Try This 1,300 Year Old Chinese Facial Exercise

Ancient Chinese culture has so much to teach us about facial exercises—after all, they’ve been doing these exercises for some 2,000 years as a way to defy the effects of aging. It’s well-documented and was first conceived as being closely related to the traditional Chinese medical practice of Meridian.

Wu Zetian was the first and last Empress of China during the Tang Dynasty, ruling during the end of the 7th century.

She was also known for doing anything possible to regain her youthful appearance. It’s amazing what you can learn from a 1,300 year old Chinese facial exercise.

In doing so, she brought forth the best physicians in the Imperial Court to come up with the best methods to keep her face rejuvenated.

The Empress’s Ancient Chinese Facial Exercise Routine

You can try this very simple, ancient Chinese face exercise twice a day at five repetitions each.

1. Raise your eyebrows highest you can. You should feel your forehead scrunch up. Now relax them.
2. Move your nose from side to side with your upper lip.
3. Inflate your cheeks most you can. Exhale.
4. Open your mouth wide, as wide as it will go. Then, stick out your tongue the farthest it can go. Hold this position for five seconds.

After doing these simple exercises with 5 repetitions of each, give yourself a simple facial massage.

• Employing a circular motion, make circular motions on your entire face starting from your forehead and then move down your cheeks to your chin.
• Using your thumb and pointer finger, pinch your eyebrow line five times.
• Using the same two fingers, pinch both sides of your nose where it meets your cheek five times.
• Firmly press the center between your eyebrows (this relieves tension).
• Finish by doing the circular motion again for your entire face.

This exercise works well in the morning to wake you up easier and loosen up your face. The results are supposed to also be therapeutic, not just physical but also mental.

This is just one ancient Chinese facial exercise mentioned long ago, but for more detailed information on current facial exercises and ways to tone your face please read our Comprehensive Guide to Face Exercises.