The exercise dưỡng sinh or Dưỡng Sinh (compare Chinese ''Yangsheng'' 養生) is a form of partly indigenous breathing and

yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...

exercise similar to

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art. Initially developed for combat and self-defense, for most practitioners it has evolved into a sport and form of exercise. As an exercise, tai chi is performed as gentle, low-impact movement in which practitioners ...

popularized in Vietnam by the historian and political activist Nguyễn Khắc Viện. Viện had been trained as a medical doctor in the field of women's and children's

psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...

. When he himself was given three years to live he turned to practice of traditional breathing exercises. Although the name "dưỡng sinh" was popularised by Viện in ''Từ sinh lý đến dưỡng sinh'' and other books, the idea of "dưỡng sinh" is also known to village people as a supplement to thuốc Nam herbal medicine.Philip Taylor Modernity and Re-Enchantment: Religion in Post-Revolutionary Vietnam 2007 - Page 99 "There are two kinds of folk medicine known to villagers; one is related to herbal medicine, and the other to a ...dưỡng sinh... Most people in Đại Yên, regardless of age, gender or background, had some knowledge about how to grow and use thuốc nam."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duong sinh Health in Vietnam Physical exercise Mind–body interventions