang gong (post standing postures) that the young Xiangzhai had to keep standing for hours.

   During his young adult life, Wang Xiangzhai became a soldier in Beijing and at the age of 33, he went all around China, studying martial arts with many famous masters including monk Heng Lin, Xinyiquan master Xie Tiefu, southern white crane style masters Fang Yizhuang and Jin Shaofeng, Liuhebafa master Wu Yi Hui, etc. Learning from his experience and honoring the truly skilled, Wang made a public statement in 1928:

I have traveled across the country in research, engaging over a thousand people in martial combat, there have been only 2.5 people I could not defeat, namely Hunan's Xie Tie Fu, Fujian's Fang Yi Zhuang and Shanghai's Wu Yi Hui.

   After 7 years of research and study, Wang established himself in Beijing and penetrated the circle of famous masters in this city as well as in Tianjin and Shanghai. At this period of his life he met the respected Liuhebafa Chuan master Wu Yi Hui and also became friends with the Baguazhang master Zhang zhaodong.

   He started to teach many influential martial artists including Hong Lianshun, Zhao Daoxin, the Han brothers (xingqiao and xingyuan), Yao Zongxun, Wang Shujin (who studied Zhan zhuang for one year), and others.

   He first named his teaching Yiquan, in reference to the Xingyiquan and Xinyiquan styles. Later, in the 1940's, one of his disciples who was a journalist publicly called it Dachengquan, which means "great achievement boxing". It is still known by both these names today.

   He received the visit of many Japanese experts during the war. One, Kenichi Sawai became his student and created his own school in Japan calling his martial art Taikiken. Sawaii was primarily instructed by Wang's successor Yao Zongxun.

   At the end of his life he performed research into the healing aspect of Zhan zhuang and worked with different hospitals. He was one of the first Chinese teachers to publicly teach the practice of Zhan zhuang, or 'standing like a tree' methods.