Mawang Dui 馬王堆 - the Horse King Mound - is an archaeological site located in Changsha, China. It is the site of three tombs belonging to the first Marquis of Dai, his wife, and a male who is believed to be their son. The site was excavated from 1972 to 1974. The tombs were sealed in 168BCE. Most of the artifacts from Mawangdui are displayed at the Hunan Provincial Museum. This discovery was as monumental for China as was the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls for the West.

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The tombs contained various medical texts, including depictions of qigong (dao yin) exercises. 

 

From these ancient texts, Qigong masters have devised a series of 12 exercises corresponding to the 12 channels of Qi in the body. Helen Gordon runs regular courses and practise sessions of Ma Wang Dui Qigong. These easy-to-learn movements work with the flow of vital energy through the 12 channels and encourage connection between the external body movements and the internal activity of the mind.

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